Interpretation of Mehmed Reshid’s Two Qasidas in the Persian Language

Abstract

The aim of this linguo-stylistic analysis and interpretation of Reshid's two panegyric qasidas in Persian is primarily to present the literary work of this comparatively little known poet from the 17th century, which has not yet been evaluated and classified in terms of literary history in our cultural heritage in Oriental languages.

Reshid's qasidas are very simple, with pronounced euphony and pleasing verse rhythm and melody, without more pronounced complexity at semantic level as is often the case in divan poetry. The value of these qasidas is in the perception of their harmonious rhythm, not in their content.

As understood in Oriental-Islamic philosophy and culture, both the kasida madha (ode to praise) and kasida fahra (ode to oneself in expansion) are filled with permanent extravagance in divine beauty of the exterior world; the poet, both with praise and self-praise impregnated with hyperbola and gradation, looks at his personal qualities and the qualities of others (either moral or intellectual) as part of divine beauty, of emanation from God.