Ajami (Non-Arabic) Slave in Sa’di’sGulistan
Document Type : pajoohesh
Author
Abstract
In this article, the author mainly talks about whether the slave in Sa’di’s story is Ajam (non-Arabic) or not. In fact, he is after answering these questions: what is the meaning of “Ajami (non-Arabic) slave”? And what is Ajami (non-Arabic) slave’s feature because of whichSa’di has paid special attention to him. While talking of the way this term is explained in Gulistan commentaries, the author states that since the word “Ajami (non-Arabic)” signifies alienation from Arabic language and culture, this term has gradually come to mean “alien”, and “foreigner”. In addition to it, because most of the non-Arabic people with whom the Arabs are dealing are the Iranians, the term “Ajami (non-Arabic)” specially refers to the Iranian people. However, according to the author, this meaning does not fit with the Sa’di’s phrase. The author believes that the slave of Gulistan story is probably called Ajami (non-Arabic) as he is not competent enough to swim; therefore, the term indicates kind of incompetency.
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