A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ETHICAL, MYSTICAL AND SOCIALCONSCIOUSNESS IN THE PERSIAN POETRY OF WAʿIẒ QAZVĪNĪ

Abstract

This paper presents a critical study of the life, poetic style, intellectual tendencies, and literary status of
the renowned 11th-century Hijri Persian poet, Waʿiẓ Qazvīnī (Mulla Muhammad Rafiʿ). Waʿiẓ was not only a
learned preacher and exegete but also the author of a Dīwān comprising approximately seven thousand verses
rich in ethical counsel, mystical reflection, asceticism, social critique, and profound devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt.
This study explores the intellectual dimensions, poetic construction, literary devices, and stylistic features of his
work. Waʿiẓ’s ghazals are predominantly didactic in tone, rendered effective through the use of allegory, rational
inference (ḥusn-e-taʿlīl), imagery, and self-reflective consciousness. His poetry also demonstrates a strong
political and social awareness, a bold stance against tyranny, and a passionate defense of human values. The
research brings to light the spiritual depth, mystical insight, and stylistic innovation in his poetry, positioning him
alongside poets such as Sanāʾī, Ṣāʾib Tabrīzī, and ʿAṭṭār. Ultimately, the paper argues that Waʿiẓ Qazvīnī carved
a unique place in Persian literature by transforming ethical and spiritual counsel into the refined and emotive
form of the ghazal.