Before the war in Afghanistan, the people of Panjshir would spend long, cold winter nights engaging in “reading sessions.” During that time, most Panjshir residents earned their livelihood through agriculture and animal husbandry, thus finding themselves with ample leisure time during the winter season to participate in literary gatherings. Works such as the Masnavi Ma’navi, Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, and Eskandarnameh by Nizami Ganjavi were among the books recited during these nights. It was common for two or three individuals to melodiously recite verses from these books in their style, followed by someone knowledgeable in the interpretation of classical Persian texts elaborating on their meaning. At times, the interpretation and explanation of these texts would stretch into the early hours of dawn. During that era, face-to-face education was the primary method, with the majority of people being illiterate, making these literary gatherings their primary source of intellectual nourishment. Even today, there are individuals in Panjshir society who can recite portions of the Masnavi, Shahnameh, or Eskandarnameh fluently, despite having minimal literacy skills. Religious leaders of that time often had sufficient familiarity with classical Persian texts, and if a cleric was not knowledgeable about these texts, they would be subject to criticism and reproach from the people. The Masnavi and Shahnameh held a significant position among the people of Panjshir. Recently, I have learned that some anti-Sufi and Salafi-influenced clerics derogatorily refer to Rumi’s Masnavi as the “Panjshiri Quran,” intending to insult the people of Panjshir.
In recent years, efforts have been made to revive and promote the tradition of reciting poetry, especially the Masnavi and Shahnameh. While we lack detailed information about the gatherings held in the past, we are more informed about recent literary events. The most significant criticism that can be leveled against these readings (often of the Masnavi) is that the interpreters lack a deep understanding of the texts and do not utilize the sources that have been written or translated in the past few decades regarding the interpretation of these texts in Persian-speaking societies or other languages. Typically, the interpretations provided by these individuals are subjective and disorganized, failing to deliver much benefit to the audience or properly elucidate the meanings of these books to the participants. Furthermore, rather than focusing on elucidating the texts, these interpreters often use them as a platform to inject their low-minded and trivial views into the minds of the masses, spending more time on digressions. Given these issues, we should not expect much from such gatherings. The tradition of winter night reading, even if cherished, has now evolved into a form where little fruit is borne from it.
Another point worth noting is that the tradition of book reading in the past, when literate individuals in society were few, and books were not readily available to the general public, could meet some of the cultural needs of that time. However, now that useful books aligned with contemporary needs are available in every field, it is necessary to encourage people to engage in reading useful books and current writings and to invest their energy in more important endeavors. It should not be forgotten that in classical Persian texts, there are teachings that are no longer applicable to modern humans and may even be detrimental, possibly causing confusion and disrupting people’s lives. Of course, those who engage in public discussions, for example, about the challenges presented in the Masnavi Ma’navi, never allow themselves to admit that there are erroneous teachings in these books because these interpreters lack intellectual independence and critical thinking and treat these texts as sacred scriptures.
Another topic worthy of discussion and reflection is that in the current winter, “reciting poetry” in Panjshir society is more noticeable than before. Departments and media affiliated with the Taliban also promoted this issue by holding such gatherings, claiming that security has been established in Panjshir and people have found peace of mind, thus wishing to celebrate their cultural traditions. It was observed that officials of the Taliban government were more involved than others in organizing these sessions. Is the refuge of people in the current circumstances to the Masnavi and books of this sort an attempt to soothe and distract the mind from what is happening in the surrounding environment temporarily, to temporarily escape from the world and its troubles and unrest? In a situation where the country is in its most critical state of crisis, and people are suffering from collective depression and are afflicted by calamities and misfortunes in society, what justification can there be for reciting poetry and delving into the silent mystical realms? We need meticulous investigation into the multifaceted, horrifying, and deeply rooted factors of this comprehensive failure, not indulgence in the myths of the past. The story of such individuals is reminiscent of the scholars of Rome in the Middle Ages who, when Muslim armies besieged Constantinople, were so unaware of the world’s developments that in those days they engaged in heated debates about how many angels could fit on the head of a needle.
Some individuals concerned with combating extremist ideologies and seeking solutions to curb the unchecked growth of radical beliefs in Afghan society believe that referring to classical Persian texts, which include significant mystical and Sufi teachings, is one way to combat radical beliefs. They argue that mystical texts act as antidotes to dogmatic fundamentalist ideologies and effectively counter dangerous extremist tendencies. However, experiences have shown that Afghanistan serves as a fertile ground for extremism and radicalism, and even mystical beliefs may be co-opted to serve extremist ideologies. The Panjshir community is one where attention is given to the Masnavi Ma’navi and other mystical texts, and the people of Panjshir have a greater familiarity with mystical and Sufi concepts compared to other societies. Yet, extremist ideologies are prevalent in this community, and from this perspective, the Panjshir community is no different from others. The shadow of extremists has weighed heavily on Panjshir for decades, just as it has elsewhere.
One of the dilemmas Afghanistan has faced is the lack or scarcity of human capacity to address problems and challenges and to provide dignified livelihoods for its inhabitants. In the previous regime, billions of dollars were spent on attracting and hiring foreign specialized human resources—resources that had little understanding of Afghan society and little commitment to it, often motivated primarily by financial gain. Worse yet, with the collapse of the previous order, a significant portion of the effective human resources that had been nurtured over these years left the country, leaving the country in a crisis of skilled human capital. In this situation, rather than improper role modeling and channeling the energy of youth into abstract problems, the reasonable approach is to make the best use of this energy and manpower in appropriate areas. There are more important priorities that the masses should be mobilized for, and the employment of mystical and mythological concepts is not part of these priorities.
Decades ago, Mullah Abdul Wahid, a renowned cleric and scholar of Panjshir, when he observed that reciting Shahnameh was leading to changes in people’s temperament, pushing them towards warmongering and aggression, banned the reading of Shahnameh in a part of Panjshir. Some may argue that Mullah Abdul Wahid’s action was Persian-phobic and narrow-minded, distancing people from the concepts of Shahnameh. However, the truth of the matter is that Mullah Abdul Wahid at that time understood that making certain books accessible to the general public would create grounds for misunderstanding, and instead of promoting lofty values, it would lead to intellectual turmoil and chaos. Popularizing the Masnavi and Shahnameh not only fails to increase people’s awareness of spiritual or national values but also leads to the degradation and decay of these concepts. While referring to classical Persian texts such as the Masnavi and Shahnameh for beneficial purposes is useful, popularizing them is not in the society’s interest and undermines its movement towards excellence.
Books, both old and new, should be approached with a critical eye, and they should never be considered sacred. Just as a book can bring about positive change, it may also contain harmful values and undermine foundations. Our literary and intellectual tradition, while containing useful teachings for modern humans, also has dark and critiquable aspects. The best way to deal with this tradition is through critical examination and cool-headed analysis. Ignoring a portion of this tradition is among the most important duties for living honorably in the contemporary world. A populist approach to our literary and intellectual tradition not only fails to help us live dignified lives in the current world but also entangles us to such an extent that we remain stagnant for years. In an era where the world is rapidly advancing, falling into the trap of past enslavement widens the gap between us and the civilized world every day, and this is never acceptable.