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108-424: In its most literal sense, Futuwwa described the quality of being young. It was not until the eighth century C.E. that the word came to represent something like a moral code. The evolution of the word, from adjective to moral framework, was driven by a melding of and Islamicization of Persian and Arab traditions. The spread of Islam was accompanied by the spread of a definition of the ideal Arab man, or fatā. Even in

216-640: A decorated room with flowers and a beautifully decorated spread on the floor. This spread is typically passed down from mother to daughter and is composed of very nice fabric such as " Termeh " (cashmere), "Atlas" (gold embroidered satin ), or " Abrisham " (silk). Items are placed on this spread: a mirror (of fate), two candelabras (representing the bride and groom and their bright future), a tray of seven multi-colored herbs and spices (including poppy seeds, wild rice, angelica, salt, nigella seeds, black tea, and frankincense). These herbs and spices play specific roles ranging from breaking spells and witchcraft, to blinding

324-562: A dervish, and wrote extensively about them, says in his Gulistan : Of what avail is frock, or rosary, Or clouted garment? Keep thyself but free From evil deeds, it will not need for thee To wear the cap of felt: a darwesh be In heart, and wear the cap of Tartary. Rumi writes in Book 1 of his Masnavi : Water that's poured inside will sink the boat While water underneath keeps it afloat. Driving wealth from his heart to keep it pure King Solomon preferred

432-630: A few literary works of the extinct Iranian language of Old Azeri that was used in Azerbaijan prior to the linguistic Turkification of the people of the region. Kurdish literature has also had a profound influence on the literature of Iran incorporating the various Kurdish dialects that are spoken throughout the Middle East . The earliest works of Kurdish literature are those of the 16th-century poet Malaye Jaziri . Some notable greats of Iranian poetry who have had major global influence include

540-750: A formal ceremony known as the Sama . It is, however, also practiced by other orders. The Sama is only one of the many Sufi ceremonies performed to try to reach religious ecstasy ( majdhb , fana ). The name Mevlevi comes from the Persian poet Rumi , who was a dervish himself. This practice, though not intended as entertainment, has become a tourist attraction in Turkey. There are various orders of dervishes, almost all of which trace their origins from various Muslim saints and teachers, especially Imam Ali . Various orders and suborders have appeared and disappeared over

648-652: A great variety of both structure and aesthetics and despite the repeated trauma of destructive invasions and cultural shocks, the Iranian zeal and identity has always triumphed and flourished. In turn, it has greatly influenced the architecture of its invaders from the Greeks to the Arabs to the Turks . The traditional theme of Iranian architecture is cosmic symbolism, which depicts the communication and participation of man with

756-415: A group or the more common group dances mainly performed at festive occasions like weddings and Noruz celebrations which focus less on communal line or circle dances and more on solo improvisational forms, with each dancer interpreting the music in their special way but within a specific range of dance vocabulary sometimes blending other dance styles or elements. Solo dances are usually reconstructions of

864-411: A hospice where, at the end of the workday, members would pool money together communally for the acquisition of food and drink. When travelers, like Battuta, were in town, they entertained them with elaborate banquets, religious debate, and song and dance. While the membership of these organizations would eventually skew heavily towards the merchant class, many still boasted a diverse membership. In fact, it

972-587: A lesser extent in Roman Syria in the east. The history of Iranian architecture dates back to at least 5,000 BC with characteristic examples distributed over a vast area from Turkey and Iraq to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the South Caucasus and Zanzibar . Currently, there are 19 UNESCO -designated World Heritage Sites that were designed and constructed by Iranians, with 11 of them being located outside of Iran. Iranian architecture displays

1080-525: A manner beneficial to Caliphal authority. One 1221 mission to Anatolia, for example, sought to propagate this reform to the Islamic frontier. Its contents include such measures as a strengthening of the important of the distribution of the trousers of futuwwa by the caliph and an assertion of Caliphal responsibility in protecting buildings of the futuwwa. Ultimately, the Caliph's appropriation of futuwwa led to

1188-556: A manner consolidating his control over Islamic society. “Akhism” is a term used by scholars to distinguish the futuwwa organizations of Anatolia from other futuwwa associations throughout the rest of the Middle East. By the time of Ibn Battuta's travels through Asia-Minor in the early 14th century, Akhiyat al-Fityan, or Brotherhood of Youth, existed in every major city in Anatolia. These Akhi Brotherhoods rose to prominence in

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1296-637: A multitude of Iranian ethnic groups who have contributed to Iran's culinary traditions. The cuisine of Iran has made extensive contact throughout its history with the cuisines of its neighbouring regions, including Cuisine from the Caucasus , Central Asian cuisine , Greek cuisine , Levantine cuisine , Mesopotamian cuisine , Russian cuisine and Turkish cuisine . Aspects of Iranian cuisine have also been significantly adopted by Indian cuisine and Pakistani cuisine through various historical Persianate sultanates that flourished during Muslim rule on

1404-595: A myriad of behaviors that closely parallel their Akhi counterparts, notably drinking, dancing, and physical combat. In the wake of Seljuk occupation, Armenian people outside of the Kingdom of Cilicia found themselves subject to Islamic law. Through cross-cultural exchange or innovation themselves, the Armenian brotherhoods grew increasingly secular. So much so, in fact, that in 1280 the Armenian Church attempted

