The Historical and Mystical Character of Oways Qarani In the Persian Texts

One of the important Shiite characters in the early Islamic period was Oways Qarani whose character and characteristics have been discussed in many of the historical, Sufi, mystical, literary and moral texts of the Persian language. The present writing aims at explaining the reflection of Oways’s character in various Persian texts and the attitude of the writers and poets towards him. This study uses a descriptive-analytical method and has a look at Oways’s life and character to answer the following questions: “Why has Oways Qarani’s name been mentioned more?” “Which of his characteristics has been focus of attention?” and “In which type of the Persian texts has his name been mentioned more?” The findings of the research show that considering some of the traditions attributed to the Prophet regarding Qways Qarani’s status as well as his asceticism and his worships, the moral, mystical and literary texts have paid much attention to his character and, with their description, have introduced him as a role-model in the eyes of the believers and somehow as owning miraculous powers and as a myth of asceticism and piety. Among the literary texts, the Sufi and educational ones – in proportion to their subject matter – have dealt with his character more. In their eulogies and odes, the poets have also referred to Oways Qarani’s asceticism, assimilating sometimes the eulogized person to him.