Da'i Anjudani
Encyclopedia
Da’i Anjudani an Ismaili
poet who hailed from Anjudan
, lived in the time of the Ismaili
Imam
Mustansir b’illah (d. 1480 CE) and likely died during the reign of the Safawid Shah ‘Abbas. As the term ”da’i” denotes a high rank in the Ismaili hierarchy (hudūd), the poet’s name suggests that this figure likely occupied a prominent place in it and that the title da’i was conferred upon him by the Imam, rather than simply being his nom de plume (takhallus).
during the reign of Shah Tahmasp I in the mid. 16th century. Here, he is described as a prominent scholar. His brother, Malik Tayfur is described in the same light as a pious and devoted man, and is also noted also as a world traveler. Da’i is portrayed as a self-disciplined and righteous figure, “like a dervish
”.
Da’i is noted for his lucid poetry, in particular his odes (qaṣā’id)
and love verses (ghazaliyyāt)
. Both Da’i and his brother Malik appear in Lutf ‘Ali Beg’s anthology of poets entitled Ātishkada.
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
poet who hailed from Anjudan
Anjudan
Anjudan is a village situated near the major Shi'i centres of Qumm and Kashan in Iran, to which the Nizari Ismaili Imamate was transferred during the late 14th century CE...
, lived in the time of the Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Mustansir b’illah (d. 1480 CE) and likely died during the reign of the Safawid Shah ‘Abbas. As the term ”da’i” denotes a high rank in the Ismaili hierarchy (hudūd), the poet’s name suggests that this figure likely occupied a prominent place in it and that the title da’i was conferred upon him by the Imam, rather than simply being his nom de plume (takhallus).
Life and Works
One of the earliest mentions of Da’i Anjudani is among the record of poets compiled by Iskandar Beg MunshiIskandar Beg Munshi
Iskandar Beg Munshi — was a Persian historian, the court historian of the Safavid emperor Shah Abbas I. Iskandar Beg began as an accountant in the bureaucracy, but later became a privileged secretary of the Shahs. He wrote one of the greatest works of Persian historiography,...
during the reign of Shah Tahmasp I in the mid. 16th century. Here, he is described as a prominent scholar. His brother, Malik Tayfur is described in the same light as a pious and devoted man, and is also noted also as a world traveler. Da’i is portrayed as a self-disciplined and righteous figure, “like a dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
”.
Da’i is noted for his lucid poetry, in particular his odes (qaṣā’id)
Qasida
The qaṣīdaᵗ , in Arabic: قصيدة, plural qasā'id, قــصــائـد; in Persian: قصیده , is a form of lyric poetry that originated in preIslamic Arabia...
and love verses (ghazaliyyāt)
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...
. Both Da’i and his brother Malik appear in Lutf ‘Ali Beg’s anthology of poets entitled Ātishkada.