1512-687: A reform effort not dissimilar to the futuwwa reform of the Caliph al-Nasir. Constitutions similar to those governing Islamic futuwwa groups were soon penned, notably by the priest-poet Hovhannes Erznkatsi . Structurally and functionally, the Armenian brotherhoods shared many similarities with other futuwwa groups. Like the Akhis of the Akhiyat al-Fityan, the Armenian brotherhoods were led by a manktawag, who carried both religious and secular influence. There were also many parallels between Hovhannes’ writings and those of Shihab al-Din ‘Umar al-Suhrawardi (1144-1234),

1620-532: A rival group. Persian culture The culture of Iran ( Persian : فرهنگ ایران ) or culture of Persia is among the most influential in the world. Iran ( Persia ) is widely considered to be one of the cradles of civilization . Due to its dominant geopolitical - position in the world, has heavily influenced peoples and cultures situated in Southern Europe , Eastern Europe , Central Asia , South Asia , East Asia , Southwest Asia and

1728-532: A strong presence of Iranian cuisine can be found in cities with significant Iranian diaspora populations, namely the San Francisco Bay Area , Toronto , Houston and especially Los Angeles and its environs . Zoroastrianism was the national faith of Iran for more than a millennium before the Arab conquest . It has had an immense influence on Iranian philosophy , culture and art after

1836-509: A vast network of Seljuk patronage, ensuring the loyalty of outlying groups through the construction of public works, akhi and dervish lodges, and tombs. Within the cities, the brotherhoods sought to preserve order and stability, in some cases operating as diplomats with foreign leaders and the central state to maintain peace. . The necessity of Turkish artisanal unions to compete with Byzantine craftsmen in Asia Minor contributed greatly to

1944-399: A vibrant culture that mixes different forms of dances for all occasions. In conjunction with music, the artifacts depicted actors, dancers, and ordinary people dancing in plays, dramas, celebrations, mourning, and religious rituals with equipment such as costumes of animals or plants, masks, and surrounding objects. As time progressed, this culture of dance began to develop and flourish. Iran

2052-457: A vow of poverty, unlike mullahs . The main reason they beg is to learn humility, but dervishes are prohibited to beg for their own good. They have to give the collected money to other poor people. Others work in common professions; Egyptian Qadiriyya – known in Turkey as Kadiri – are fishermen, for example. Some classical writers indicate that the poverty of the dervish is not merely economic. Saadi , for instance, who himself travelled widely as

2160-576: A work by Franz Taeschner. Later it was studied by Claude Cahen as a social phenomenon of medieval Iraq and Turkey. Al-Futuwa was also an Arabic name of the Arab nationalist Young Arab Association founded in 1913 in Paris during the First World War . It was also the name of a Hitler Youth -style nationalistic pan-Arab fascist youth movement that existed in Iraq in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1938

2268-402: Is Sama , which is associated with the 13th-century mystic Rumi . In folklore and with adherents of Sufism, dervishes are often credited with the ability to perform miracles and ascribed supernatural powers. Historically, the term Dervish has also been used more loosely, as the designation of various Islamic political movements or military entities. The Persian word darvīsh ( درویش )

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2376-488: Is a multi-ethnic nation. Although the cultures of its ethnic groups are very similar and in most areas nearly identical, each has its own distinct and specific dance style. Iran possesses four categories of dance with these being: group dances, solo improvisational dances, war or combat dances, and spiritual dances. Typically, the group dances are often unique and named after the region or the ethnic groups with which they are associated. These dances can be chain dances involving

2484-467: Is another officially recognized religion in Iran, although followers of this faith do not hold a large population in Iran. In addition, although there have been isolated incidents of prejudice against Zoroastrians, most followers of this faith have not been persecuted for being followers of this faith. The Persian year begins in the vernal equinox : if the astronomical vernal equinox comes before noon, then

2592-451: Is arguably the most important food in Iran, with a large variety of different bread, some of the most popular of which include: nan and hamir, which are baked in large clay ovens (also called "tenurs"). In Iranian cuisine, there are many dishes that are made from dairy products. One of the most popular of which includes yoghurt ("mast")—which has a specific fermentation process that is widely put to use amongst most Iranians. In addition, mast

2700-670: Is based on the theories of sonic aesthetics as expounded by the likes of Iranian musical theorists in the early centuries after the Muslim conquest of the Sasanian Empire , most notably Avicenna , Farabi , Qotb-ed-Din Shirazi , and Safi-ed-Din Urmawi . Iran has a rich and ancient dance culture that extends to the sixth millennium BC . Dances from ancient artifacts, excavated at the archaeological pre-historic sites of Iran, portray

2808-506: Is beginning to have an effect on Iranian society and was a contributing factor to protests by Iranian youth in various times over the past few decades. Dervish Dervish , Darvesh , or Darwīsh (from Persian : درویش , romanized :  Darvīsh ) in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity ( tariqah ), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant , who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage

