''Sheikh Sanan'' (), is a

verse Verse may refer to: Poetry * Verse (poetry), a line or lines in a poetic composition * Blank verse, a type of poetry having regular meter but no rhyme * Free verse, a type of poetry written without the use of strict meter or rhyme, but still re ...

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

tragedy A tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a tragic hero, main character or cast of characters. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsi ...

in five acts, written by an Azerbaijani poet and playwright

Huseyn Javid Huseyn Javid (), was born Huseyn Abdulla oghlu Rasizadeh (24 October 1882, Nakhchivan – 5 December 1941, Shevchenko, Tayshetsky District), was a prominent Azerbaijani poet and playwright of the early 20th century. He was one of the founders ...

about love of a

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

- Sanan to a Georgian-

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

girl Khumar. It is based on an old story first made famous by the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

poet

Attar Neyshapuri Faridoddin Abu Hamed Mohammad Attar Nishapuri ( – c. 1221; ), better known by his pen-names Faridoddin () and ʿAttar of Nishapur (, Attar means apothecary), was a poet, theoretician of Sufism, and hagiographer from Nishapur who had an immense ...

The Conference of the Birds ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

. As it was noted, a romantic riot against the anti-humanistic reality of religion is expressed in images of the main heroes of the play – Sanan and Khumar. Sanan, being a true believer Muslim and a notable scientist, dissuades from

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

and rejects its basis, blames all religions for separation of people. Sheikh Sanan opposes the world of love, friendship and humanity to the world of blind faith and dead religious dogmatics. Such anti-clerical thoughts, which had been already said by the poet in numerous lyrical works, were summed up in the play. The play was written in 1912-1914, during Javid’s lifetime in

Tiflis Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

and Nakhchivan. In 1915-1916, the play was published in various newspapers, in

Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...

. As a book it was published in 1917, by a publishing house of “Achig Soz” newspaper. For the first time it was staged in 1921, on a stage of the State Theatre. It was repeatedly published in 1926, 1958 and 1968.

Plot

Two images – Sanan and Khumar – stand in the center of the play. Sanan - a person of high intellect and moral purity, getting a religious education, penetrates into it with great hesitations. He began to keep away from people who believe in religious tales and looks for the God in himself. Hesitations of Sanan calls the anger of fanatics surrounding him and this anger strengthens after they know about Sanan’s love to the Georgian girl Khumar – a marvelous beauty, whom he had seen in his dream and after long searches found her in reality. He loved the girl in Tiflis and agreed with conditions of the girl’s father that he will burn the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

and become a swineherd. Neither national, nor religious prejudices couldn’t redeem Sanan’s love to Khumar, in which they saw the highest demonstration of human being and destroyed all barriers standing on their way. In the name of love, Sanan ultimately broke off with the environment surrounding him and lapsed from Quran. He made sure that religion is an evil, which saws seeds of discords among nations and separates people. A theme of ideal love is opposed to violence, fanaticism and prejudices in the play. But, finally, Sanan and Khumar gained the victory over surrounding them evil. Persecuted by fanatics, they found their salvation in death.

References

{{commons category, Sheikh Sanan Tragedy plays Azerbaijani plays 1914 plays Plays set in Azerbaijan Tragedies of Huseyn Javid Azerbaijani-language plays