The Hair on My Head Is Shining: Qur'anic Imagery of the Curl in Classical Azeri-Turkish Ṣūfī Poetry

Two main tendencies can be observed in the intertextual use of the Qur'anic text in the depiction of facial features in classical Azeri-Turkish Ṣūfī poetry: first, features of divine beauty are compared with the writing of the Qur'an, its suras and ayas, and second, these features are juxtaposed with images drawn from Qur'anic narratives such as the account of Moses' encounter with the sorcerers or the story of Joseph. Research on the impact of the Qur'an on Azeri-Turkish Ṣūfī poetry has until now mainly focused on the first tendency, particularly on revealing the secret meanings of symbols by using the numerical abjad system, whereas the second aspect – that of symbolic images derived from Qur'anic stories – remains relatively unexplored. With this in mind, this article will examine Qur'anic images utilised in the depiction of the face, specifically the influence of Qur'anic narratives upon the variations of Ṣūfī symbolism of the curl in medieval Turkish Ṣūfī poetry, with special reference to poetry in the Azeri vernacular. Although attention will be restricted mainly to Qur'anic stories, some consideration will also be given to pure Ḥurūfī trends.