2916-550: Is evident from the unique aesthetics of Iran. From the Elamite Chogha Zanbil to the Median and Achaemenid reliefs of Persepolis to the mosaics of Bishapur . The Islamic Golden Age brought drastic changes to the styles and practice of the arts. However, each Iranian dynasty had its own particular foci, building upon the previous dynasty's, all of which during their times were heavily influential in shaping

3024-403: Is famous for its sweets. One of the most famous of which includes "baklava" with almonds, cardamom, and egg yolks. Iranian sweets typically involve the use of honey, cinnamon, lime juice, and sprouted wheat grain. One very popular dessert drink in Iran, "sherbet sharbat-portagal", is made from a mixture of orange peel and orange juice boiled in thin sugar syrup and diluted with rose water. Just like

3132-609: Is found particularly in Persian and Turkish ( derviş ) as well as in Tamazight ( Aderwic ), corresponding to the Arabic term faqīr . Their focus is on the universal values of love and service, deserting the illusions of ego ( nafs ) to reach God . In most Sufi orders, a dervish is known to practice dhikr through physical exertions or religious practices to attain the ecstatic trance to reach God. Their most popular practice

3240-484: Is known as "Aghd", which is basically the legal component of marriage in Iran. In this process, the bride and groom, as well as their respective guardians, sign a marriage contract. This phase usually takes place in the bride's home. After this legal process is over, the second phase, "Jashn-e Aroosi" takes place. In this step, which is basically the wedding reception, where actual feasts and celebrations are held, typically lasts from about 3–7 days. The ceremony takes place in

3348-431: Is likely that in the predominantly agrarian population of Anatolia, most brotherhoods would not have been able to compose itself of members of solely a single trade. In many ways, the religious fabric of the Akhis was enhanced by the marked proliferation of Sufi dervishes throughout Anatolia, concomitantly with the decline of Byzantine control and the rise of Akhi political clout Predominantly Sufi in nature, many within

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3456-553: Is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian word that appears in Avestan as drigu- , "needy, mendicant ", via Middle Persian driyosh . It has the same meaning as the Arabic word faqīr , meaning people whose contingency and utter dependence upon God is manifest in everything they do and every breath they take. Dervishes try to approach God by virtues and individual experience, rather than by religious scholarship. Many dervishes are mendicant ascetics who have taken

3564-552: Is remembered in many documents and has been named as remarkably highly skilled. He was a poet-musician who developed modal music and may have invented the lute and the musical tradition that was to transform into the forms of dastgah and maqam . He has been credited to have organized a musical system consisting of seven "royal modes" ( xosrovāni ), 30 derived modes ( navā ), and 360 melodies ( dāstān ). The academic classical music of Iran , in addition to preserving melody types that are often attributed to Sassanian musicians,

3672-522: Is still common feature of marriage in Iran—even though there is an article in the Iranian Civil Code that forbid the marriage of women younger than 15 years of age and males younger than 18 years of age. In Iran, Persian rugs have always been a vital part of the Persian culture. Iranians were some of the first people in history to weave carpets. First deriving from the notion of basic need,

3780-522: Is that of the Balochi called "le'b gowati", which is performed to rid a supposedly possessed person of the possessing spirit. In the Balochi language , the term "gowati" refers to psychologically ill patients who have recovered through music and dance. The earliest researched dance from Iran is a dance worshiping Mithra , the Zoroastrian angelic divinity of covenant, light , and oath , which

3888-487: Is the place of origin of complex instruments, with the instruments dating back to the third millennium BC . Several trumpets made of silver, gold, and copper were found in eastern Iran that are attributed to the Oxus civilization and date back between 2200 and 1750 BC. The use of both vertical and horizontal angular harps have been documented at the archaeological sites of Madaktu (650 BC) and Kul-e Fara (900–600 BC), with

3996-450: Is used to make soup and is vital in the production of oil. In addition to these dairy products, Iranian cuisine involves a lot of dishes cooked from rice. Some popular rice dishes include boiled rice with a variety of ingredients such as meats, vegetables, and seasonings ("plov") including dishes like chelo-horesh, shish kebab with rice, chelo-kebab, rice with lamb, meatballs with rice, and kofte (plain boiled rice). In addition, Iranian cuisine

4104-488: The Arabian Peninsula . Iranian history has significant influence on the world through art , architecture , poetry , science and technology , medicine , philosophy , and engineering . Cultural elasticity has been said to be one of the key defining characteristics of the Iranian identity; and a reason for its historical longevity. Iran's culture manifests itself in many aspects of history: including

4212-532: The Azerbaijanis speak a Turkic language, due to their culture, history, and genetics, they are often associated with the Iranian peoples . The predominant language and national language of Iran is Persian , which is spoken fluently across the country. Azerbaijani is spoken primarily and widely in the northwest, Kurdish and Luri are spoken primarily in the west, Mazandarani and Gilaki are spoken in

4320-598: The Behistun inscription , to the celebrated Iranian poets of the Islamic Golden Age and Modern Iran. Iranian literature has been described as one of the great literature of humanity and one of the four main bodies of world literature. Distinguished Professor L.P. Elwell-Sutton described the literature of the Persian language as "one of the richest poetic literature of the world". Very few literary works of pre-Islamic Iran have survived, due partly to

