fruits). It is also common to put a book of wis-
dom on the haft-sin table. It might be the Quran,
the Bible, the Zoroastrian Avesta, the Persian epic
poem Shahnama, or a collection of poetry by
Hafiz (d. ca. 1380). Fortunes are often divined at
this time by reading randomly selected passages
from one of these books. Other auspicious objects
placed on the table may include flowers, coins,
nuts and sweets, a basket of painted eggs, and a
goldfish in a bowl. In Afghanistan a dish consist-
ing of seven kinds of fruits and nuts is prepared
instead of the haft-sin.
Navruz is also an occasion for public cel-
ebrations. On the last Wednesday of the old year
people set bonfires in the streets or parks and
take turns jumping over them, celebrating the
increased spring daylight and the good things
connected with it. Like Halloween in America,
children wearing shrouds representing the spirits
of the dead go door to door, banging on pots and
pans and collecting treats. This is related to a
tradition of driving away the forces responsible
for causing bad luck. A clown named Hajji Firuz
sings and dances in the streets announcing the
arrival of the New Year. People customarily wear
new clothes for this popular holiday. The end
of the holiday period is marked by a picnic and
disposal of green sprouts that were grown for this
occasion.
Even though Navruz is not an Islamic holiday,
it nonetheless has taken on Islamic associations in
the past, especially among the Shia. According toNavruz haft-sin display in a Persian home (Venus Nasri)
Navruz 525 J