TEHRAN -- Iranian author and scholar Mohammad Baqaii Makan believes that Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh is the title deed of Iranian paternal house and documents the origin of the Iranian nation.

“To say ‘Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh is the identity of Iranian people and the Iranian nation’ is quite true. Not every nation enjoys such reliable a document as Shahnameh about its origin; we will realize this once we carefully study the great world epics such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey,” he told the Mehr News Agency on Monday.
He added, “Shahnameh is a link in the chain which connects us to our ancestors. The Iranian identity and Iranian society are registered in this book.”
Baqaii Makan expressed regret that certain individuals envy this document and cannot tolerate its presence since they cannot identify with the real Iranian identity, adding, “But there is a question here. What would have happened if there was no Shahnameh? In truth, Ferdowsi not only safeguarded the thought, culture and traditions of ancient Iran, but also helped preserve the Persian language. He was well aware of the role language plays in preserving a national identity.”
He went on to say, “In words of French philosopher and orientalist Henry Corbin, Ferdowsi preserved the beating heart of Iran… A careful study of Fersowsi’s magnum opus would reveal that it was him who safeguarded Iran and permitted new ideas to be born in this country.”
Makan also remarked, “One cannot say that today Iranian people do not understand Shahnameh. It is true, however, that these days people show less interest in the study of old writings and the main reason is that they are too busy in everyday life.”
“The second reason, which is more important, is lack of a proper coverage of Shahnameh in our national media and textbooks. I believe the society becomes interested in an issue only when it is discussed in the national television,” he continued.
“One way to create a wave of passion in the country for discovering Iranian national identity is to explain Shahnameh (for the public). For example, turning the stories of Shahnameh into screenplays, or dedicating a few hours to the narration of Shahnameh in different TV channels would help. It is natural that people will gradually become interested,” he concluded.
Makan received the Pakistan’s National Medal of Distinction, the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, from the Pakistani ambassador in Tehran in 2006.
The 24-volume book “The Retrospective of the Thoughts and Works of Iqbal” is amongst Makan’s credits.