4428-471: The Dar al-Harb and collecting significant sums of loot. These alliances both enriched the akhi through combat acceptable under Sharia Law . Though Turkish expansion into Western Anatolia occurred rapidly following the collapse of Byzantine control there in the 13th century C.E., Seljuk and Mongol policies of decentralization allowed Akhi brotherhoods to exert significant influence. Maintaining this system required

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4536-411: The Iranian plateau ; the South Caucasus , West Asia, and Central Asia. Iran has one of the oldest, richest, and most influential art heritages in the world, which encompasses many disciplines including literature , music , dance , architecture , painting , weaving , pottery , calligraphy , metalworking , embroidery , and stonemasonry . Iranian art has gone through numerous phases, which

4644-1019: The Islamic Consultative Assembly . In 2003, Iran's first female judge during the Pahlavi era, Shirin Ebadi , won the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in promoting human rights. According to a UNESCO world survey, at the primary level of enrolment Iran has the highest female to male ratio in the world among sovereign nations, with a female to male ratio of 1.22 : 1.00. By 1999, Iran had 140 female publishers, enough to hold an exhibition of books and magazines published by women. As of 2005, 65% of Iran's university students and 43% of its salaried workers were women. and as of early 2007 nearly 70% of Iran's science and engineering students are women. This has led to many female school and university graduates being under-utilized. This

4752-544: The Kurdish dialect continuum with an estimated 150–200 million native speakers of the Iranian languages worldwide. Dialects of Persian are sporadically spoken throughout the region from China to Syria to Russia , though mainly in the Iranian Plateau . The literature of Iran is one of the world's oldest and most celebrated literatures , spanning over 2500 years from the many Achaemenid inscriptions, such as

4860-625: The Qur'an , play drums or whirl in groups, all according to their specific traditions. They practice meditation , as is the case with most of the Sufi orders in South Asia , many of whom owe allegiance to, or were influenced by, the Chishti order. Each fraternity uses its own garb and methods of acceptance and initiation, some of which may be rather severe. The form of Sufi dervishism practised during

4968-636: The Zurkhaneh ("House of Strength") and their ritualized, wrestling-training movements are known as a type of dance called "Raghs-e-Pa" or "Pay-Bazi" with the dances and actions done in the Zurkhaneh also resembling that of a martial art . Spiritual dances in Iran are known as "sama". There are various types of these spiritual dances, which are used for spiritual purposes such as ridding the body of ill omens and evil spirits. These dances involve trance , music, and complex movements. An example of such dance

5076-485: The historical and court dances of the various Iranian dynasties throughout history, with the most common types being that of the Safavid and Qajar dynasties due to them being relatively newer. These often are improvisational dances and utilize delicate, graceful movements of the hands and arms, such as wrist circles. War or Combat dances , imitate combat or help to train the warrior. It could be argued that men from

5184-418: The 12th century, the concept of futuwwa and organizations founded around its prescriptions spread throughout the Islamic world. A testament to its rapid rise in influence over the region, The Caliph An-Nāṣir il-Dīn Allāh's approved of and supported futuwwa. In 1182, al-Nasir was initiated into the ranks of the futuwwa, donning their vestments and drinking salt water in the name of its head Shaykh. Over time,

5292-525: The 13th century in the wake of the fall of the Great Seljuk Empire . In the absence of a powerful central authority, these brotherhoods would exercise a stabilizing religious, political, economic, and military presence in Anatolia. When Battuta travelled through Anatolia, he regularly stayed in Akhi lodges and marveled at the hospitality of his hosts. The leader of each brotherhood would furnish

5400-648: The 17th century was centered upon esotericism, patience and pacifism . Various western historical writers have sometimes used the term dervish rather loosely, linking it to, among other things, the Mahdist War in Sudan and other conflicts by Islamic military leaders. In such cases, the term "dervishes" may have been used as a generic (and often pejorative) term for the opposing Islamic entity and all members of its military, political and religious institutions, including persons who would not be considered "dervishes" in

5508-463: The 19th and 20th centuries. Judaism is an officially recognized faith in Iran, and in spite of the hostilities between Iran and Israel over the Palestinian issue, the millennia-old Jewish community in Iran enjoys the right to practise their religion freely as well as a dedicated seat in parliament to a representative member of their faith. In addition to Christianity and Judaism , Zoroastrianism

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5616-539: The 4th century CE by Roman authorities in favor of Christianity. This was done to counter the greater Iranian cultural influence that was expanding throughout the Roman Empire. The cult was highly adhered to and respected throughout the Roman Empire with its center in Rome , and was popular throughout the western half of the empire , as far south as Roman Africa and Numidia , as far north as Roman Britain , and to

5724-522: The Akhiyat al-Fityan more fully embraced their economic or religious underpinnings, absorbing into guilds or Sufi orders. As early as the 12th century, Armenian priest Matthew of Edessa described Armenian associations of youth were described resembling what would later become the Akhi Brotherhoods of Anatolia. In his journal, the priest chronicles an altercation between a group of eighty youth fishmongers and local townspeople. The text captures

