JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES (UNIVERSITY OF ISFAHAN)
Year:2000 | Volume:- | Issue:20-21|Papers Count:17

Extension of higher education today is regarded as an important factor in the socioeconomic development, specially from the point of view of training of specialized, professional and work-oriented human resources. Hence, higher education index is a reflection of the quality of training of human factor.Beginning with the definition of the concept of index, its application in higher education will be studied, a viable classification of higher education indexes will be introduced, against which the situation of Isfahan university will be measured. A study of educational and research activities at this university witnesses a quantitative development in regard to the number of students and variation in academic disciplines.Hence, future university policies should be oriented toward qualitative promotion at all levels specifically in regard to graduade studies. As to the promotion of education and research activities of the academic staff, some effort has been made. Real achievements, however, presupposes the providing of necessary means and conditions and a change in the structure of education and research and also optimal application of technological innovations.

The emerging of constitutional ideas in Iran and the revolutionary movement for its realization has brought about deep changes in different realms and domains. During this far-reaching socio-political movement, the political situation of the country changed fundamentally.Fear of despotism was decreased and despotism itself demolished. The establishment of constitutional system brought about freedom, from which also poets and writers, who had themselves contributed to it, gained benefit. During this period, poets became less dependent and panegyrical and tended to be more people-orinted. It may be said that, from the point of view of social commitment, this period which continues until the World war I, was one of the most fruitful periods of Iranian literature. Some part of Vahid's life (sociological research into his poems is the subject matter of this essay) belongs to the mentioned period and reflects the socio-political conditions of the time. To study the reflection of these conditions on his poems, descriptive method has been used and Vahid's poems have been the main source of the research. The study illuminates that Vahid is among the poets who used their whole potential, during the Constitutional Revolution, to materialize the goals of the popular movement of Constitutional Revolution. Vahid's poems during this period were people oriented and up to the end of World War I, has been a means to communicate with people, conveying to them the national revolutionary messages. and as such were characterized by enormous social and political commitment.

Safi Alishah is one of the great mystics in the late 13th and early 14th century, who has composed a versified interpretation of the Quran. This interpretation is considered as one of the most important and amazing works of this period and can be investigated from different points of view such as: mystical, theological, philosophical, historical and literary. This study is an attempt to argue that, first, Safi Alishah has been affected by Mulavi, specifically he has adapted the themes presented in Masnavi. Second, he has derived certain mystical ideas from Meibodi's Kashf-Alasrar and Iddat - Alabrar. And, finally, he has interpreted the prophet's life and religious law and decrees in accordance with the ideas of Sufism.

This article discusses the problems which have occurred in one of the most important historical documents appearing in Bayad-i- Taj-al-Din Ahmad-i-Vazir in the literary anthology, entitled "Fathnameh Isfahan" or the Document of Isfahan Conquest as a result of misreading and misinterpretation of the text.This document, which appears in the above-mentioned anthology and which was written in the chief secretary's own hand writing, has been critically studied and compared with other available copies. Reasons for the errors committed in these latter texts are enumerated and correct readings are offered.

This article deals with biographies of six brilliant and reputed artists of Isfahan: Mirza Agha Emami, Zinat Emami, Abbas Ali Poorsafa, Javad Rostam Shirazi, Hossein Mossaver-ol- Molki and Yervand Nehapetain. This contribution is regarded as a sign of loyalty and gratitude towards great artists of this art-loving city.  

One of the existing works in Isfahan which dates back to the 11th century Hijra (lunar calender) is a commentary on the Quran entitled "Tafsir-al-Aema le-Hedayat-el-Omma" by Agha Mohammad Reza, the son of Molla Abdol Hossein, known as Nasiri Toosi, one of the descendants of Skeikh Aboo-Jafar Mohammad-ibn-Hassan Toosi (died in 460).This commentary is a comprehensive one and is based on traditions. The language used is .first Persian and then the material is presented in Arabic. No complete information is available concerning the life of the writer except what has been mentioned briefly and in general by some of his contemporaries or what can be understood from his works.The late Mirza Abdollah Afandi (the writer of Riaz-ol-Olama) has commented on the book. Also, Allame Tehrani (the writer of Zaria) in Azzaria (volume 4/236) and the introduction of Tebyan commentary (published in Najaf) has written in this regard. In the present article, the researcher's comments, a sample of Nasiri Toosi's style of writing, as well as his known works have been presented.

