Stylistics of Abolfazl Allami Sultanate

AbstractOne of the noteworthy works in the field of sending is the collection of correspondence of Abulfazl Allami, the minister of Akbar Shah Gorkani. With the stylistic examination of Sultaniat, as the book or the first part of this collection, it can be seen that Abul Fazl, as a pioneer of recitation and rewriting and a reformer of Timurid's sick prose, also used his selected prose in the writing of Monashat; Therefore, a clear distinction can be seen between his correspondences and other works of this period, which are placed in the category of artificial prose. Looking at this section, it can be said: What distinguishes the prose of Abul Fazl's constructions from the prose of other constructions of this era is his tendency to write Persian and synthesize Persian and avoid clerical difficulties and rhetorical combinations far from the mind and twisting of phrases and as a result the simplicity and fluency of the prose. He is both eloquent and eloquent. At the content level, Sultaniat, as the ambassador of the ideas of Abul Fazl and his servant, has implicitly and openly included the greatest ideology of this age, that is, the philosophy of total peace.
 
1. Introduction
In the realm of historical correspondence, one of the remarkable compilations is the collection of letters by Abulfazl bin Mubārak Nāgouri (958-1011 A.H.), also known as Abulfazl Allāmi. He was a historian, writer, Persian-speaking thinker, and a trusted prime minister of Akbar Shah Gourkāni, the great king of India. After his passing, his niece, Abd al-Samad bin Afzal Muhammad, organized and completed the compilation in 1015 AH. Allāmi's correspondence contains a substantial volume of decrees and letters, along with numerous references to historical events during Akbari's era and his contemporaries. This collection sheds light on the lesser-known aspects of the history of the Gourkanians of India and is considered a valuable supplement to the "Akbarnāmeh," the most significant compiled work on the history of the Gourkanians of India.
Numerous manuscripts of this work, copied in various regions and centuries, are still in existence and the stone prints produced in India based on these copies underscore the undeniable value of this work. It is surprising that despite the extensive background and the presence of numerous manuscripts in many libraries across the country, this magnificent work has not yet been published. Scholars of literature, history, and researchers in this field have been unable to benefit from the richness of this source due to the absence of a revised text. It is important to note that stone prints being mere reproductions of a single manuscript without correction or comparison with other manuscripts are erroneous and should not be relied upon due to the limited availability and lack of thorough scrutiny.
Hence, it is imperative to undertake a scholarly revision of this significant work to provide Iranian researchers with a refined and reliable text. This article delved into the investigation of the writing style of Sultāniāt (royal correspondences) by drawing upon several manuscripts and utilizing the foundational version (No. 1320 of the Parliament Library). The primary aim of this research was to address the following question: What constitutes the principal stylistic feature of Allāmi’s correspondence?
1.1. Research Methodology
In our stylistic analysis of the royal correspondences found in the first book of Allāmi’s collection, we conducted a thorough revision of the texts and then examined them using a layered stylistic model, encompassing five phonetic, lexical, syntactic, rhetorical, and ideological layers. This approach allowed us to discern the individual contribution and role of each layer in shaping Abolfazl's prose style and identifying the unique elements of his new style. Within this article, we placed particular emphasis on the rhetorical layer, as well as conducting stylistic and aesthetic analyses of his correspondence.
