Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 17، number In Volume 8، November 2024 ، issue Number 102

Religious Beliefs and Islamic Culture of Iranian People in the Travelogue of William Franklin

Marzieh Zare Zardini (Author in Charge), Asia Zabihnia Emran

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The travelogue of William Franklin (1763-1839) entitled "Observations on the Journey from Bengal to Iran," written during the years 1786-1787 AD, pays particular attention to the religious beliefs and rituals of Iranian people. As an orientalist, Franklin, like other foreign travel writers, draws on the beliefs of the people as one of the themes of his travelogue to enrich his work with cultural significance and to preserve the customs and traditions of society from being forgotten, passing them from past generations to future ones. This research aims to identify the religious beliefs and Islamic convictions of the people of Iran in Franklin"s travelogue and seeks to answer the following central question: How do religious beliefs and Islamic culture influence various aspects of life in this travelogue?

METHODOLOGY: In this study, documentary methods (descriptive note-taking) were employed for data collection. The scope of this research encompasses the entire text of William Franklin"s book "Observations on the Journey from Bengal to Iran." Additionally, characteristics of Islamic culture and the religious beliefs and rituals of the people of Iran were selectively extracted and compiled.

FINDINGS: From Franklin"s perspective, Iranians possess commendable traits and characteristics rooted in their historical background, reflecting the culture and ancient civilization of Iran. These admirable qualities distinguish Iranians from other nations. Many moral attributes are derived both from Iran"s ancient culture and from Islamic teachings.

CONCLUSION: Based on William Franklin"s observations, it can be concluded that a significant portion of the beliefs and ritual literature of Iranian people is founded on the underlying layer of Islamic cultural systems, with its influence observable in various dimensions of people"s lives, especially in social aspects.

Keyword
Religious beliefs , Islamic culture , Travelogue , William Franklin

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