5832-574: The Akhyiat were fervent in their religious expression, engaging in esoteric rituals, song, and dance. Theologian Akhis were integrated into the upper stratum of the Ottoman Empire under Orhan . At the beginning of the Ottoman dynasty, many Christians lived in their territory. Erudite Akhis were deployed by Orhan to publicly debate Christian theologians in hopes of swaying the local population to

5940-750: The Al-Futuwwa youth organization sent a delegate to the Nuremberg Nazi Party rally, and in turn hosted the Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach . The fascist pan-Arabist Al-Muthanna Club and its al-Futuwwa (Hitler Youth) type movement, participated in the 1941 Farhud attack on Baghdad 's Jewish community. Besides espousing a fanatic pan-Arabism, the Futuwwa adopted a frankly totalitarian ideology. The Daily Telegraph wrote that although Saddam Hussein never acknowledged

6048-414: The Caliph would use futuwwa as a clever means of asserting caliphal power through religious hierarchy rather than regional power. He was particularly known to distribute the vestments of futuwwa to regional leaders in an assertion of his higher-rank. Though the original text of the Caliph's 1207 reform measures have been lost, reproductions describe an attempt at restructuring and institutionalizing futuwwa in

6156-598: The Death of Imam Khomeini (5 June). Additional holidays include The Anniversary of the Uprising Against the Shah (30 January), Ashoura (11 February), Victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution (20 January), Sizdah-Bedar —Public Outing Day to end Nowrooz (1 April), and Islamic Republic Day (2 April). There are two stages in a typical wedding ritual in Iran. Sometimes, both phases take place in one day. The first stage

6264-672: The Indian subcontinent , with the most notable and influential of these polities being the Mughal Empire . Typical Iranian main dishes are combinations of rice with meat , vegetables and nuts . Herbs are frequently used, along with fruits such as plums , pomegranates , quince , prunes , apricots and raisins . Characteristic Iranian spices and flavourings such as saffron , cardamom , and dried lime and other sources of sour flavoring, cinnamon , turmeric and parsley are mixed and used in various dishes. Outside of Iran,

6372-410: The Iranian art of architecture, Iranian gardens are also an example of Iran's cosmic symbolism and unique style of combining intensity and simplicity for form immediacy. There are currently 14 Iranian gardens that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with 5 of them being located outside of Iran. The traditional style of Iranian gardens is to represent an earthly paradise or a heaven on Earth. From

6480-429: The Iranian plateau. The post- Islamic architecture of Iran in turn, draws ideas from its pre-Islamic predecessor and has geometrical and repetitive forms, as well as surfaces that are richly decorated with glazed tiles, carved stucco , patterned brickwork, floral motifs , and calligraphy . In addition to historic gates, palaces, bridges, buildings, and religious sites that highlight the highly developed supremacy of

6588-521: The Ottoman reign, the government did not train the public in matters of vocation. Vocational training was conducted by guilds, and “Futuwwa treatises were used as the constitutions of the guilds of the Ottoman Empire.” At the time of the formation of the Ottoman state in the 14th century, the Akhi Brotherhood was a massively influential institution throughout Anatolia. As independent units of local influence, however, imperial authority understood

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6696-473: The Pahlavi era participated in demonstrations against the Shah to topple the monarchy. The culture of education for women was very strongly established by the time of revolution so that even after the revolution, large numbers of women entered civil service and higher education. Even though Islamic Republic pushed back hard on women's rights, Iranian women have been at the forefront of progress, education and battle for freedom. In 1996 fourteen women were elected to

6804-500: The Persian rug started out as a simple/pure weave of fabric that helped nomadic people living in ancient Iran stay warm from the cold, damp ground. As time progressed, the complexity and beauty of rugs increased to a point where rugs are now bought as decorative pieces. Because of the long history of fine silk and wool rug weaving in Iran, Persian rugs are world-renowned as some of the most beautiful, intricately designed rugs available. Around various places in Iran, rugs seem to be some of

6912-489: The Pre-Islamic era, this theme constituted a popular form of poetry that revolved around the personage of Ḥātim aṭ-Ṭā’ī , a famous Arab poet renowned for his generosity. At-Ṭā’ī reappears in early Futuwwa literature as a pre-Islamic ancestor to the chivalrous moral code that would later find expression in similar Islamic icons, namely Alī ibn Abū Ṭālib . Over time, this poetry would confer upon fāta, an epithet employed in

7020-559: The Quran to celebrate the righteousness of such figures as Yūsuf and Ibrahīm in the Sleepers of the Cave , a deeper moral significance. The development of an Arabic notion of the ideal man was further influenced by the Persian concepts of Javānmardi , a similar system of ideals closely linked to Sufi orders. Among the earliest attempts at crystallizing the concept of futuwwa into literary form

7128-402: The ages is categorized into two families and six following classes or styles. The two categories are Zoroastrian and Islamic, which references the eras of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic Iran, and the six styles, in order of their era, are Parsian, Parthian Khorasani, Razi, Azari, Esfahani. The pre-Islamic styles draw on 3000 to 4000 years of architectural development from the various civilizations of

7236-399: The brotherhood to support each other. For example, the treatises stated that members should pool their profits and live off of them. This practice especially bore a striking resemblance to Muslim Akhi Brotherhoods, where members would bring their daily earnings to the guild's lodge for its improvement and for providing hospitality for guests. Finally, a major goal of the futuwwa was to maintain

