Overview

In Section 17 of Silsilat al-Dhahab (from Jami's Haft Awrang), Jami presents an allegory about a ruler whose hearing becomes impaired. Rather than grieving for his personal sensory loss, the king's deep sorrow stems from his ethical inability to hear the pleas of seekers of justice and the petitions of the needy.

Key Themes

1. The Duty of Royal Listening: A ruler's primary moral function in Persian political ethics is to hear and directly resolve the grievances of their subjects. Physical impairment is presented as a tragic barrier to fulfilling this divine trust.
2. Altruistic Sorrow: The king rejects the consolation of his advisors who suggest that losing one sense is minor, emphasizing that a just king's senses belong to the service of his people.
3. Responsiveness as Legitimacy: The story reinforces the classical Persian model of kingship, where political legitimacy is tied directly to the active listening and responsiveness of the sovereign to ...