The growth and development of the Arabic Language and literature is, to a great extent, indebted to Iranian scientific and literary figures. In fact, without their contribution, the foundation of this language could not have been fortified and an important part of Arabic literary works would not have come into existance. One of these key figures is Moayedoddin Abo Esmail Isfahani known as Toghrai. Toghrai Isfahani has a book of Poems (Divan) of which one of the elegies called Lamiato al Ajam is very well known. The introduction and explication of this elegy could reveal the high position of Toghrai in the Arabic literature.

As an introduction into our discussion, I must first emphasize two points. First, no old Iranian name has been ever used in the old time with no real meaning. Second, the old names of vil1ages and places are of very great importance in philological studies. Besides, these old names contain the history of the places. For instance, if a name contains the words 'azar' or another Avestan epitome, such as 'vishta', equal to Avestan 'vahishta', it clearly suggests that the place dates back to the very old past history of Zoroaster. One of these old words is 'sohr'. As far as philology is concerned, in modern Persian, 'sohr' has no meaning and counotes no significant implication. This word for the first time has been used in Shahnameh of Ferdowsi in the name of Sohrab, who went into war with his father, Rostam, and was killed in the battle field by the very hand of his father. Wirh regard te the evolution of the word, we find that a kind of misplacement has happened in the letters of this word. The original name was 'sorh' equal to 'sorkhab' (red water) and this name C sorkhab') has been in great use. 'Sohrevard' consists of two parts: 'sohr' and "vard'. The first part means' red' as we have already mentioned, and 'vard' is just a transfiguration of the Pahlavi word 'varta'. As a matter of fact, 'varta' or 'vrta' in Pahlavi means both rose and mud. Therefore, it has two meanings either related to the red flower (red rose) or to the red earth. So, 'Sohrevardi' contains the beautiful meanings of either red rose or red earth. In this paper, attempts have been made to introduce some of these old places in terms of geographical location along with some aspects of their historical geography and social situation.

Some of the Islamic theologians like 'Asha'era have treated the imaginary-time as an agent between the sublime God and Creation. This position has been criticized by some of researchers among theologians, such as Khajeh Nasir al-Tusi. Then, among those who later have criticized this theory is the Third Teacher, Mirdamad, one who has rendered the imaginary time void by his contingency through perpetual duration doctrine. The divine philosopher, Mulla Isma'il Khajuei has compiled a treatise and reasonably repudiated Agha Jamal Khansari's idea, one who advocatod this theory at that time. We not only have analyzed Mulla Isma'il's idea and his position in this article, but we have also investigated the foundations of this theory in some of ancient philosophers' thoughts such as Plato and Aristotle and explained the case briefly.In our opinion, the theologian having been influenced by these two great philosophers resorted the imaginary time in order to resolve the problem of factor relating temporal emergent to the Eternal. But not only the theologians could not resolve the problem, but they by planning their so called theory increased difficulties in regard to this issue. Among these invalid results deduced from this theory is temporality of the Eternal "and" eternality of temporal emergent, which will basically corrupt the bases of monotheism. From one aspect, if the imaginary time is proved to be true, it will be as a part of the world and therefore its concept will be meaningless.The Islamic philosophers designed other doctrines for relating factor between temporal emergent and the Eternal. Consequently, the comer stone of discourse in this essay is the contingency through perpetual duration and it is incidentally pointed to Mulla Sadra's doctrine.

The translation of Shahnameh, done by Bondary in the early seventh century, is one of the most important and most useful sources for those doing studies on Shahnameh. In addition, this is a short and free translation andin many cases some addition and omission can be observed. In this investigation, by comparing and contrasting 150 poems of Rostam and Esfandiar, attempts have been made to identify the deviations as well as the translator's style and also the quality of translation.

khaje-Shams-od-Din Mohammad, Hafez Shirazi's Diwan is the manifestation of the common soul of Iranians, and his poetry is the quint essence of Iranian culture.This great poet can be considered as the mouth-piece of all Persian-speakers throughout the centuries. Therefore all the topics in his poetry can be regarded as the Iranians' general belief around that topic. Isfahan, the historical city, along with its vital vein, Zayanderud, has a high position in Hafez's Diwan but little attention has been paid to it up to now. In this essay, in addition to the above mentioned subject, we will deal with the relationship between Hafez and Isfahan, and the way through which his poetry has been influenced by Djamal-od-Din Mohammad-ibn-e-Abdorrazagh-e-Isfahani and his son, Kamaladdin-Esma'il as well as the concept of "Iraq" in Lesanol-Gheib's Diwan.