The Effect of al-Motanabbi and Sadi's characters on their Wisdom and Moral Lessons

The personality of al-Motanabbi and Sadi has been one of the most in fluential factors affects their tendency toward moral teaching in two ways: First, it causes their tendency toward moral education and advice; second, they choose advice and moral remarks suited to their own characters. The findings of this study suggest that al-Motanabbi and Sadi are quite distinct and even contradictory in their character and ethical system. While al-Motanabbi is proud, pessimistic, and religiously fragile, Sadi is humble, optimistic and steadfastly religious. Probe into the characters of these two poets shows the difference between laudation and moral teaching, althougt they have several characteristics in common, such as the contradiction between their words and conduct and production of some rough and impertinent lines of poetry. Finally, the difference between these two poets of morality surfaces in their choice of topics. For example, al-Motanabbi pays more heed to courage and valour than Sadi, while Sadi's interest in courtesy and humbleness is in contrast with al-Motanabbi lukewarm attention to these issues. Moreover, unlike Sadi, al-Motanabbi never deals with such issues as fruguality, farness, arrogance, and selfishness.