7344-672: The centuries. Dervishes spread into North Africa , the Horn of Africa , Turkey , Anatolia , the Balkans , the Caucasus , Central Asia , Iran , Pakistan , India , Afghanistan , and Tajikistan . Other dervish groups include the Bektashis , who are connected to the janissaries , and the Senussi , who are rather orthodox in their beliefs. Other fraternities and subgroups chant verses of

7452-448: The ceremony), two sugar cones—which are ground above the bride and groom's head, thus symbolizing sweetness/happiness, a cup of honey (to sweeten life), a needle and seven strands of colored thread (the shawl that is held above the bride and groom's head is sewn together with the string throughout the ceremony), and a copy of the couple's Holy Book (other religions require different texts); but all of these books symbolize God's blessing for

7560-419: The circle and square, and plans are based on often symmetrical layouts featuring rectangular courtyards and halls. The paramount virtues of Iranian architecture are: "a marked feeling for form and scale; structural inventiveness, especially in vault and dome construction; a genius for decoration with a freedom and success not rivaled in any other architecture". The traditional architecture of Iran throughout

7668-418: The couple. An early age in marriage—especially for brides—is a long documented feature of marriage in Iran. While the people of Iran have been trying to legally change this practice by implementing a higher minimum in marriage, there have been countless blocks to such an attempt. Although the average age of women being married has increased by about five years in the past couple decades, young girls being married

7776-516: The cultures of the world then and today. .Several languages are spoken throughout Iran, including languages from the Iranian , Turkic , and Semitic language families. According to the CIA Factbook , 78% of Iranians speak an Iranian language as their native tongue , 18% speak a Turkic language as their native tongue and 2% speak a Semitic language as their native tongue while the remaining 2% speak languages from various other groups. Although

7884-464: The date of certain holidays in Iran are not exact (due to the calendar system they use, most of these holidays are around the same time), some of the major public holidays in Iran include Oil Nationalization Day (20 March). Yalda (which is the longest night of the year) (21 December), Nowrooz —which is the Iranian equivalent of New Years (20 March), the Prophet's Birthday and Imam Sadeq (4 June), and

7992-513: The dervishes at Toski" (see History of Sudan (1884–1898)#British response ). Various books discussing the lives of Dervishes can be found in Turkish literature. Death and the Dervish by Meša Selimović and The Dervish by Frances Kazan extensively discussed the life of a Dervish. Similar works on the subject have been found in other books such as Memoirs of a Dervish: Sufis, Mystics and

8100-520: The destruction of the libraries of Persepolis by Alexander of Macedon during the era of the Achaemenids and the subsequent invasion of Iran by the Arabs in 641 , who sought to eradicate all non- Quranic texts . This resulted in all Iranian libraries being destroyed and books either being burnt or thrown into rivers. The only way that Iranians could protect these books was to bury them, but many of

8208-491: The establishment of brotherhoods unified by common trades, and the marked influence of the Akhi Brotherhood on the Ottoman Empire can be seen in the integration of the futuwwa tradition into the Ottoman guild system. Although the Akhi Brotherhood was originally open to men of varying professions, as the Ottomans consolidated their rule in Anatolia, the organization was reconstituted into guilds of artisans and merchants. During

8316-452: The evil eye, to burning evil spirits. In addition to these herbs/spices, a special baked and decorated flatbread, a basket of decorated eggs, decorated almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (in their shell to represent fertility), a basket of pomegranates/apples (for a joyous future as these fruits are considered divine), a cup of rose water (from special Persian roses)—which helps perfume the air, a bowl made out of sugar (apparently to sweeten life for

8424-399: The flowering of literature regarding the institution. Instead of taming the brotherhoods into monolithic units of caliphal control, however, the reform measures spawned an unprecedented diversity of thought regarding the organizations, and new innovations and interpretations abounded. It continued for some time after the death of its founder. Al-Nasir's attempt to restructure the institution in

8532-581: The followers of the Mahdī, it was also used with a sense of admiration in accounts by British soldiers which describe the fearlessness and bravery of the lightly armed 'dervishes'. Thus, the word has become closely associated with the anṣār and is often used inaccurately in relation to the Mahdi's followers, even today. For example, a contemporary British drawing of the fighting in Sudan was entitled "The defeat of

8640-931: The gardens of the Alhambra in Spain, Humayun's Tomb , and the Taj Mahal in India, the Hellenistic gardens of the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemies in Alexandria . Iranian cuisine refers to the culinary practices of Iran . Due to the historically common usage of the term " Persia " to refer to Iran in the Western world , it is alternatively known as Persian cuisine, despite Persians being only one of

8748-633: The larger Iranian diaspora. Key notables include Shirin Aliabadi , Mohammed Ehsai, Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, Golnaz Fathi , Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian , Parastou Forouhar, Pouran Jinchi , Farhad Moshiri , Shirin Neshat , Parviz Tanavoli, Y. Z. Kami, and Charles Hossein Zenderoudi. Cuisine in Iran is considered to be one of the most ancient forms of cuisine around the world. Bread

