Concept

The Sufi Concept of Zaban-e Hal and the Metaphor of the Crooked Bow

In the prologue of the 'Mosibat Nameh', Farid al-Din Attar defines the distinction between 'Zaban-e Qal' (the language of speech) and 'Zaban-e Hal' (the language of disposition or state). He argues that while mystical discourse may appear 'crooked like a bow' (kaj) to those focused on external appearances (zahir), it is 'perfectly straight' in its internal reality (batin). This concept establishes that every atom of the universe communicates spiritual truths through its 'language of state', a foundational principle for understanding the allegorical dialogues and the nature of spiritual perception in Persian Sufi poetry.

0

1

Updated 2026-07-03

Contributors are:

Who are from:

References


Tags

Humanities

Literature

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course