Another Five Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Another Five Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-03

Total Pages: 652

ISBN-13: 9781492904038

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ANOTHER FIVE GREAT CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Ibn al-Farid, Ibn 'Arabi, Baba Farid, Baba Afzal, Rumi. SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Classic Age (12th-13th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and the masnavi in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Ibn al-Farid (1181-1235). His poetry is imbibed with Sufism and he is one of the greatest mystic poet of the Arabs. His The Mystic's Progress... a profound exploration of spiritual experience along the Sufi Path is here completely translated. Ibn 'Arabi (1165-1240) A prolific writer, Ibn 'Arabi is generally known as the prime exponent of the idea later known as the 'Unity of Being'. Baba Farid (1173-1266) the Sufi Master from Punjab is famous for his wise, spiritual couplets (slokas). Baba Afzal (1186-1256) was a Sufi Master, author of 500 mystical and at times controversial ruba'is. He is one of the greatest poets among the philosophers of Islam. Rumi (1207-1273), the great Master is today the most popular poet in the world. His poems are powerful, down-to-earth, full bliss and understanding. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & various poetic forms they used. Pages 626. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 130 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Five Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Five Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-02

Total Pages: 568

ISBN-13: 9781492867692

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FIVE GREAT CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Khaqani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, 'Attar & Auhad ud-din Kermani SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Early Classic Age (12th-13th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and the masnavi in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Khaqani (1122-1199 was a great poet and a master of the qasida and one of the first of the ghazal. He lost his father and was brought up by an uncle at court of the Shirwanshah. He embraced Sufism and fled to Iraq inspiring his masnavi 'A Gift from the Two Iraqs'. Mu'in ud-din Chishti (1141-1230) is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of India. His poems are a storehouse of transcendental thoughts beautifully ordered and forcefully expressed. His poems are teeming with Divine Love. 'Attar is one of the most important Sufi Poet-Masters of the 13th century. He composed over forty books in masnavi form and powerful mystical poems in the ghazal and ruba'i form. Auhad ud-din Kermani (1164-1238) was influenced by 'Attar, Ibn 'Arabi and Suhrawadi and was a powerful speaker and Sufi Master. He used the ruba'i in his teaching. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry and on the various poetic forms. Pages 541. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Five Great Early Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Five Great Early Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-02

Total Pages: 644

ISBN-13: 9781492844419

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FIVE GREAT EARLY SUFI MASTER POETS Mansur Hallaj, Baba Tahir, Abu Sa'id, Ansari & Sana'i SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith The early Sufi Perfect Master Poets (859-1131) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qit'a, qasida and the masnavi in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. The famous & infamous Mansur Hallaj (859-922) tortured and executed for saying 'I am the Truth' and more in his God-realized poems; Baba Tahir, one of the most revered of the early Persian Sufi poets who composed only ruba'is; Abu Sa'id (967-1049) the famous Persian Sufi/Dervish Perfect Master (Qutub) and poet who contributed extensively to the evolution of Sufi tradition and poetry; Ansari (born 1005) a famous Persian Sufi ruba'i poet who lived in Herat (then Khorasan, now Afghanistan) and Hakim Sana'i (1050-1131) known for his classic mystical poem in masnavi (rhyming couplets) form: 'The Enclosed Garden of the Truth'. He is one of the finest poets in the Sufi (Islamic mysticism) tradition. Introduction on 'Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry' & 'The Main Forms in Sufi & Dervish Poetry'. Pages 617 COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Shah Latif, Bulleh Shah, Lalla Ded and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Four Great Later Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Four Great Later Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-02

Total Pages: 552

ISBN-13: 9781492939221

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FOUR GREAT LATER CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Shah Ni'mat'ullah, Jami, Dara Shikoh & Makhfi ***SELECTED POEMS*** Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Later Classic Age (15th-17th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and masnavi and other forms in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions and explaining the spiritual path. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Shah Ni'mat'ullah (1330-1431) was the founder of an order of Sufis. As well as a Sufi Master he was a great poet later in his life. He was influenced by Ibn 'Arabi and Hafiz. His Divan contains mostly ghazals and ruba'is. Jami (1414-1493), is mostly known for his masterpiece seven masnavi epics. He also composed ghazals, rubai's and other profound, mystical poems. Dara Shikoh (1615-1659) was the oldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan. He was a fine poet, having an influence of Sufism to which he was dedicated. Makhfi (1638-1702) was the beautiful, talented daughter of the strict Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. He imprisoned her for 20 years for her Sufi views. Her over 550 ghazals and ruba'is in Persian are deep, spiritual and at times truly heartbreaking. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & various poetic forms they used. Pages 526. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Lalla Ded, Iqbal and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and over a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Another Four Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Another Four Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-04

