TEHRAN – Iranian troupe Qasedak is in the Tunisian city of Carthage to perform a play on the Persian story of Sheikh Sanan at the Carthage Theater Days.

Ali-Akbar Khodashenas is the director of the play “Sanan”, which he has written himself based on a story from Persian mystic and poet Attar Neyshaburi’s masterpiece “The Conference of the Birds”.

A cast composed of Shararhe Rokham, Amir-Ehsan Amirpur, Elaheh Pajuhi, Soheila Qoebani and Reza Enayati has made numerous rehearsals to perform the play at the Tunisian festival, which is currently underway and will run until December 12.

The original story from “The Conference of the Birds” is about a celebrated sheikh named Sanan, who went from Mecca to Greece and fell in love with a Christian maiden. 

At her suggestion, he converted to Christianity. When his disciples heard about this, they came to Greece and prayed to God that Sheikh Sanan would return to the right path. 

Due to the disciples’ prayers, he revived his Muslim faith and returned to his home in the Hijaz. Then, repenting of her deed, the Christian maiden followed him and converted to Islam. 

Sheikh Sanan sensed that she had true faith in Islam and turned back to seek her with his disciples. When she saw Sheikh Sanan, she fainted and this made him cry. Later, when the Christian maiden recovered consciousness, she begged his pardon and died.

Photo: A poster for the Iranian play “Sanan”.

MMS/YAW