Political Ethics and Governance Model in Ferdowsi's Thought

Abstract

The Shahnameh, the work of the sage Abolghasem Ferdowsi, is more than a national epic, it is a rich treasure trove of culture, history, and especially political and moral ideas of ancient Iran, and it contains profound religious, moral, and social functions. In Iranian political thought, politics has always had a deep connection with moral values, and the Shahnameh of the sage Abolghasem Ferdowsi is a clear testimony to this claim. The main issue of this research is to examine whether Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh merely provided a theoretical explanation of moral values for rulers, or beyond that, sought to provide a practical model for realizing these values in the realm of governance. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on the text of the Shahnameh, examines the connection between ethics and politics as one of the fundamental issues in Ferdowsi's political thought. The findings show that Ferdowsi considers politics and political governance inseparable from ethics. Through mythological narratives, heroic epics, and especially the advice of kings, he presents practical moral models such as justice, wisdom, people-oriented behavior, consideration for the weak, forgiveness and forgiveness, keeping promises, honesty, and truthfulness for desirable governance. In contrast, by depicting the ominous fate of tyrannical and foolish kings, Ferdowsi strongly warns against moral vices and ugliness in the field of politics, such as oppression of the people, injustice, breaking promises, lying in political policy, and foolishness in decision-making. He clearly shows that these political immoralities directly lead to the loss of the "divine power," the decline of the king's political legitimacy. In Ferdowsi's view, politics without ethics is a deviation from the path of religion and Sharia, and is the main factor in the decline of legitimacy and political instability. This research argues that the Shahnameh is not only a national epic, but also a practical code of ethics for governance that has its roots in the statecraft of ancient Iran.