An Analysis of Khaqani's Aftabi (Sun) Poem

In the 12th century, we have four literary areas of Transoxania, Khurasan, Iraq and Azerbaijan whose vastness and situation is different compared to the Khurassan area. Despite different geographic areas, neither their distance nor difference of accents was a reason for them not to notice each other. Parody of their poems is a sign of a deep relationship and bond between them. As an instance we can mention a set of poems with a radif (a word repeated in all even verses) of aftab (sunshine) which are well known as “aftabi (sunny) Poems”. One of the main poems of this type belongs to Khaqani, beginning with these statements:O’ thee, who the sun is a servant of his moon-like face,A slave of thee should be moon and another should be the sunIn addition to Khaqani, poets like Assir Akhsikati, Anvari, Seyf Faraghani, Hazin Lahiji, Bidel, Mohtasham Kashani, etc. are ones who have poems with the same rhythm, rhyme and radif. Khaqani has written this qasidah to praise Qezel Arsalan, the ruler of Azerbaijan. The importance of studying the qasidah lies in the similar poetical scope of aftabi poems composed by other contemporary and later poets. This paper studies and evaluates ten points in Khaqani’s “aftabi” qasidah in terms of comparing poetical images and music, astronomy, explanation, correction, etc.