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Dastan-i rastan
AuthorMurtada Mutahhari
Original titleداستان راستان (Dastan-i rastan)
SubjectMoral Short Stories
Published1993
PublisherSadra
Pages368
ISBN9789645600189
English translation
En. titleAnecdotes of pious men


Anecdotes of pious men (Persian: داستان راستان, Dastani-i rastan) is a book by Morteza Motahhari. It is an ethical fiction published in English by Ansariyan in 1993. In this book, real religious and historical stories are narrated in simple language for the general audience. In 1965, Dastan-i rastan was selected as the "Best Readable Book" by the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.

Dastan-i rastan is evaluated as a prominent book in terms of its effort to convey moral teachings and Islamic upbringing to the general audience in a novel format and with eloquent and simple language. Mutahhari stated that his purpose in writing Dastan-i rastan was to provide a useful guide in moral and social fields to familiarize readers with the spirit of Islamic teachings.

The author of Dastan-i rastan considered the source of most of the book's stories to be hadith works and the heroes of the stories to be one of the great religious leaders. He emphasized that in writing its stories, he did not exceed the limits of the source text of the story and did not add to or subtract from the story using imagination. The first volume of Dastan-i rastan was published in 1960 and its second volume in 1964. This book has been translated into several languages.

Subject and Status

Dastan-i rastan, written by Murtada Mutahhari, is written in simple language for the general audience. The author considered this book to contain useful and real stories from reliable religious and historical sources.[1] Mutahhari considered the philosophy of writing this moral and educational book for the general public to be that people are the main factor in reforming a human society.[2]

In 1965, Dastan-i rastan was selected as the "Best Readable Book" by the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO[3] and was awarded a prize.[4] In the introduction to the second volume of Dastan-i rastan, Mutahhari reports the readers' reception of this book[5] and elsewhere, its influence.[6] He considered the dedication of a radio program to broadcast its stories during the month of Ramadan as a manifestation of this reception.[7] He enumerates the reason for this reception as the people's interest and readiness to read and hear good religious content.[8] This book has been published many times with high circulation by different publishers in different years.[9]

Dastan-i rastan is evaluated as a prominent book in terms of its effort to convey moral teachings and Islamic upbringing to the general audience in a novel format and with eloquent and simple language.[10] Mutahhari stated his goal in writing this book as providing a guide and useful book in the moral and social field.[11] He considered his other goal to be familiarizing readers with the spirit of Islamic teachings and counted the stories of this book as introducing the spirit of these teachings and a criterion for measuring the level of practical commitment of Muslims to Islam.[12]

Certificate of Appreciation from the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO

Features and Content

Mutahhari considered the source of most stories in Dastan-i rastan to be hadith works and the heroes of the stories to be one of the great religious leaders.[13] He considered the source of other stories to be historical and biographical books and their heroes to be religious scholars and individuals from different sects and religions; individuals who had praiseworthy moral lives.[14] Mutahhari reports the idea of writing this book as a novel idea and the result of the meetings of the editorial board of the Enteshar Company.[15]

The author of Dastan-i rastan emphasized that in writing its stories, he did not exceed the limits of the source text of the story and did not add to or subtract from the story using imagination;[16] however, he tried to develop each story to create attraction in such a way that no change was made in its truth and it only became more audible.[17] The author emphasized that he left the conclusion of the stories to the reader.[18]

Mutahhari considered the reason for naming this book "Dastan-i rastan" (Stories of the Truthful/Righteous) to be that most of the heroes of its stories are those who walked on the straight path; those who are called "Siddiqin" (the Truthful) in the Qur'an.[19] He also considered two other validities regarding the name of this work: that usually the readers of such stories are individuals who want to walk on the right path in life;[20] and that these stories are not fictitious, but are real and true stories.[21]

