In Sanai's *Hadiqat al-Haqiqah*, the narrative of the unjust execution of Bual-Hasan Maymandi serves as a profound warning to rulers regarding the spiritual consequences of tyranny and the divine efficacy of an oppressed mother's prayer.

### Key Themes of the Allegory:
- **The Power of the Oppressed's Prayer:** The story highlights that the cries of the vulnerable and wronged (represented by Maymandi's grieving mother) bypass earthly hierarchies and reach God directly. Her prayer acts as an insurmountable spiritual force against which the sovereign has no defense.
- **Sovereign Remorse and Humiliation:** In order to avert divine wrath, the absolute monarch is compelled to humble himself, visiting the grieving mother in secret to beg for forgiveness. This underscores that even the most powerful earthly ruler is ultimately accountable for unjust bloodshed.
- **The Irreversibility of Injustice:** The metaphor of the spent arrow ('tir-e gozashteh') emphasizes that while repentance is n...

Sovereign Guilt and the Power of the Oppressed's Prayer in Sanai's Allegory of Maymandi

In Sanai's *Hadiqat al-Haqiqah*, the narrative of Caliph Ma'mun's unjust execution of Yahya the Barmakid serves as a warning about the metaphysical consequences of injustice (zulm) and the potency of an oppressed person's curse.

### Key Themes of the Allegory:
- **The Danger of Unjust Bloodshed:** The poem warns that shedding innocent blood brings ruin to a sovereign's reign, destabilizing their earthly power and inviting divine retribution.
- **The Spiritual Threat of the Oppressed's Prayer:** The grieving mother of Yahya, though elderly and weak, possesses an overwhelming spiritual weapon: her bad prayers (du'a-ye bad) seeking the downfall of the Caliph's empire.
- **Sovereign Humiliation and Seeking Forgiveness:** Terrified of the mother's prayers, the absolute ruler Ma'mun is forced to act in secret, humbling himself by visiting the elderly woman at night to beg for forgiveness and appease her with rich gifts.

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## Original content
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چون تبه شد خلافت مأمون 
ریخت مر خلق را به ناحق خون
کرد بر آل برمک آن بیداد 
کهکسی زان صفت ندارد یاد
یحیی بیگناه را چو بکشت 
گشت بر وی زمانه تنگ و درشت
مادری داشت یحیی مظلوم 
پیر و عاجز ز کام دل محروم
جفت اندوه گشته اندر دهر 
عیش شیرین بر او شده چون زهر
باز گفتند حال مأمون را 
عرضه کردند حال محزون را
که دعای بدت همی گوید 
ملکتت را زوال می جوید
دل او خوش کن و ز حقد بکاه 
باز خواه از عجوزه عذر گناه
رفت مأمون شبی ز خلق نهان 
برگشاده به عذر جرم زبان
در و گوهر بسی بدو بخشید 
راه و سامان کار خود آن دید
گفتش ای مادر آن قضایی بود 
چون قضا رفت زاری تو چه سود
بعد از این کارهای با هش کن 
وز دعای بدم فرامش کن
گرچه یحیی نماند و یافت گزند 
من ترا ام به جای او فرزند
من به جای ویم تو دل خوش دار 
حقد و کین و دعای بد بگذار
مادر پیر داد کار بداد 
در زمان پیش وی زبان بگشاد
گفت کای میر باز ده خبرم 
من به شخصی چگونه غم نخورم
که ورا چون تویی عوض باشد 
راست چون جوهر و عرض باشد
با بزرگی که آمدت حاصل 
هم نباشی به جای وی در دل
چون وییی را به گور نتوان کرد 
که بود مادرش ز انده فرد
چون تویی با هزار حشمت و جاه 
نیست ما را به جای آن دلخواه
این چنین لفظ چون در شهوار 
یادگار است زان زن بیدار
گشت از آن یک سخن خجل مأمون 
بعد از آن خود نریخت هرگز خون

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## English translation
When Ma'mun's caliphate became corrupt
He shed the blood of the people unjustly
He committed such tyranny against the Barmakids
That no one remembers anything of the sort
When he killed the innocent Yahya
The times became narrow and harsh for him
The oppressed Yahya had a mother
Old and helpless, deprived of her heart's desire
She became the mate of sorrow in the world
Her sweet life became like poison to her
They recounted the state of affairs to Ma'mun
They presented the condition of the sorrowful woman
That she is praying for evil upon you
She is seeking the downfall of your kingdom
Make her heart happy and reduce her rancor
Seek pardon for the sin from the old woman
Ma'mun went one night hidden from the people
Opening his tongue in apology for the crime
He bestowed upon her many pearls and jewels
He saw that as the way and order for his deed
He said to her, 'O mother, it was destiny
When destiny has occurred, what is the use of your weeping?
After this, do sensible deeds
And forget about praying for my doom
Although Yahya did not remain and met with harm
I am a son to you in his stead
I am in his place, so keep your heart happy
Set aside rancor, hatred, and evil prayers'
The old mother gave justice to the deed
She immediately opened her tongue before him
She said, 'O Prince, give me news
How could I not mourn for a person
For whom someone like you is the replacement
Truly like substance and accident
With the greatness you have acquired
You would not even take his place in the heart
Since one like him cannot be laid in the grave
Without his mother being isolated in grief
Since one like you with a thousandfold pomp and dignity
Is not for us the beloved in his place'
Such words, like royal pearls
Are the legacy of that awakened woman
From that single speech, Ma'mun felt ashamed
After that, he himself never shed blood again

