Representation of Generosity in the Futuwwa Tradition (Case Study: The Miniature Painting «The Arab in the Transaction of Kindness and Generosity»)

Introduction: In the current era, when ethical crises have disrupted the structure of human relationships, revisiting the texts of Futuwwa-namas as a strategy for reconstructing society’s moral capital warrants attention. These texts, in addition to teaching professional skills, elucidate human values as the foundation of professional ethics. The following article, with the aim of promoting noble generosity, examines a painting titled «The Arab in the Transaction of Benevolence and Generosity» and seeks to answer the fundamental question: «Through which visual mechanisms does this painting depict the central tenets of chivalry, particularly the principle of generosity?»Research Method: A qualitative study was conducted by gathering the foundations and principles of the Futuwwa through library research and primary sources, including Futuwwa-namas. Then, a miniature painting illustrating the principle of generosity, one of the core components of Futuwwa, was selected. In the following, the visual symbols present in it, in line with the theme of the tale, were identified using a descriptive-analytical method and with a «textual reading» approach.Findings: This research shows that futuwwa is based on two fundamental principles: «generosity» and «bravery», and hospitality, as a prominent symbol of generosity, has specific etiquette, the most important of which is the absence of any expectation of material reward. This miniature painting, derived from a tale by Abdul Rahman Jami, seems to depict this concept, where an Arab nomad, despite his poverty, hosts guests by sacrificing his camels and refrains from accepting any material reward.Conclusion: The analysis of the visual symbols in this painting, in line with the principles of Futuwwa, concluded that the green color in the host’s outer garment corresponds to spiritual growth and flourishing, the orange color in his inner garment symbolizes movement and dynamism, the yellow pants indicate vitality, and the style of his headwear aligns with his honesty and righteousness.

کلیدواژه ها:

Futuwwa ، Generosity ، the Miniature Painting of the Arab’s Benevolence ، Hospitality