The book Dastan-i rastan is organized in two volumes: the first volume contains 75 stories and the second volume contains 50 stories.[22] "Tying the Camel's Knee", "Imam al-Baqir (a) and the Christian Man", "al-Ghazali and the Bandits", "A Letter to Abu Dharr", "Kicking the Fallen", "The Son of Hatim", "Alexander and Diogenes", "The Guests of 'Ali (a)", and "The Teacher's Advice" are some of the titles of the stories in this book.[23]

A Criticism and the Author's Response

I dedicate this insignificant work to my noble father, Mr. Haj Sheikh Muhammad Husayn Mutahhari, whose faith, piety, action, and truthfulness introduced me to the straight path for the first time.[24]

— Dedication Page of Dastan-i rastan:

The author of Dastan-i rastan mentions a criticism made about its compilation in the introduction of the book: that Dastan-i rastan, although useful and necessary, is below the status of the author; an author who is the commentator of a book like Usul-i falsafa wa rawish-i ri'alism (The Principles of Philosophy and the Method of Realism).[25]

In response, Mutahhari considered this criticism to stem from a social disease and deviation from Islamic teachings: that the measure of the greatness and smallness of a work is its difficulty and simplicity, not its result and usefulness.[26] He considers the result of this way of thinking to be the society's poverty in terms of useful religious books due to the writing of useless books.[27]

Publication

The first volume of Dastan-i rastan was published in 1960 in pocket size and its second volume in 1964 by "Sherkat-e Sahami-ye Enteshar".[28] Mutahhari intended to write the third volume of this book as well,[29] which he did not succeed in doing.[30] This book has been published many times by different publishers in different years.[31] The main publisher of this book is Sadra Publications, the specialized publisher of Murtada Mutahhari's works.[32] This book has also been published within volume 18 of Majmu'a-yi athar-i Murtada Mutahhari (Collection of Works of Murtada Mutahhari).[33]

Dastan-i rastan has been translated into various languages, including English,[34] Serbian,[35] Luganda,[36] and Japanese.[37] The entire book has been published in the form of poetry,[38] and some of its stories have been simplified and published.[39] Others have been presented in formats such as animation.[40]

Notes

  1. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 11.
  2. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 20.
  3. ↑ Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 124–125.
  4. ↑ Shaykh-i Shahīd, 1375 Sh, p. 23.
  5. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, author's intro, p. 11.
  6. ↑ Muṭahharī, Falsafa-yi akhlāq, 1390 Sh, p. 27.
  7. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, author's intro, p. 10.
  8. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, author's intro, p. 11.
  9. ↑ See: Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 123–124.
  10. ↑ Suflāyī, «Barrasī-yi wīzhagī-hā-yi taʿlīm wa tarbiyat-i Islāmī dar kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān», p. 285.
  11. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 18.
  12. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 18.
  13. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 16.
  14. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, pp. 16–17.
  15. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, pp. 12–13.
  16. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 14.
  17. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, pp. 14–15.
  18. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 15.
  19. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, p. 17.
  20. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, p. 17.
  21. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, p. 17.
  22. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, author's intro, p. 11.
  23. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, pp. 7–10; Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, pp. 4–6.
  24. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, p. 4.
  25. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, p. 21.
  26. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, pp. 21–22.
  27. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 1, author's intro, pp. 22–23.
  28. ↑ Mushār, Fihrist-i kitāb-hā-yi chāpī-yi Fārsī, 1350 Sh, vol. 2, pp. 1989–1990; Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 123–124.
  29. ↑ Muṭahharī, Dāstān-i rāstān, 1400 Sh, vol. 2, author's intro, p. 12.
  30. ↑ Murshid-zāda & Hādiyān, «Darbāra-yi dāstān: Sargudhasht-i du jild Dāstān-i rāstān; rāstī dāstānī sāda ast», p. 165.
  31. ↑ See for example: Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 123–124.
  32. ↑ «Intishārāt-i Ṣadrā wa āthār-i Ustād Shahīd Muṭahharī».
  33. ↑ Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 123–124.
  34. ↑ «Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Inglīsī dar Nījirīya muntashir shud».
  35. ↑ «Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Ṣirbī tarjuma shud».
  36. ↑ «Tarjuma wa intishār-i kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Lūgāndā».
  37. ↑ «Tarjuma-yi Zhāpunī-yi kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān dar Zhāpun muntashir mī-shavad».
  38. ↑ Ḥabībī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Shahīd Āyatullāh Muṭahharī, 1383 Sh, p. 108.
  39. ↑ Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī, 1381 Sh, pp. 123–124.
  40. ↑ «Dāstān-i rāstān, Bāzār-i siyāh».

