As someone deeply rooted in the rich and tumultuous history of my Iranian heritage, I find the ancient epic of the Shahnameh, the Book of Kings, to be an invaluable repository of wisdom, history, and myth. The story of Rustam, one of the most legendary heroes of Persian mythology, and his encounter with the White Deev (div) is a tale that has fascinated me not only for its supernatural elements but for the deeper allegories it offers about the nature of good and evil, light and darkness.
Rustam, the mighty warrior of the Shahnameh, is a character that embodies the ideals of strength, valor, and honor. His tale intertwines with that of the Deev, a demonic force that represents chaos, malevolence, and the enemies of order and righteousness. The White Deev (div-e-sefid), in particular, stands as a symbol of the ultimate evil that threatens the world. This particular Deev is described as one of the most powerful and dangerous adversaries, capable of deceiving even the wisest and most formidable of beings.
The conflict between Rustam and the White Deev is not just a physical battle but a spiritual one. As I reflect on this story, I cannot help but see the parallels to the struggles in my own life, from my conversion from Islam to Christianity, my rejection of paganism, and my eventual embrace of the Christian conservative values I hold today. In Rustam’s battle, the White Deev represents the dark forces that seek to undermine and destroy the very fabric of civilization, much like the forces of radicalism and secularism I believe threaten the moral and cultural foundation of the West today.
In the Shahnameh, the White Deev attempts to deceive Rustam by exploiting his sense of pride and his initial reluctance to accept the guidance of others. The Deev attempts to convince him that his immense strength alone will be enough to overcome any adversary, a dangerous mindset that I have seen in various ideologies over time. Whether it's the Marxist ideologies that fueled my earlier years or the forces of radical Islamism that I once fought for in my position at CAIR-Columbus, there is an unmistakable parallel to the temptation of the White Deev—the notion that one can achieve power through pride and without humility or alignment with higher moral principles.
However, Rustam's victory over the White Deev is not just a physical conquest but a spiritual triumph. It is a victory that comes from embracing truth, wisdom, and righteousness, qualities that I now understand to be integral to the Christian faith. Just as Rustam must rely on divine support and personal humility to defeat the Deev, so too must we—those of us who have left the darkness of ideologies like Islamism or radical leftism—turn toward the light of Christianity and its eternal truths.
The story also touches on themes of personal transformation. The White Deev is not just an external enemy, but a reflection of the internal struggles that each individual faces. For me, my own personal journey from being a Muslim to embracing Christianity, rejecting the empty promises of socialism and radical leftism, and ultimately finding peace in the values of the LDS Church has been much like Rustam's fight with the Deev. It was not merely a battle of outward circumstances, but a battle of the heart and mind—a battle between the forces that sought to control me through false promises and the freedom that comes with aligning oneself with eternal principles.
In this story, I find a profound reminder that every individual is faced with their own Deevs, whether they are the destructive forces of radicalism, socialism, or any other ideology that seeks to subjugate the soul. The victory over these Deevs is found in the commitment to righteousness, the strength of faith, and the pursuit of truth. It is a victory that calls for humility, wisdom, and a willingness to embrace higher principles, whether they come from the divine or from the moral traditions that have shaped our civilization.
I now see Rustam’s victory not just as an ancient Persian myth but as a metaphor for the struggles of our time. It is a reminder that the forces of evil—whether ideological, religious, or political—will always be with us, but it is through our commitment to goodness, truth, and divine guidance that we can overcome them. As an Iranian-American Christian who has walked through many of the ideological battles of our time, I am reminded of the strength and wisdom that comes from embracing the light of Christ and the moral clarity that it brings.
Citations:
- Ferdowsi, Abolqasem. Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings. Translated by Dick Davis, Penguin Classics, 2006.
- Jabbari, Sima. "The Role of the Shahnameh in Persian Culture." Iranian Studies Journal, vol. 35, no. 3, 2011, pp. 443-463.
- Azad, Mehrdad. Iranian Myths and Legends: The Epic of Rustam. Tehran University Press, 2003.
No comments:
Post a Comment