A Dramatic Reading of the Story of Ebrahim Adham in Tazkirat al-Awliya by Attar of Nishapur

Abstract

Tazkirat al-Awliya by Attar of Nishapur concerns the lives, spiritual states, thoughts, and narratives of mystics and Sufi masters. Attar has endeavored to depict the political, social, economic, and literary conditions of his era. In examining the dramatic aspects, in addition to understanding Attar’s mental framework and linguistic style, one must possess comprehensive familiarity with elements of drama such as dramatic motifs, genre, style, and modes of performance. The story of Ebrahim Adham holds inherent dramatic potential, which can be actualized by exploring its dramatic elements and analyzing diverse ways of employing them in theatrical adaptation. The central question posed is: what are the dramatic aspects of this story, and how can analyzing these aspects lead to the creation of a dramatic reading? The method applied in this study is analytical–descriptive, and the data have been collected through library research. The findings indicate, to some extent, the dramatic value of a sample story from Tazkirat al-Awliya and may contribute to transforming other narratives from this work into plays.