Total Pages: 662

ISBN-13: 9781492920021

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ANOTHER FOUR GREAT CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Amir Khusrau, Ibn Yamin, Hafiz & Nesimi SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Classic Age (13th-15th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and masnavi in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions and explaining the spiritual path. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Amir Khusrau (1253-1324), the 'Parrot of India' was a Master musician who invented the sitar. He became God-realized. He rebelled against narrow spirituality and helped redefine the Sufi way. He was a influence on Hafiz. Ibn Yamin (1286-1367). He was a master of the form of the qit'a and used it to express spiritual wisdom. Persia's greatest exponent of the ghazal Hafiz (1320-139o) became a Perfect Master (Qutub). His Divan shows he composed in nearly all forms. Nesimi (1369-1417) is one of the greatest mystical poets of the late 14th and early 15th centuries and one of the most prominent early masters in Turkish/Azerbaijani literary history. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & various poetic forms they used. Pages 636. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 130 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com

Four More Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Four More Great Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-03

Total Pages: 642

ISBN-13: 9781492910619

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FOUR MORE GREAT CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Sadi, 'Iraqi, Yunus Emre, Shabistari. SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Classic Age (12th-14th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and the masnavi in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions and explaining the spiritual path. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Sadi of Shiraz (1210-1291) is considered one of the greatest Sufi poets. The Rose Garden and The Bustan (Orchard) have been a major influence for 700 years. His Divan of ghazals and ruba'is is still much loved. 'Iraqi (1213-1289) was a Perfect Master and author of a Divan of spiritual ghazals and ruba'is and other poems. Yunus Emre (d. 1320) is one of the most important Turkish poets. His poems concern divine love as well as human love of the Divine as God and the Perfect Master. Shabistari (1250-1320). His influential masterpiece 1000 couplet masnavi Gulshan i-Raz 0r 'The Rose Garden of Mysteries' was composed in 1317 in answer to fifteen questions on the doctrines of the Sufis. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & the various poetic forms they used. Pages 562. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 130 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, screenplays.

Four More Great Later Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems
Four More Great Later Classic Sufi Master Poets: Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2013-10-09

Total Pages: 634

ISBN-13: 9781492949244

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FOUR MORE GREAT LATER CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETS Sarmad, Bedil, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah ***SELECTED POEMS*** Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Later Classic Age (17th - 18th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba'i, qasida and masnavi and other forms in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions and explaining the spiritual path. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Sarmad (d. 1659) was a famous and infamous Persian dervish poet. In India he wrote beautiful mystical poetry in the form of rubai's. He wandered the streets as a naked dervish and was beheaded by Emperor Aurangzeb. Bedil (1644-1721) was born and educated near Patna. His writings in Persian are extensive, being one of the creators of the 'Indian style'. Rahman Baba (1652 to 1711) is considered the greatest Sufi Pashtun poet to compose poems, mainly ghazals, and he was called 'The Nightingale of Peshawar'. Bulleh Shah (1680-1758) was a Sufi poet who composed in Punjabi. His Spiritual Master was Shah Inayat. The poetic form Bulleh Shah is called the Kafi, a style of Punjabi poetry. Included: Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & various poetic forms they used. Pages 526. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 130 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Lalla Ded, Iqbal and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and over a dozen screenplays.

MASNAVIS STORIES OF SUFI MASTER POETS Selected Poems
MASNAVIS STORIES OF SUFI MASTER POETS Selected Poems

Author: Paul Smith

Publisher:

Published: 2020-06-13

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13:

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MASNAVIS... STORIES OF SUFI MASTER POETS Selected Poems... Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The masnavi is the main form used in Persian and other poetry to write epic ballads or romances or Sufi stories and is essentially a Persian invention. Each couplet has a different rhyme with both lines rhyming. This is to allow the poet greater freedom to go into a longer description of the subject he has chosen to present. With the masnavis of the 'Enclosed Garden of the Truth' of Sana'i, the 'Five Treasures' of Nizami, the 'Conference of the Birds' and 'The Book of God' and many others by 'Attar, the 'Seven Thrones' of Jami and of course the great 'Masnavi' of Rumi... the form had become widely used in Sufism to tell stories. 'Arifi's 'Book of Ecstasy' masnavi is the last great Sufi masnavi poem before the last great Sufi poet of the Classical Period in Persian Poetry who mastered this form, Jami... also from Herat. The form & meaning has been kept in most translations of these beautiful, often witty, occasionally obscene, unpredictable, insightful, usually mystical poems. Introduction: The Masnavi in Sufi Story-Telling Poetry, Some of the Great Masnavi Poets of Persia before Sana'i. THE POETS (Story Tellers)... Sana'i, Nizami, 'Attar, Rumi, 'Iraqi, Sadi, Obeyd Zakani (Cat & Mouse), Kasim Anvar, 'Arifi, Shah Da'i, Jami, Parvin, Paul. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 378 pages. Comments on Paul Smith's Translation of Hafiz's 'Divan'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). 'Perfect Translation." Amir, Amazon.com Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Iqbal, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Ghalib, Jigar, Seemab and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and 12 screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

Mansur Al-Hallaj and Nesimi: Two Great Sufi-Martyr Poets
Mansur Al-Hallaj and Nesimi: Two Great Sufi-Martyr Poets

