Encyclopaedia Iranica Online

an Arabic term used in Persian to define a broad complex of behaviors in Iranian life that mark and underscore differences in social status. TAʿĀROF, an Arabic term (lit. ‘becoming acquainted’) used in Persian to define a nearly untranslatable concept encompassing a broad complex of behaviors in Iranian life that mark and underscore differences in social status. Laurence Loeb glosses it as “compliment, ceremony, offer, present” (1969). William Beeman defines it as “the active, ritualized realization of differential sta…

an extensive general history composed in Persian by b. Serāj-al-Din Jowzjāni, who for the first part of his career lived in Ḡur under the Ghurid sultans and latterly in Muslim India under the Moʿezzi or Šamsi Delhi sultans. ṬABAQĀT-E NĀṢERI, an extensive general history composed in Persian by b. Serāj-al-Din Jowzjāni, who for the first part of his career lived in Ḡur under the Ghurid sultans and latterly in Muslim India under the Moʿezzi or Šamsi Delhi sultans (b. 589/1193 in Ḡur, d. at Delhi in India apparently in the time of Ḡiāṯ-al-Din Balaban, r. 664-86/1266-89; see MEHNĀJ-E SERĀJ). The w…

one of the most eminent Iranian scholars of the early Abbasid era, author of a celebrated commentary on the Qorʾān as well as the most important of the classical Arabic historical texts still extant. ṬABARI, ABU JAʿFAR MOḤAMMAD B. Jarir (224-310/839-923), one of the most eminent Iranian scholars of the early Abbasid era, author of a celebrated commentary on the Qorʾān as well as the most important of the classical Arabic historical texts still extant.BIOGRAPHY Sources. Despite Ṭabari’s intellectual fame and enduring significance, there are numerous problems involved in…

eminent Twelver Shiʿite philosopher and author of a famous exegesis of the Qur’an, al-Mizān. ṬABĀṬABĀʾI, Sayyed MOḤAMMAD-ḤOSAYN (b. Šādābād, a village near Tabriz, 29 Du’l-ḥejja 1321/17 March 1904; d. Qom, 18 Moḥarram 1402/16 Nov. 1981, Figure 1), eminent Twelver Shiʿite philosopher and author of the famous exegesis, al-Mizān. His esteem amongst Shiʿites is such that they often refer to him solely by the honorific title, the ʿAllāma (erudite scholar). Ṭabāṭabāʾi came from a distinguished lineage that included a number of prominent religious …

Tabriz surpassed Isfahan in population early in the nineteenth century to become the most populous city in Iran. The city was centrally situated relative to the three neighboring regions with which most of its trade was conducted and to which people from the province traveled: the Caucasus, eastern Anatolia, and central Iran. By the beginning of the Qajar era (1785-1925), Tabriz, the capital of the province of Azerbaijan, had lost much of the importance it had in earlier eras. That was recouped, however, soon after its incorporation into the new …

(Pers. Masjed-e kabud), also known as Masjed-e Moẓaffariya, built during the rule of the Qarā Qoyunlu dynasty (1351-1469) and completed in 1465. The extant tilework documents artistic connections with contemporary architecture in Timurid Khorasan and in the Ottoman Empire. TABRIZ x. Monuments x(1). Blue Mosque The Blue Mosque (Pers. Masjed-e kabud), also known as Masjed-e Moẓaffariya, was built during the rule of the Qarā Qoyunlu dynasty (1351-1469) and completed in 1465. The only major Qarā Qoyunlu structure still standing in the dynasty's cap…

TACITUS, PUBLIUS CORNELIUS, Roman official and historian (ca. 55-120 CE). Tacitus originated from Gaul (Roman Galia Narbonensis) and had a senatorial career in the Flavian period (70-96 CE). He was a consul in 97 and proconsul in the province of Asia (western Turkey) in 112. He died in about 120 (Tacitus: PIR2 C1467; Syme, 1958, 1970; Borzsák; Oliver; Birley). Tacitus’ most cited works are the  Annals ( Cornelii Taciti Annalium ab excessu divi Augusti libri) and the  Histories ( Historiae). In addition, Tacitus published minor works, including the  Life of Agricola ( De vita Iu…

(b. Birjand, 1881; d. United States, December 1951), early 20th-century educationist and politician. TADAYYON, Sayyed Moḥammad Birjandi (b. Birjand, 1881; d. United States, December 1951), early 20th-century educationist and politician. Sayyed Moḥammad Birjandi was born in a village in the vicinity of the town of Birjand in Khorasan. He lost both his parents in infancy and was raised by his maternal uncle. At the age of nine he moved to Mashad and studied at the Madrasa-ye Mirzā Jaʿfar, a Shiʿite seminary, f…

(Saints’ Lives), a hagiographic account of the sayings and miraculous deeds (karāmāts) of eminent sufis and other religious figures from the early Islamic centuries. TAḎKERAT al-AWLIĀʾ(Saints’ Lives), a hagiographic account of the sayings and miraculous deeds ( karāmāts) of eminent sufis and other religious figures from the early Islamic centuries by the famous mystical poet Farid-al-Din ʿAṭṭār (q.v.; 1145-1221). It is his only surviving work in prose and was probably written in early 13th century. The book in its earliest survivin…

