Salik

Salik Qazwini, Muhammad Ibrahim (1786-1866/1873), a poet with nom de plume Salik, well-known as Shah Salik. He was born in Qazwin and traveled in his youth, but he returned to his hometown. Then, he went to Isfahan and resided there a while, associating with Mirza Jalal Asir, the Safavid Shah ‘Abbas’ son-in-law. He departed for India and became a companion of Kalim Kashani and Haji Muhammad Khan Qudsi. He returned to his hometown after a while and died there. According to Waliquli Beyg Shamlu, his poetry ran to 20,000 couplets at the age of 56, though the number is estimated at 30,000 couplets by Khushgu in his Safina. The number of the couplets in a manuscript copy of his divan, including his qasidas, ghazals, saqinamas, and quatrains runs to 10,800 and the couplets of his mathnawi, Muhit-i Kawnayn, exceed 3,000 in number. As clearly mentioned by the copyist of a manuscript of his divan, the work was copied in 1673 and was examined by the poet to which he added some qasidas in his own hand, made some corrections, and added some couplets to his ghazals. Thus, the poet was still alive in that year. His poetry is mainly marked by his fluency and simplicity of diction, such that his mathnawi, Muhit-i Kawnayn, approaches a colloquial diction, though it is imbued with exquisitely fashioned depictions and elegant couplets. In composing this mathnawi, he followed the model of Khaqani’s Tuhfat al-‘Iraqayn in terms of style and meter. Salik’s mathnawi includes the accounts of his travels from Qazwin to Tabriz, from thence to Baghdad and the holy cities in the Arab ‘Iraq, his return to Qazwin via Hamadan, his departure from his hometown to India through Isfahan and Shiraz, depictions of his observations, and accounts of his meetings with prominent scholars, belletrists, mystics, poets, and notables of different regions. Thus, the work is also of interest to scholars from other angles. Similar to his contemporaries, his qasidas were mediocre, but his poetical vigor is reflected in his mathnawis. Following the models of the poets flourishing in the 10^th century, his ghazals are simple in diction, though they are imbued with mystical, moral, and allegorical themes. 557 couplets from 1,200 couplets of his Saqinama, comprising different sections, have been incorporated in the Tazkirih-yi Piymanih.  

Atashkada-yi Azar (3/ 1169-1171); Tarikh-i Adabiyyat dar Iran (5/ 1293-1301).

Salik Kabuli, Mirza Mahmud (fl. 19^th century), an Afghan poet hailing from Balahisar, Kabul, hence his appellation Balahisari. He lived under Amir Dust Muhammad Khan (1818-1863). He composed many a qasida eulogizing the Durrani Shah Shuja’ (1803-1809 and 1839-1842), Dust Muhammad Khan, Sardar Muhammad ‘Azim Khan, and Akbar Khan, the vizier. His extant divan includes poetical compositions in the forms of qasida, ghazal, mukhamas, musaddas, tarji’band, tarkib-band, mathnawi, quatrain, and munazara (poetical debates). The date of his death is reported as 1803, though it is not accurately known. Some couplets of his qasida devoted to the eulogy of Kabul are incorporated in the biographical work (Tazkirih) titled Par-i Tawus.

Danishnama-yi Adab-i Farsi, Adab-i Farsi dar Afghanistan (3/ 498).

Salik, Mirza Muhammad Sadiq, son of Aqa Muhammad Husayn Kaziruni. A poet well-known as Murshid (‘spiritual guide’) and famous for his piety and purity of heart. In the accounts of his travel to Kazirun included in his Athar-i ‘Ajam, Fursat Shirzi thus makes mention of Salik: ‘His excellency, Mirza Muhammad Sadiq is another spiritual guide, unrivalled in his piety and proverbial for his pure heart. Residing in Shiraz, he spends his time in his devotions.’

Asar-afarinan (3/ 194).