Fiction and Interdisciplinary Studies

Ambiguity and equivocation are among evident features and perhaps the most noticeable rhetorical figures employed in Hafiz’s poetry. When this rhetorical and aesthetic technique is mingled with 'cleverness’ understanding the intention of Hafiz becomes problematic and even sometimes hard-to-grasp. One of these clever ambiguities noticed in his poems is ambiguity in the word “Hafiz". This paper has discussed the final lines of his Ghazals in which the word “Hafiz” has been mentioned. Accordingly, the paper argues that if we regard “Hafiz” in its Persian equivalent as a memorizer of the holy Quran, we might be closer to the poet’s intention. The main reasons to prove this issue are the ‘alterations’ noticed in some of Hafiz’s lines. In other words, some scribes of his Divan have alternatively used some related words such as "Zahid" (pious), "Vaez" (preacher), "Hafiz" (memorizer), and at times, based on the atmosphere of the Ghazal, they have suggested terms like Memorizer of the Quran or Hadith for the word “Hafiz”. Therefore, to the list of hateful characters in Hafiz’s Divan, such as pious, preacher, Sheikh, Faqih, Malik-al-Hajj, Mufti, Judge, and Sufi, ‘Hafiz’ must be added as well.