Commentaries and Translations Written on Pend-nâme-i Attar in Classical Turkish Literature and Related Scholarly Works
“Pend” is a Persian term, which can be translated as “a book of advice” or “a book of counsel,” when used together with the suffix “-nâme”. Because of the overarching influence of Feriduddîn-i Attâr’s (d. 618/1221) Pend-nâme, the term gained a special meaning in classical Turkish literature with reference to works written on advice rather than constituting a genre. Having acquired almost as much recognition as the connotations of its title, Feriduddîn-i Attâr’s small yetinfluential work has sparked much interest in Turkish literature as in Persian. The number of secondary works penned on Pend-nâme demonstrates its popular reception in Turkish literature without questioning its authorship. The commentaries and translations written over the centuries have resulted in the formation of a rich literature on this subject. These commentaries and translations have been transcribed into Turkish through academic works for the use of contemporary audience. Moreover, the contents of these works have been analyzed with the aim to acquire information about the political, literary and cultural atmosphere of the period. This study provides a list of these translations and commentaries written in classical Turkish literature employing documentary analysis. In addition, it puts together an updated list of related contemporary studies. This study has also identified the common themes explored in these academic works as well as updating and correcting inaccurate information transmitted through this literature.
Sema LEVENT