References

  • «Dāstān-i rāstān, Bāzār-i siyāh». Aparat website. Published: 15 Farvardin 1399 Sh. Accessed: 6 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • «Tarjuma-yi Zhāpunī-yi kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān dar Zhāpun muntashir mī-shavad». IRNA website. Published: 29 Dey 1400 Sh. Accessed: 8 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • «Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Ṣirbī tarjuma shud». Mehr News Agency website. Published: 21 Farvardin 1390 Sh. Accessed: 8 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • «Tarjuma wa intishār-i kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Lūgāndā». Mehr News Agency website. Published: 11 Ordibehesht 1399 Sh. Accessed: 8 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • «Dāstān-i rāstān ba zabān-i Inglīsī dar Nījirīya muntashir shud». Mehr News Agency website. Published: 25 Bahman 1387 Sh. Accessed: 8 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • «Intishārāt-i Ṣadrā wa āthār-i Ustād Shahīd Muṭahharī». Comprehensive Website of Master Martyr Morteza Motahhari. Accessed: 8 Ordibehesht 1403 Sh.
  • Bāqarzāda Arjamandī, Mīr Aḥmad. Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Murtaḍā Muṭahharī. Tabriz, Muʾassasa-yi Taḥqīqātī-yi ʿUlūm-i Islāmī-Insānī-yi Dānishgāh-i Tabrīz, 1381 Sh.
  • Ḥabībī, Salmān. Kitābshināsī-yi tawṣīfī-yi Ustād Shahīd Āyatullāh Muṭahharī. Tehran, Markaz-i Pazhūhish-hā-yi Islāmī-yi Ṣadā wa Sīmā, 1383 Sh.
  • Murshid-zāda, ʿAlī & Ḥasan Hādiyān. "Darbāra-yi dāstān: Sargudhasht-i du jild Dāstān-i rāstān; rāstī dāstānī sāda ast". In Khiradnāma-yi Hamshahri. No. 56, Shahrivar 1389 Sh.
  • Mushār, Khānbābā. Fihrist-i kitāb-hā-yi chāpī-yi Fārsī. Tehran, Nāshir-i Muʾallif, 1350 Sh.
  • Muṭahharī, Murtaḍā. Dāstān-i rāstān. Tehran, Intishārāt-i Ṣadrā, 1400 Sh.
  • Muṭahharī, Murtaḍā. Falsafa-yi akhlāq. Tehran, Intishārāt-i Ṣadrā, 1390 Sh.
  • Shaykh-i Shahīd. Tehran, Intishārāt-i Ṣadrā, 1375 Sh.
  • Suflāyī, Muḥammad. "Barrasī-yi wīzhagī-hā-yi taʿlīm wa tarbiyat-i Islāmī dar kitāb-i Dāstān-i rāstān". In Ḥikmat-i Muṭahhar (Majmūʿa maqālāt-i hamāyish-i jahānī-yi ḥikmat-i Muṭahhar). Vol. 2. Edited by Sayyid Ḥasan Ḥusaynī. Tehran, Dānishkada-yi Ṣadā wa Sīmā-yi Jumhūrī-yi Islāmī-yi Īrān, 1386 Sh.
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