(Memorial for kings), Persian manual from the transitional period between the collapse of the Safavid empire at the end of the reign of Shah Solṭān Ḥosayn (r. 1694-1722) and the early Afghan period in Persia. TAḎKERAT al-MOLUK (Memorial for kings), Persian manual from the transitional period between the collapse of the Safavid empire at the end of the reign of Shah Solṭān Ḥosayn (r. 1694-1722) and the early Afghan period in Persia. Together with Dastur al-moluk, it constitutes a pre-eminent source of the Safavid administrative system. Manuscript, edition, translation. The manuscrip…

a compilation of short biographical notices on some one thousand poets of the Safavid period. TAḎKERA-YE NAṢRĀBĀDI, a compilation of short biographical notices on some one thousand poets of the Safavid period, compiled by the poet and literary historian Mirza Moḥammad Ṭāḥer Naṣrābādi (b. Mārbin of Naṣrābād, in the vicinity of Isfahan, 1027/1618) and presented to the Safavid Shah Solaymān (r. 1666-94). Naṣrābādi embarked upon the project in 1083/1672 ( Taḏkera, p. 5) and completed it in 1091/1680. The exact date of his death is unknown. Naṣrābādi’s ancestors, according to his auto…

a local biographical dictionary of Qazvin in Arabic compiled by ʿAbd-al-Karim Rāfeʿi Qazvini. See KETĀB AL-TADWIN.Kazuo Morimoto

On his way back to Iran, Tafazzoli stayed for a few months in Paris, where he conducted research and made acquaintance with Father Jean de Menasce, a noted scholar in Iranian studies, whom he later assisted in his translation of the third book of Dēnkard. TAFAŻŻOLI, AḤMAD (b. Isfahan, 16 Āḏar 1316 Š./7 December 1937; d. Tehran, 24 Dey 1375/13 January 1997, Figure 1), a prominent scholar and philologist in the field of Middle Iranian studies. Tafażżoli’s father, a rug merchant, moved with his family to Tehran when Aḥmad was six years old. Aḥmad was the eldest child and h…

town and district in Yazd province. TAFT, town and district in Yazd province. The town is located 20 km southwest of Yazd, on the road to Abarquh, at an altitude of 1,560 m. The district, formerly known as Piškuh, is an arid piedmont consisting of the rural districts of Piškuh, Šurkuh, ʿAliābād, Naṣrābād, Dehšir, Bonādkuk, Zardin, Saḵvid, Garizāt, and Kahduʾiya (Razmārā, Farhang X, p. 48; Moṣāḥab, p. 650; Jaʿfari, p. 293). An early mention of Taft is found in the 15th century; it was known for its pleasant climate, water, and produce, especially pomegranates and gr…

(Pers. Āl-e Ṭāher), name of a prominent family of the early Abbasid period and more particularly a line of governors of Khorasan (821-73) from that family. Many of the Taherids, governors, and lesser officials, in Khorasan and in Iraq, were celebrated patrons of the arts, and adab literature is filled with anecdotes about their largesse and their appreciation of wit, wisdom, and bon mots. TAHERIDS (Pers. Āl-e Ṭāher), name of a prominent family of the early Abbasid period and more particularly a line of governors of Khorasan (205-59/821-73) from that family. The first of these governor…

(1524-1576), second ruler of the Safavid dynasty. His 52-year reign was the longest of all Safavid rulers. ṬAHMĀSP I, second ruler of the Safavid dynasty (b. village of Šāh-ābād near Isfahan, 22 February, 1514; d. Qazvin, 14 May, 1576). Introduction. Given that the 52-year reign of Abu’l-Fatḥ Ṭahmāsp (posthumously referred to as ḵāqān-e jannat-makān) was the longest of all Safavid rulers, the absence of any full-scale biography by a Western scholar is surprising (for a comprehensive biography and bibliography in Persian see Pārsādust.) The abundan…

(Modernity), a newspaper published as the official organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, of which a total of 202 issues appeared in Tabriz. TAJADDOD (Modernity), a newspaper published as the official organ of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, of which a total of 202 issues appeared in Tabriz between 16 Jomādā II 1335/7 April 1917 and 14 Ḏu’l-ḥejja 1338/29 August 1920. Though licensed as a weekly, the paper appeared twice a week in the early months of its publication, but in its last year, and during the exile …

(1884-1936), one of the best known daughters of the Qajar king Nāṣer-al-Din Shah (r. 1848-96), due to her memoirs ( Ḵāterāt), written in 1914, which were first partially published in 1969 and whose authenticity has been disputed. TĀJ-al-SALṬANA (b. 5 or 6 Rabiʿ II 1301/ 3 or 4 February 1884 in Tehran; d. probably 1936 in Tehran), one of the daughters of Nāṣer-al-Din Shah (r. 1848-96) and the author of memoirs ( ḵāterāt) which have raised much controversy since their first partial publication in 1969 (FIGURE 1). The Memoirs. Tāj-al-Salṭana is one of the best known daughters of the Q…

i. The Ethnonym: Origins and Application. ii. Tajik Persian. iii. Colloquial Tajiki in Comparison with Persian of Iran. TAJIK i. THE ETHNONYM: ORIGINS AND APPLICATION Modern usage. The Tajiks are an Iranian people, speaking a variety of Persian, concentrated in the Oxus Basin, the Farḡāna valley (Tajikistan and parts of Uzbekistan) and on both banks of the upper Oxus, i.e., the Pamir mountains (Mountain Badaḵšān, in Tajikistan) and northeastern Afghanistan (Badaḵšān). Most Tajiks in the Pamirs (including about 34,000 in …

Tajikistan’s leading research institution for coordinating and conducting theoretical and applied research projects. TAJIKISTAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Tajikistan’s leading research institution for coordinating and conducting theoretical and applied research projects. The institution began as the Tajik Base ( baza) of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in 1932, was reorganized into a Branch ( filal) in 1941, and finally came under the jurisdiction of Tajikistan’s Council of Ministers in 1951. The Academy’s headquarters are in Dushanbe, with branches in Ḵojand and Ḵāruḡ. The Tajik A…