بخش ۱۲ - در خون ناحق ریختن حکایت مأمون / Section 12 - On Shedding Blood Unjustly: The Story of Ma'mun

Root URL: https://ganjoor.net/
Source URL: https://ganjoor.net/

This Reference node represents the source used by the Literature-to-1Cademy migration agent.

Ganjoor

## Original content
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همچنین شاه ماضی با جود 
ناصر دین سر کرم مسعود
گشت بر بوالحسین میمندی 
متغیر ز چونی و چندی
رفع کردند مر ورا در کار 
از شیانی درم هزار هزار
عاقبت کشته شد بناحق و جور 
هیچ نابوده کار او را غور
مادری پیر داشت بس عاجز 
که نبودی دعاش را حاجز
شاه را گفت مفسدی احوال 
که کند مرغوار به جان تو زوال
دل این زن به عذرها خوش کن 
کینه را در دلت میفکن بن
شاه یک شب سحرگهی برخاست 
بر زن رفت و عذر رفته بخواست
گفت بد کردم و پشیمانم 
زین سبب بد مخواه برجانم
رفتنی رفت وین قضا بشتافت 
تیر بگذشته چون توان دریافت
نیز بر من دعای بد تو مکن 
بودنی بود در نورد سخن
پیرزن گفت کی جهان را شاه 
از منی زین سبب تو عذر مخواه
چون کنم من دعای بد حاشا 
یا زنم مرغوای بد حاشا
میر ماضی بدو همی دنیی 
داد و ت نیز دادیش عقبی
دنیی و عقبی از شما داریم 
حق این کی بخیره بگذاریم
یافتست از تو و پدر پسرم 
دنیی و عقبی این غم از چه خورم
به تلافی مال دنیی و دین 
کی کنم خیره ای ملک نفرین
او جهان داد و تو شهادت و اجر 
نیست جای غم و ملامت و زجر
نیست اندیشه ای ز من بحلی 
از توام نیست زین سبب خجلی
حاش للٰه که من بدت گویم 
یا زوال کمال تو جویم
شاه آزاده این سخن بشنید 
پیرزن را به مادری بگزید
زان خجالت به دل پشیمان شد 
چشمش از حال رفته گریان شد
خون ناحق نگر نریزی هیچ 
ورنه نار جحیم را ببسیچ
خون ناحق ز کارهاست بتر 
خون ناحق کندت زیر و زبر

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## English translation
Likewise, the past king, with all his generosity,
The defender of faith, the head of nobility, Mas'ud,
Became displeased with Bu'l-Hasan Maymandi,
Over various complex matters.
They plotted against him in his office,
Fining him thousands upon thousands of silver dirhams.
In the end, he was slain unjustly and oppressively,
Without any deep investigation into his case.
He had an old mother, very frail,
Whose prayers faced no barrier to heaven.
A courtier described her state to the king:
"Lest an ill-boding prayer bring ruin upon your life,
Please this woman's heart with apologies,
And do not let the seed of malice take root."
The king arose one night at dawn,
Went to the woman, and begged for her forgiveness.
He said, "I did wrong and I repent;
Therefore, do not wish harm upon my life.
What is gone has gone, and destiny has run its course;
How can a spent arrow be retrieved?
Do not curse me anymore;
What was bound to happen has happened, so let us end the matter."
The old woman replied, "O king of the world,
Do not seek forgiveness from the likes of me for this.
God forbid that I should curse you,
Or utter any evil omen against you!
The past king gave my son this earthly world,
And you gave him the hereafter.
We owe both this world and the next to you;
How could we ungratefully dismiss this debt?
My son received from you and your father
Both this world and the hereafter, so why should I grieve?
In return for the blessings of this world and faith,
How could I foolishly curse you, O king?
He gave him the world, and you gave him martyrdom and eternal reward;
There is no cause for sorrow, blame, or resentment.
You need have no anxiety, you are fully forgiven by me,
Nor do I have any embarrassment toward you on this account.
God forbid that I should speak ill of you,
Or seek the decline of your majesty."
The noble king, hearing these words,
Adopted the old woman as his mother.
From that shame, he repented in his heart,
And his eyes wept over what had passed.
Take heed never to spill innocent blood,
Otherwise, prepare yourself for the blazing fire of Hell.
Shedding innocent blood is the worst of all deeds;
Innocent blood will turn your world upside down.

Learn Before

Key Themes of the Allegory:

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