Ehmede Khani’s hymn to forgiveness : salvation of satan in the Kurdish classical poem "Mem and Zin"

The idea of this article is to consider Ehmede Khani’s concept of forgiveness as elaborated in Mem and Zin (1694). According to Paul Ricoeur, forgiveness concerns an enigma which can never be fully explained, however, the reflection on it is needed especially when any possible reconciliation is concerned. Ricoeur stresses that it is an enigma of fault “which is held to paralyze the power to act of the capable being”, and, on the other hand – “the enigma of the possible lifting of this incapacity, designed by the term forgiveness”. According to Ricoeur, forgiveness is evoked by “a voice from above” which originates in the Abrahamic religious heritage. It is rooted in the idea of unconditional love which is able to forgive even unforgivable. The aim of this paper is to present Ehmede Khani’s Mem and Zin as a part of the abovementioned Abrahamic heritage. In this article I will show that Khani’s idea was to elaborate on God’s limitless love and mercy that was able to forgive even unforgivable. That is why he wanted Satan, personified as Bekir in the poem, to receive forgiveness from God thanks to Zin’s intercession.