8856-603: The largest collection of Elamite instruments documented at Kul-e Fara. Multiple depictions of horizontal harps were also sculpted in Assyrian palaces, dating back between 865 and 650 BC. The reign of Sassanian ruler Khosrow II is regarded as a "golden age" for Iranian music. Sassanid music is where many the many music cultures of the world trace their distant origins. The court of Khosrow II hosted several prominent musicians, including Azad, Bamshad , Barbad , Nagisa , Ramtin, and Sarkash . Among these attested names, Barbad

8964-697: The largest non-Muslim minority in Iran. Baháʼís are scattered throughout small communities in Iran, although there seems to be a large population of Baháʼís in Tehran . The Iranian government actively pursues the persecution of Baháʼís . Followers of the Christian faith consist of around 250,000 Armenians, around 32,000 Assyrians , and a small number of Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant Iranians that have been converted by missionaries in earlier centuries. Thus, Christians that live in Iran are primarily descendants of indigenous Christians that were converted during

9072-453: The likes of Ferdowsi , Saadi , Hafiz , Attar , Nezami , Jami , Rumi , Omar Khayyam , Taleb Amoli , Ubayd Zakani , Shams Tabrizi , Rudaki and Vahshi Bafqi . These poets have inspired the likes of Goethe , Ralph Waldo Emerson , and many others. Contemporary Iranian literature has been influenced by classical Persian poetry, but also reflects the particularities of modern-day Iran, through writers such as Houshang Moradi-Kermani ,

9180-418: The man who wrote the first Muslim futuwwa treatises in Anatolia. First, religion made up the foundation of the futuwwa . Hovhannes wrote about the importance of religious practices like thrice daily prayer. He also outlined regulations for “opening and closing bodily parts.” Most importantly, however, association was impossible for non-Christians. Second, Hovhannes stressed that it was essential for members of

9288-479: The moral behavior of its members. Hovhannes wrote that it was important to have a strong body and soul that were like a well-organized city with “one fortification and five gates surrounding it.” The five gates representing the eyes, ears, nose, and the hands and feet, which are all responsible for the senses. “All good and evil,” Yovhannes argued, entered through these gates. Members needed to properly train and use their senses to protect themselves from sin. For example,

9396-577: The most important events in Islamic history. Today of the 98% of Muslims living in Iran, around 89% are Shi'a and only around 9% are Sunni . This is quite the opposite trend of the percentage distribution of Shi'a to Sunni Islam followers in the rest of the Muslim population from state to state (primarily in the Middle East) and throughout the rest of the world. Followers of the Baháʼí Faith form

9504-451: The most prized possessions of the local people. Iran currently produces more rugs and carpets than all other countries in the world put together. With 300 international awards in the past 10 years, Iranian films continue to be celebrated worldwide. The best known Persian directors are Abbas Kiarostami , Majid Majidi , Jafar Panahi and Asghar Farhadi . There is a resurgence of interest in Iranian contemporary artists and in artists from

9612-450: The most translated modern Iranian author, and poet Ahmad Shamlou . Iranian music has directly influenced the cultures of West Asia , Central Asia , Europe , and South Asia . It has mainly influenced and built up much of the musical terminology of the neighboring Turkic and Arabic cultures and reached India through the 16th-century Persianate Mughal Empire , whose court promoted new musical forms by bringing Iranian musicians. Iran

9720-462: The nation's most influential literary language. The Persian language has been often dubbed as the most worthy language of the world to serve as a conduit for poetry. Azerbaijani literature has also had a profound effect on Iran's literature with it being developed highly after Iran's first reunification in 800 years under the Safavid Empire , whose rulers themselves wrote poetry. There remain

9828-433: The newlywed couple), and a brazier holding burning coals and sprinkled with wild rue (as a way to keep the evil eye away and to purify the wedding ritual) are placed on the spread as well. Finally, there are additional items that must be placed on the spread, including a bowl of gold coins (to represent wealth and prosperity), a scarf/shawl made of silk/fine fabric (to be held over the bride and groom's head at certain points in

9936-406: The people of Iran converted to Islam . The Persian Samanid dynasty made great attempts to spread the Islamic faith in the 9th and 10th century while promoting a Persian cultural revival. Until the 16th century, Iran was majority Sunni ushering a golden age of the arts and sciences. In 1501 the Safavid dynasty took control of Iran and made Shia Islam the state religion , with this being one of

10044-433: The people of many Middle Eastern countries the most preferred drink of the people of Iran is tea (without milk) or "kakhve-khana". Since the 1979 Revolution, Iranian women have lost almost all their rights that was gained in 1962 under the rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi . Many restrictive and legal measures are imposed since 1979, including mandatory Hijab. By law, women's testimony in court is worth half of that of men under

10152-457: The poem describes a novel class of young men in Syria that regularly congregated together for drink and merriment and was critical of their predilection for disregarding the laws of the local governor. This explicit standardization of a previously nebulous conception of moral righteousness set the tone for more expansive futuwwa codes that began to develop between the 11th and 14th centuries C.E. By

