SEHER ABDAL'S HELVA VU NAN

There is no information about the poet who used the penname, Seher Abdal, Seher or Seheri in the sources. However, many poems by him are found in all kinds of poetry collections. One of Seher Abdal's works is titled Helva vu Nan. In this short verse narrative, a story about a mystic, his son and a Hand that takes place in Belh is narrated. On the one hand, in the character of the Hand who is depicted in utmost negative terms negative feelings of the poet towards the Hand's and on the other hand in the depictions of the mystic and his son who are followers of Hz. Ali the virtues of Hz. Ali's followers and the poet's devot'on to Hz. All and his family and the twelve imams. The poet recounts the miracles by Hizir and Hz. Ali, yet he doesn't ientify Hz. Ali with Hizir whom he describes as a prophet. Furthermore, the poet accepts Hz. Ali higher than Hizir who circumambulates him. By organizing the number of verses in his narrative as 1+3+8: 12, he further displays his devotion to the twelve imams. In his work, Seher Abdal does not interpret "helva", i.e. paste and "nan", bread, other than what they refer to. His focus on these reflects the fact that the current tradition of distributing sweet paste an bread after funerals had been practiced in Iran in previous centuries as well. In this article the verse narrative Helva vu Nan is analysed and a transcribed edition of the text is presented.