Rudaki

Rudaki was a Persian poet, singer and musician who is regarded as the founder of New Persian poetry and the father of Tajik literature. He was born in 858 CE in the village of Banoj, located in the Rudak area between Samarqand and Bukhara. He was of Persian stock and wrote his poems in the Dari language using the Arabic alphabet. He was also a talented singer and musician who played various instruments such as the harp, the lute and the flute. Rudaki spent most of his career at the court of the Samanid dynasty, which ruled over Transoxiana and Khorasan from 819 to 999 CE. The Samanids were patrons of culture and science and promoted the revival of Persian language and literature after the Arab conquest of Iran. Rudaki served as a court poet under two Samanid rulers: Ahmad Samani ( r. 907–914 ) and Nasr II ( r. 914–943 ). He enjoyed the favor and support of his primary patron, the vizier Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami (died 940), who played an important role in the development of New Persian literature. Rudaki composed more than 180,000 verses on various topics such as love, nature, religion, philosophy, ethics and politics. He wrote in different poetic forms such as qasida, ghazal, rubai and masnavi. He also versified some prose works such as the Kalila wa-Dimna, a collection of Indian fables that he translated from Arabic into Persian. However, only a small portion of his work has survived, mostly in fragments or quotations by later poets and writers. Rudaki's poetry is characterized by its simplicity, elegance, beauty and originality. He used rich imagery, vivid metaphors, musical rhythm and rhyme to express his thoughts and emotions. He also introduced new words and expressions into the Persian language that enriched its vocabulary and style. He influenced many later poets such as Daqiqi, Ferdowsi, Rumi and Hafez. Rudaki's life was marked by both glory and tragedy. He was honored and respected by the Samanid court and received many gifts and rewards for his poetry. He also traveled to different places such as India, where he encountered Buddhist teachings and gained followers. However, he also faced hardships and misfortunes. He lost his sight at some point in his life, possibly due to diabetes or smallpox. He also fell out of favor with the Samanid court after the downfall of his patron Bal'ami in 937 CE. He was dismissed from his position and deprived of his pension and properties. He spent his last years in poverty and misery, dying blind and alone in his hometown in 940 or 941 CE.