10260-577: The potential of the Akhi Brotherhoods to become seditious hotbeds of revolutionary agitation and religious heresy. Accused of conspiracy against the state, many brotherhoods found themselves absorbed by an aggressively expansionist Ottoman state, however, under Murad I and his successor, Bayzid the Thunderbolt , Akhi discontent and resentment towards imperial attempts at control ultimately led to open rebellion. As imperial influence increased, these rebellions were put down with greater and greater ease and

10368-563: The powers of heaven. This theme has not only given continuity and longevity to the architecture of Iran but has been a primary source of the emotional character of the nation as well. Iranian architecture ranges from simple structures to "some of the most majestic structures the world has ever seen". Iranian architectural style is the combination of intensity and simplicity to form immediacy, while ornament and, often, subtle proportions reward sustained observation. Iranian architecture makes use of abundant symbolic geometry, using pure forms such as

10476-530: The present day is the first day of the Persian year. If the equinox falls after noon, then the next day is the official first day of the Persian year. The Persian Calendar , which is the official calendar of Iran, is a solar calendar with a starting point that is the same as the Islamic calendar. According to the Iran Labor Code, Friday is the weekly day of rest. Government official working hours are from Saturday to Wednesday (from 8 am to 4 pm). Although

10584-558: The regions along the Caspian Sea , Arabic primarily in the Persian Gulf coastal regions, Balochi primarily in the southeast, and Turkmen primarily in northern border regions. Smaller languages spread in other regions notably include Talysh , Georgian , Armenian , Assyrian , and Circassian , amongst others. Ethnologue estimates that there are 86 Iranian languages, the largest among them being Persian , Pashto , and

10692-471: The rule of the Islamic Regime, the age of marriage is 9, and marital rape is legal. Women cannot leave the country without the formal permission of their guardians (father or husband). They cannot run for presidency or become a judge. This is a striking change from the full and equal rights that women enjoyed during the Pahlavi era. The Iranian women who had gained confidence and higher education during

10800-644: The side of Islam. Following the political decline of the Akhiyat al-Fityan, many of its more spiritual members would join such dervish orders as the Mevlevis , Khalvetis, and Bektashis . The Akhiyat al-Fityan's relationship with warfare varied widely according to local conditions. Within the cities, the brotherhoods proved fiercely loyal to their cities, and would often come to their defense against aggressors Where some brotherhoods unified peacefully around trade or Sufism, others were closely linked to those who conducted Ghazw , or holy war, raiding towns and villages in

10908-466: The strict sense. During the Mahdist War, Muḥammad Aḥmad al-Mahdī decreed that all those who came to join him should be called anṣār , after the Prophet's earliest followers. He forbade the use of the term 'dervish' to describe his followers. Despite this, British soldiers and colonial officials continued to use the term in relation to the anṣār . While some Britons used the term to denigrate

11016-533: The texts were forgotten over time. As soon as circumstances permitted, the Iranians wrote books and assembled libraries. Iranian literature encompasses a variety of literature in the languages used in Iran . Modern Iranian literature includes Persian literature , Azerbaijani literature , Kurdish literature , and the literature of the remaining minority languages. Persian is the predominant and official language of Iran and throughout Iran's history, it has been

11124-518: The time of the Achaemenid Empire , the idea of an earthly paradise spread through Iranian literature to other cultures, with the word for paradise in the Iranian languages of Avestan , Old Persian , and Median , spreading to languages across the world. The style and design of the Iranian garden greatly influenced the garden styles of countries from Spain to Italy and Greece to India , with some notable examples of such gardens being

11232-505: The title 'Poor': That sealed jar in the stormy sea out there Floats on the waves because it's full of air, When you've the air of dervishood inside You'll float above the world and there abide... The whirling dance or Sufi whirling that is proverbially associated with dervishes is best known in the West by the practices (performances) of the Mevlevi order in Turkey, and is part of

11340-517: The training of a youth brigade, he has, in several past speeches, spoken admiringly of the Hitler Youth. It is widely believed that he belonged to the Futuwa paramilitary youth organisation which was modeled on the Hitler Youth and was formed in Baghdad in the late 1950s. In modern-day Egypt , the term is used for youths who try to do quasi-chivalrous acts such as helping others resist intimidation by

11448-439: The treatises mentioned the importance of chastity. If a member was married, he was advised to keep himself clean and far from “foreign” beds. Members were also discouraged from indulging in drinking wine, since it would lead them to bad behavior. The Armenian brotherhoods were commonly tied to a trade and loyally defended their cities and towns from invasion. Futuwwa became a topic for European orientalists after being mentioned in

11556-517: Was a ninth century treatise by Abū al-Fātik linking the behavior of fatā with expectations governing behavior at the table. The associations of young men alluded to in al-Fātik's code, precursors to more formally constituted brotherhoods of later centuries, are first described in the Kitāb al-Aghānī , a ninth century anthology of poems and songs from the Arab world. Though it does not reference futuwwa explicitly,

11664-463: Was used commonly by the Roman Cult of Mithra . One of the cult's ceremonies involved the sacrifice of a bull followed by a dance that promoted vigor in life. The Cult of Mithra was active from the 1st century CE to the 4th century CE and worshiped a mystery religion inspired by the Iranian worship of Mithra . It was a rival of Christianity in the Roman Empire and was eventually suppressed in

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