Investigating the Storytelling of Tafsir-e Surabadi by Adapting it to Other Old Persian Interpretations of Quran and Karami Ideas

In addition to the well-known narrative works of Persian poetry and prose, such as the Shahnameh and Marzban-nameh, classical Persian Quranic exegesis texts also contain a storytelling dimension that merits scholarly investigation. This study takes a step in that direction. The central question of this research is how Surabadi employs various techniques and methods in narrating the stories of the prophets, and how these methods compare with the approaches of prominent classical commentators. The research employs a descriptive-analytical method, utilizing library resources and document analysis. The findings reveal that this commentary is not simply a retelling of religious narratives; instead, Surabadi’s approach highlights the literary quality of the language as well as the artistic and aesthetic dimensions of storytelling. His work offers one of the most brilliant artistic and aesthetic perspectives on Islamic theology, consistently and comprehensively evident throughout his narratives. Moreover, mystical thought plays a significant role in this Tafsir and influences its storytelling style. Some of the most notable features of his narrative technique include the visualization of events and details, dialogue-driven storytelling, attention to descriptive details, a poetic plot structure, and the symbolic use of numbers, among others. To demonstrate the effectiveness of his narrative techniques, the study compares and analyzes the use of storytelling elements and descriptive details in this interpretation with those in other Quranic exegetical texts.
Introduction:
Storytelling plays an irreplaceable role in human life. Many believe that what distinguishes humans from other species is their ability to use metaphorical language and engage in narrative (mimesis). Understanding stories is a key prerequisite for understanding humanity. In the book "The Storytelling Animal", we read that story and various storytelling activities dominate human life, to the extent that even humans are creatures of story. From another perspective, truth is so vast that the limited human mind and intellect cannot fully comprehend it. Therefore, people substitute “narratives” for fragments of truth that they are either interested in or need. This approach is common among scientists and scholars, but ordinary people also connect with existential and human truths through artistic and literary narratives—such as stories, novels, dramas, and more. One of the most fundamental questions concerning human existence is: What is ethics, why must we live ethically, and how does ethical living arise? These are crucial questions, and answering them reveals significant aspects of truth, even if only partially. We live in an era where nihilism has taken hold of global society, posing serious challenges to the necessity of ethical living. While contemporary moral philosophers may have provided compelling answers to these questions, the general public—the “living and present” humans—has yet to find their own. In this context, the creation of artistic narratives that teach ethics and its importance becomes essential. In ancient times, the grand narrative of ethics was embodied in “the stories of the prophets.” Through these stories, ordinary people became familiar with ethics—its essence and necessity. In Persian culture and language, perhaps the most beautiful and artistic narration of the prophets’ stories—the grand narrative of ethics—has been conveyed in Tafsir-e Surabadi. Therefore, by understanding the method of narrating this grand ethical story in Tafsir-e Surābādi, we take a step toward constructing a new narrative of ethics. This extensive abstract—and our obligation to present it—is a worthy and commendable undertaking if it leads to global collaborative efforts to build a more ethical world and humanity. This extensive abstract—and our obligation to present it—is a worthy and commendable undertaking if it leads to global collaborative efforts aimed at building a more ethical world and humanity; otherwise, it amounts to nothing more than the scientific exploitation of others by English-speakers and mere imitative work—the very continuation of colonialism, that is, the great 'immorality' of recent centuries.
Methodology:
The type of this research is theoretical and the method of collecting materials and data is library using relevant sources. The research method is descriptive-analytical. In this regard, while paying attention to the theoretical foundations of fiction literature, the most prominent narrative and storytelling features of Tafsir-e Surābādi have been extracted, categorized and analyzed.
Results and Discussion:
Among literary studies, examining ancient Persian Quran interpretations (Tafsirs) holds great significance. Investigating their linguistic and literary aspects—especially their storytelling techniques—is both essential and valuable, contributing to interdisciplinary studies such as literature and mysticism. The value and importance of ancient Tafsiri books in the realm of storytelling have been somewhat neglected, despite their significance. At the dawn of modern Persian literature, alongside epic collections like Shahname, valuable narrative-based religious works were also being created, one of the most esteemed being Tafsir-e Surabadi.
This article aims to examine some narrative aspects of Tafsir-e Surabadi. It pursues this goal through three approaches: comparing it with other notable interpretations, especially Tarjome-ye Tafsir-e Tabari; aligning it with the common features of Karramiyye compositions; and identifying prominent aspects of narrative poetics within this book. Since the Karramiyye is considered the pioneer of Iranian mysticism and mysticism adopts an aesthetic and artistic approach to theology, it can be argued that AbuBakr-e Surabadi narrates the stories of the prophets with a strong mystical/artistic/aesthetic perspective. Moreover, certain elements of Sufism—such as the concept of a “Vali”—are more prominently reflected in Surabadi’s work.
Conclusion:
Some aspects of Karramiyye thought and their influence on AbuBakr-e Surabadi’s storytelling can be summarized as follows: emphasis on mortality awareness, their unique perspective on livelihood and sustenance, and their attribution of a near infallibility status to the prophets... Surabadi transforms the simple narratives found in religious texts into vivid, artistic stories through imagination and visualization—similar to what Ferdowsi did by transforming plain epic tales into the grand literary masterpiece of Shahname. If we compare any part of Surabadi's narratives with its equivalent in other key Tafsirs, we can easily appreciate his aesthetic and skillful storytelling. He pays great attention to narrative details, emphasizes binaries, understands the significance of numerical variety and repetition, incorporates poetic language into the plot and atmosphere, and produces exquisitely artistic prose, characterized by Bilingual prose.
In a broader view, dialogue does not traditionally exist in classical Persian literature. However, one of the most outstanding features of Surabadi's storytelling art is precisely the presence of dialogue in some of his narratives—especially the story of Joseph. This can be introduced as one of the earliest exceptions to that general rule, offering future researchers the opportunity to explore and uncover the cultural and literary significance of this great work.
Ethical Considerations
The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this work.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.