Kalīlah wa Dimnah

Author: Bidpai, translated by Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ

It is a gem of world heritage and one of the best works of literature that transcended boundaries of place and time to live among us until today. It is a book that children enjoy for its stories, and adults extract numerous and profound meanings from it. The book has been colored by the richest Eastern civilizations; it is the result of the convergence of three civilizations: Indian, Persian, and Arabic. It is widely believed that its author is the Indian sage "Bidpai," who wrote it to advise King "Dabshalim." The book then moved into Persian literature when "Borzūya" translated it into "Pahlavi" and added to it. Finally, it reached Arabic literature when "Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffaʿ" translated it, adding to it in turn. There is no doubt that the book carries political and social dimensions, which have made it a subject of research and inquiry to this day, and "Kalīlah wa Dimnah" will remain the preferred source of literary enjoyment for adults and children alike.