The Ancient Meaning of Azad, Azadi and its Role in the Descriptive Composition of Classical Texts

Since the term Azad has been used mostly as a synonym of emancipation and independence, researchers, interpreting or correcting old texts, usually have ignored the real meaning of expressions like Azad, Azade and Azadi or compounds like Sarve Azad, Susane Azad, and Azad Mard. Documentary studying of terms Azad, Azade, Azadi and Azadegan in old texts shows that these terms, besides emancipation and independence, have some other meanings like faultless, sincere, white, healthy and perfect. Therefore, when descriptions as Azade, Azadegi and Azadegan have been used about Iranian people, they have been used in those latter meanings. The usage of Azadegi as a word for admiring goodness was so common that being free had the meaning of thankfulness and praising.