Author: Mansur al-Hallaj

Publisher:

Published: 2017-12-05

Total Pages: 554

ISBN-13: 9781976251139

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MANSUR AL-HALLAJ & NESIMITWO GREAT SUFI-MARTYR POETSSelected PoemsTranslation & Introduction Paul SmithThe Perfect Master, poet & martyr, MANSUR AL-HALLAJ (died 919), was born in Shiraz and tortured and executed in Baghdad for declaring: "I am the Truth (Anal Haq)." Much has been written about his famous (and in�famous) statement, but few of his powerful, often mysteries and always deeply conscious and spiritual poems in Arabic have been translated into English, and in the poetic form in which they were composed. Now here they are! Included is The Tawasin. 'Written in rhymed Arabic prose... it sets forth a doctrine of saintship-a doctrine founded on personal experience and clothed in the form of a subtle yet passionate dialectic.' This is a free-form poetic translation that captures the beauty and meaning and the mystery and the profundity of this controversial classic of Sufism. The Introduction contains : The Life, Times and Works of Mansur al-Hallaj, The Perfect Master (Qutub), 'Anal-Haq' or 'I am the Truth' of Mansur Hallaj, etc. There is a wide selection of his qit'as, ghazals, ruba'is, qasidas. NESIMI (1369-1417) is considered one of the greatest Sufi poets and one of the most prominent early masters in Turkish literary history. Very little is known for certain about his life, including his real name. It is also possible that he was descended from the Prophet Mohammed since he has sometimes been accorded the title of seyyid that is reserved for people claimed to be in Muhammad's line of descent. From his poetry, it's evident that Nesimi was greatly influenced by MANSUR AL-HALLAJ and as a direct result of his beliefs that were considered blasphemous by contemporary religious authorities he was seized and according to most accounts... skinned alive in Aleppo. A number of legends later grew up around his execution, such as the story that he mocked his executioners with improvised verse and, after the execution, draped his flayed skin around his shoulders and departed. His tomb in Aleppo remains an important place of pilgrimage to this day. His work consists of two collections of poems, one in Persian and the other, Turkish. The Turkish Divan consists of 250-300 gazels and about 150 roba'is. After his death his work continued to exercise a great influence on many Turkish language poets and authors. Introduction on his Life & Times & Poetry and the Forms he wrote in. The correct rhyme & meaning are both here in these beautiful, powerful, often controversial poems. Large Format 7" x 10" Pages 554.Paul Smith (b.1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Shah Latif, Bulleh Shah, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Iqbal, Makhfi, Ghalib, Zafar Abu Nuwas, Rabi'a, Aatish, Dadu, Rahim, Vrind, Huma, Rudaki and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybook.com

Three Great Sufi Poets of Andalusia
Three Great Sufi Poets of Andalusia

Author: Ibn 'Arabi

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2018-04-05

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 9781986955614

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THREE GREAT SUFI POETS OF ANDALUSIA Abu Madyan, Ibn 'Arabi & Al-Shushtari SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith ABU MADYAN (1126-1198) was a Sufi teacher, scholar and writer and poet. Some say he is the most important founder of Sufism in the Maghreb and Andalusia.. He received his religious education in Fez, where he underwent the influence of the teachings of Gilani, Abu Yaza, and al-Ghazali. After his pilgrimage to Mecca and studies in the Middle East, he returned to teach in Bougie, Algeria. Ibn 'Arabi called Abu Madyan 'the teacher of teachers'. IBN 'ARABI (1165-1240). In the West, he is also known as the Doctor Maximus and in the Islamic world as al-Shaykh al-Akbar (Great Master.) He was born in Murcia in Andalusia, At the age of thirty-five he left Spain intending to make the hajj to Mecca. He lived near Mecca for three years, where he began writing The Meccan Illuminations). In 1204 he left for Anatolia. He finished his influential and controversial book of poems The Interpreter of Ardent Desires in 1215. In 1223 he settled in Damascus where he lived the last seventeen years of his life. A prolific writer, Ibn 'Arabi is generally known as the prime exponent of the idea later known as the 'Unity of Being'. AL-SHUSHTARI (1212-1269) was a Sufi poet who was born in Guadix, northwest of Granada, Spain. As a young man he travelled to Tunisia, Algeria, Damascus and several times made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He finally settled in Egypt. He became a devotee of the Sufi Master Ibn Sab'in. Al-Shushtari composed two treatises on Sufism. Often when walking or riding the poet would sing his poems and play an instrument as he did so. He was influenced by Ibn 'Arabi. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept in all these beautiful, powerful poems. Introduction on the Life & Times & Poetry of the poets and Sufi Poetry and Forms. Large Format Paperback. Pages 187 COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Iqbal, Ghalib, Seemab, Jigar, Abu Nuwas, Ibn al-Farid, Ibn al-'Arabi, Abu Nuwas and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com