A Comparative Study of the Concept of “Zat,” in Yarsan Kurdish Literature with “Tajalli,” and “Khvarenah” in Persian Literature

Abstract

The paper is a comparative study of the concept “Khvarenah” in Avesta and Shahnameh and “Tajalli,” in Islamic mysticism with “Zat,” in Yarsanism. The paper begins with a brief introduction into Yarsanism. Then the paper proceeds to analyze each of the above mentioned concepts and explain their similarities and differences. The results of the study show that these three concepts are closely related and any person who is imbued with any of them can enjoy superiority over others. These three concepts, despite their differences, are shown to be three variations of a single quality in Zoroastrianism, Islamic mysticism and Yarsanism respectively. In the case of “Khvarenah,” similarities to the concept of charisma in sociology and politics are demonstrable.

Keywords

• avesta
• yarsanism
• zat
• mysticism
• tjalli poet
• nizami of ganja
• kurdish imitative poets
• syllabic meter
• khosrow & shirin