Born under the Samanid dyansty and living through the rule of the Ghaznavid dynasty in Tus located north Iran, Ferdowsi is author of the epic Shahnameh (“The Book of Kings”) of 50,000 lines taking 30 years to compose. The work is of central importance in Persian heritage.

Q1. Ferdowsi was born in 940CE and died around 1019CE at around 80 years old. He lived under the Ghaznavid dynasty who at their height ruled territory spanning modern day Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tell us about the cultural context in which he was born.

Q2. Ferdowsi was born into a family of dehqan landowners. He has an elegy to an adult son inserted into the Shahnameh. He is characterised as both a Shia Muslim but also a deist. What else do we know about his life?

Q3. Ferdowsi began work on the Shahnameh around 977 and received patronage from sultan Mahmud of the Ghaznavid dynasty. Give us an overview of the Shahnameh and how readers in translation should approach it. There are also many beautifully illustrated editions too. Tell us about those too.

Q4. If people want to learn more about Ferdowsi and his Shahnameh, what resources and translations would you recommend.

Q5 Finally before we end, give us a sample of the Shahnameh in the original Persian and translation.

Ali Hammoud:
https://x.com/AliHammoud7777
https://alihammoud7.substack.com/

Living under the Samanid dyansty in modern-day Tajikistan, Rudaki is considered the first of the great classical Islamic Persian poets and the father of Tajik literature. Despite being a celebrated, patronised court poet, he would fall into poverty near the end of his life dying blind and alone.

To discuss with us today the life, works and legacy of Rudaki is Ali Hammoud. Ali Hammoud is a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University. He is broadly interested in Shīʿīsm and Islamicate intellectual history.

Q1. Rudaki was born around 858CE and died around 941CE at around 83 years old. He lived under the Samanid dynasty who at their height ruled much of modern day central Asia under the auspices of the Abbasid caliphs in Baghdad. Tell us about the cultural context in which he was born.

Q2. We know little about his life. We know we he was patronised by the Samaind vizier Abū al-Faḍl al-Balʿamī. What else can we say with certainty about his life?

Q3. Rudaki was as much a musician and singer as he was a poet. How is his work characterised.

Q4. If people want to learn more about Persian literature in general, where would you recommend they start? What translations would you recommend of Rudaki?

Q5 Finally before we end, give us a sample of Rudaki's work.

Ali Hammoud:
https://x.com/AliHammoud7777
https://alihammoud7.substack.com/