SHAIKH SADI’S GULISTAN-A CRITICAL STUDY

Gulistan meaning a rose garden, a flower garden is a well-known book of Shaikh Sadi, a Persian poet and writer who was born around 606 A.H./ 1209 A.D. in Shiraz, a well- known city and capital of Fars province of modern Iran. From the study of the preface of Gulistan it appears that this book was written during the reign of Atabek Abubakr bin Saad bin Zangi. One chapter has also been devoted in the name of Prince Saad bin Abibakr bin Saad and one in the name of Amir Kabir Fakhruddin Abibakr bin Abi Nasr. It also appears that Sadi is hopeful from the king, Prince and Amir Kabir that this book which is named Gulistan will be appreciated by them. Especially, the appreciation of Prince is sought because its forward has been written in the name of his father. From the study of one chapter which has been devoted in the reason of writing Gulistan it appears that Sadi had reached to the age of fifty years and his fame and popularity had reached all over the world but he was still sleeping so he was advised by his intellect to get up and grab the opportunity and utilize these five days and thus he opted to live in seclusion and wrote this book. From two couplets of a Masnavi it is evident that this book was completed in the year 656 A.H. This book is divided in eight chapters and almost all chapters in some way or other deal with humanity, universal brother hood, morality, contentment, purity of life, honesty, etiquette of company and wisdom.