Popular Beliefs in Medicine and Healing in the Poetry of Azerbaijani-Style Poets

Abstract

Persian literature has always served as a mirror reflecting the knowledge, beliefs, and cultural traditions of the Iranian people, among which the reflection of popular beliefs in medicine and healing occupies a special place. The poets of the Azerbaijani style, living in an environment rich in social and cultural interactions and familiar with diverse fields of knowledge, have skillfully employed medical and healing concepts not only at a scientific level but also within the framework of popular beliefs. The purpose of this study is to examine the manifestations of these beliefs in the works of prominent Azerbaijani-style poets, demonstrating how diseases, medicines, healing methods, and medical superstitions have been employed in poetic imagery, the transmission of social meanings, and the expression of cultural layers. The research method is descriptive–analytical, based on the collection of data from the divans and masnavis of the mentioned poets and the content analysis of these texts. The findings indicate that Azerbaijani-style poets, by drawing upon medical knowledge and popular medical beliefs, have enriched various dimensions of their poetry in creative ways. They have transcended the literal meaning of physical illnesses, transforming them into metaphors for psychological and social suffering—for instance, expressions such as “the fever of desire,” “the dysentery of sin,” and “the madness of captivity” reveal the direct connection between physical afflictions and human crises. Furthermore, these poets have employed such concepts in the realms of praise and satire, expanding the semantic and expressive scope of their poetry through innovative imagery, such as turning a spear into a serpent that brings forth leprosy. On the other hand, their emphasis on the helplessness of human medicine in the face of divine destiny demonstrates that they regarded medicine not merely as a field of knowledge but as a means to express the human condition in relation to divine fate. Accordingly, a profound understanding of these poets’ works is possible only through familiarity with the medical–cultural context of their time.