2. Discussion
Abolfazl employed his new style in composing Mansha'āt (letters) as well. Consequently, a clear distinction could be observed between his correspondences and other letters from this era, which typically fell into the category of composed prose often laden with verbosity and complexities, lacking grace, significance, and substance. Upon scrutinizing the style of his letters, it became evident that Abolfazl did not confine himself to a specific style when writing letters. Instead, his style in this format was a fusion of simplicity and technicality, resulting in a prose that was as diverse as a bouquet of flowers rather than being uniform. In his royal correspondences and letters where eloquence was essential, particularly in praising elders and princes, his composition style was exemplary. He adeptly employed literary nuances, crafting beautiful examples of Persian rhymed prose. However, his language tended to be straightforward when his aim was solely to recount an event. Regarding sentence structure, it could be observed that in the syntactic layer, his royal correspondences adhered to the common syntactic patterns of the Persian language in terms of juxtaposition, as well as the quality and placement of primary and secondary elements. However, the lengths of the sentences were not uniform. At times, the sentences followed the style prevalent in earlier periods, being short and devoid of extraneous elements, standing independently in meaning and syntax. In other instances, positioning of sub-elements in the sentences and the use of consecutive synonyms and inflections led to significant gaps between the subject and predicate, resulting in relatively lengthy sentences.
Furthermore, in terms of the quality of the use of verses and hadiths in the royal correspondences, it could be observed that prose writers of this period employed these elements to embellish their words in a diverse, intricate, and at times exaggerated manner. However, these elements in the royal correspondences were presented in a restrained manner, focusing on the expression of meaning rather than the arrangement of words. Abolfazl seamlessly integrated verses and hadiths into the prose without using language that would distinguish the Arabic phrases as separate from the Persian prose. It seemed as though the Arabic phrase was an extension of the Persian phrase and removing it from the sequence disrupted the coherence and integrity of the meanings. He quoted and incorporated parts of verses or hadiths without altering their compositions, ensuring that the meaning and cause of the revelation of the entire verse or hadith did not contradict the meaning of the phrase within it as specified and emphasized by the masters of rhetoric and expression. These elements were primarily added as supplementary composition to describe or explain the meaning and at times, in the form of a parenthetical sentence to complete a word or to assimilate, while emphasizing and confirming the intended meaning.
3. Conclusion
The art of letter writing is a significant aspect of the science of composition and a highly productive technique within Persian literature. Letters as compositions have a history that dates back to the origins of calligraphy. Upon examining the works in this field, it became evident that the foundational principles and essential elements of letter writing have remained largely consistent over time. However, as with the evolution and stylistic changes observed in other literary works, correspondences have also been embellished and the language has been extended to reflect the period's style and the individual style of the writers and composers. One notable work in this field is the collection of correspondences by Abulfazl Allāmi, who served as the minister of Akbar Shah Gourkāni. This collection is known as "Allāmi's correspondence" or "Abulfazl’s composition" and comprises two parts: Sultāniāt (royal correspondences) and Ekhvāniāt (friendly correspondences).
Through a stylistic analysis of the royal correspondences, it became apparent that Abulfazl as a pioneer of pure recitation and writing and a reformer of Timurid prose incorporated his selected prose into his compositions. This resulted in a clear distinction between his correspondences and other compositions of his time, which fell into the category of composed prose.
In his letters in Sultāniāt, Abolfazl initially adhered to a composed and rhymed prose as per the tradition of correspondence. However, when conveying the main purpose of the letter and recounting events, he adopted a new style, creating a simple and fluent prose that avoided excessive complexity and compositional complications. This prose was both suitable for correspondence and robust, drawing on his skill and extensive knowledge. A prominent feature of the style in Sultāniāt was his commitment to the Persian language, eschewing artificiality and embellishment. At the rhetorical level, he employed combined similes and metaphors, adding depth of meaning through concise language, while eschewing other rhetorical structures that merely showcased compositional skills. Abolfazl's preference for clarity and fluency of expression was evident in the syntactic structure of Sultāniāt. His speech was free from dogmatism with no departure from grammatical expressions in terms of juxtaposition. It could be argued that the only characteristic that had seeped into Abulfazl’s prose from the prevailing style of the era was the use of descriptive verbs, which were nearly as abundant in his prose as in the works of other writers of the time. From an intellectual standpoint, Sultāniāt implicitly and explicitly reflected Abulfazl’s ideas, encompassing the prevailing ideology of the era: the philosophy of total peace and the spiritual position of the king under the auspices of God.
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