An Introduction to and a Stylistic Study on Basiri's Dialectic Mathnavi of "Aljavāhir Li- Maserrat-ul-Khavātir"

AbstractThe dialectic book of "Aljavāhir Li- Maserrat-ul-Khavātir" is a mathnavi written in 759 verses on the jewels debate with each other to show their superiority. This work is composed by Basiri in his journey to Roman city on 907 Hejira calender. He presented it to Ottoman king Bäyazīd or his boy, king Mohammad. There is only one manuscript (No. 10143) of this book hold in Marāshi Najafi library. The text is handwritten by Nastaliq calligraphy with fantastic headlines and golded tabular pages. The present descriptive- analytical article was done by using of library references to, firstly, analyze the manuscript features and, then, describe its thematic, literal and linguistic style. Results showed that in respect of writing style, it follows the styles common on 10th and 11th centuries. Its thematic style involves debates or discussions on gemology, instructive and moral issues and the poet's life story. The author's ethical attitude and his life circumstances disclose some hidden aspects of his life. From a lexical viewpoint, it includes some new coined or less applicable words, as well as extensive using of gemology- related words. Homonymy, anagram, metonymy, simile, phonotactics, letterplay especially to prettify, reference to verses and poems of the precedent poets are some techniques used by the author to make his work tuneful and more affluent.