Zakani Nameh

The book “Zakani Nameh” is a treatise on the life, works, and critique of the ideas of Mawlana Ubayd Zakani (along with a selected collection of his writings and poems and explanations thereof) authored by Ali Asghar Halabi and published by Zavar Publications. This book presents a biography of Ubayd and the rulers of his time, his works, and their analysis. Ubayd’s works are divided into serious and humorous categories, or literary and witty themes. The book primarily discusses Ubayd’s satirical works, with brief mention of his literary writings. Among the works explained are: – Ashegh Nameh: expressing worldly passionate love that resonates with the sentiments of contemporary lovers. – Fal Nameh Borooj: a prose treatise on astrology and fortune-telling based on zodiac signs, ending each section with a quatrain. – Fal Nameh Vahous va Toyour: consisting of 60 quatrains interpreting the fortunes represented by various birds and animals. – Ubayd’s satirical writings are not nonsense but possess full seriousness, though his tone and style differ from other writers, marked by artistic brevity and captivating eloquence. His storytelling in sweet Persian language and conveying matters in few words with simple expressions are among the merits of his writings. These include works such as Akhlaq al-Ashraf, Ta’rifat, Resaleh Delgosha, Rish Nameh, Sad Pand, humorous poems, and Khilaf al-Qalandaran letters, all discussed in Dr. Halabi’s Zakani Nameh.