Abstract:
Sheikh Bahaee، the great religious scholar of the 10th and 11th centuries (A.H.)، was also an architect، poet، mathematician، and astronaut. His high religious status as Sheikh- ul- Islam in the Safavid court and among the people makes it hard to think of the presence of satire in his works. Nevertheless، the fact is that Sheikh Bahaee has strategically employed satire as an effective means of criticism of society and morality of his time، as well as promotion of social awareness. In addition to some satiric poems and writings found in his works، he has also two completely satiric works named Kashkool (collection of writings)، and Moush- o- Gorbe (Mouse and Cat)، a symbolic story. Existence of hese works alone shows how Sheikh Bahaee concerned with satire in criticizing deeds and sayings of particular groups of people. This study then is an attempt to show the potential of satire، as well as social and moral criticism in Sheikh's Bahaee's Persian works.
Machine summary:
It can be said that Kashkul books, which contain diverse contents and possess various anecdotes, subtleties, and poems, have had and do have the status of modern romances and entertaining stories for past readers and even for some people today; especially in the past, they were widely used by preachers and orators, because their diverse contents, characterized by satire, humor, wit, wisdom, and anecdotes—which have also been given a somewhat moral and religious color—could and can fill the times and moments of the reader and listener of those contents with joy.
It is also not misplaced to remind that essentially, the act of collecting subtle stories, sayings, proverbs, and sometimes satirical points, is both an indicator of the artistic taste of scholars like Sheikh Bahai and an expression of their critical spirit; and that for someone to speak in a way that brings laughter to the lips, or indeed the reader and listener, has done a great thing; and if such a person is also a religious scholar and considers this work to be in line with the teaching of religion and ethics, he has himself done a worthy deed deserving of double praise and attention.
In addition to satirical poems, Sheikh Bahai, amidst the subtleties, allegories, and tales of religious, moral, literary, and historical, in two important books, Kashkul and Pand-e Ahl-e Danesh va Hush (Advice for the People of Knowledge and Intelligence) in the language of cat and mouse, with satirical subtlety and sweetness, has criticized the beliefs, sayings, and hypocritical and opportunistic behaviors of some classes of Safavid era society.
(
, 
, 
)
