Gardizi's role in reviving and recovering the components of Iranian identity and assimilating it with Islamic identity in Zain al-Akhbar

Document Type : Original Article

Author

. Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

10.22034/chs.2026.565727.1147
Abstract
Abu Saeed Abdul Hai Gardizi, a historian of the fifth century AH, is one of the Iranian historians who, by writing the book Zain al-Akhbar, entered the realm of identity based on Iranian-Islamic identity. He made an important contribution to strengthening Iranian historiography in Persian and was trying to revive some of the components of Iranian identity and link it with Islamic identity, thereby advancing the two in parallel. Considering this issue, this research attempts to examine and analyze, using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on library resources, the role of Gardizi in the revival and recovery of the components of Iranian identity and its assimilation with Islamic identity in the historiography of Zain al-Akhbar. Gardizi was among the thinkers who, in addition to his attachment to Islamic teachings, was also interested in the culture and identity of pre-Islamic Iran and made a serious effort to harmonize some of the identity components such as: geography and specific territory, Persian language, past and common history, monotheistic beliefs, and the idea of Iranshahri, which emphasized wisdom and reason, justice and fairness of rulers and government officials, in the Islamic era. In addition to consolidating and perpetuating this identity, he tried to encourage the rulers of the Ghaznavid Turkic race to preserve and protect the Iranian-Islamic identity, so that in addition to gaining legitimacy and acceptance among the Iranians, they could reduce their oppression and tyranny towards the people and act based on the principles of justice and fairness in the Iranian city-state thought that did not conflict with Islamic culture.

Keywords



Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 23 July 2026

  • Receive Date 12 December 2025
  • Revise Date 19 July 2026
  • Accept Date 23 July 2026
  • Publish Date 23 July 2026