The 13th century Sufi poet Farid al-Din Attar is renowned as an author of short lyrics written in the Persian language. Dealing with themes of love, passion and mysticism, this book presents the English versions of Attar's poetry. It also offers an analysis of Attar's poetic language and thought.
Presents the lives and sayings of some of the most renowned figures in the Islamic Sufi tradition, translated into a contemporary American English from the Persian of the poet Farid al-Din 'Att'r.
First written in the 12th century, Conference of the Birds is an allegory of extreme measures for extreme times -- the story of birds seeking a king is the story of all of us seeking God. Like the birds, we may be excited for the journey, until we realize that we must give up our fears and hollow desires, that our journey will be long and hard. Like the duck, we may not wish to leave the water. Like the nightingale, we may want to stay close to our roses. Direct and to the point, Masani's translation, made in the early part of the 19th century, is particularly apropos for our early 21st century times -- both are periods of intense spiritual seeking.
DIVAN OF FARID AL-DIN 'ATTAR Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Farid al-din 'Attar is seen with Sana'i and Rumi (who he met and influenced) as one of the three most important Sufi Poet-Masters of the 13th century. He composed over forty books mainly in the epic masnavi form of rhyming couplets, his most famous being The Book of God and The Conference of the Birds. He also composed many powerful mystical poems in the ghazal form that influenced Sadi and Hafiz and all who came later and he was a master in the ruba'i form and couplets in his Pand-Nama or 'Book of Wisdom'. Here for the first time is a fine selection of his poems in the correct-rhyme structure with the beauty and meaning of many of his immortal poems. Introduction: Life & Times of 'Attar and his Poetry and an essay on Sufi & Dervish Poetry. Selected Bibliography, Glossary. 341 pages. Large Format 7" x 10" paperback. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION 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 of 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). "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. 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, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Makhfi, Ghalib, Iqbal, Rahman Baba, Bedil, Baba Farid, 'Iraqi, Ibn al-Farid, Nesimi, Iqbal, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and 12 screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa
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This is a major work of Islamic mysticism by the great thirteenth-century Persian poet, Farid al-Din Attar. Translated by A J Arberry, Attar's work and thought is set in perspective in a substantial introduction.
This is a major work of Islamic mysticism by the great thirteenth-century Persian poet, Farid al-Din Attar. Translated by A J Arberry, Attar’s work and thought is set in perspective in a substantial introduction.
IBN AL-FARID: WINE & THE MYSTIC'S PROGRESSTranslation, Introduction & Notes by Paul SmithUmar Ibn al-Farid, an Egyptian poet (1181-1235), is considered to be the undisputed master of Islamic mystical poetry into Arabic. He is considered not only to be a poet but a Perfect Master (Qutub) a God-realised soul… and it is his journey to unity with God that he reveals in probably the longest qasida (ode) in Arabic (761 couplets), his famous The Mystic's Progress. The other poem for which he is most known is his Wine Poem that is often seen as a prologue to the The Mystic's Progress. Although these long poems have been translated into English before this is the first time in the correct rhyme of the qasida and in clear, concise, modern English. Included in the Introduction are chapters on his Life & Work, The Qasida in Arabic, Previous Qasidas by Master Arab Poets that would have influenced him, The Perfect Master (Qutub), and the Wine Poem and The Mystic's Way. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and the beauty and meaning of these beautiful poems. 174 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. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all.” 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 over 80 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, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Mahsati and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.
The 13th century Sufi poet Farid al-Din Attar is renowned as an author of short lyrics written in the Persian language. Dealing with themes of love, passion and mysticism, this book presents the English versions of Attar's poetry. It also offers an analysis of Attar's poetic language and thought.
Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim (1142-1220), much better known by his pen-name Farid Ud-Din Attar, was a Persian and Muslim poet, Sufi, theoretician of mysticism, and hagiographer. He was a poet of the Seljuq period. It seems that he was not well known as a poet in his own lifetime, except at his home town, and his greatness as a mystic, a poet, and a master of narrative was not discovered until the 15th century. Receiving an excellent education in various fields, he practiced the profession of pharmacy. The people he helped in the pharmacy used to confide their troubles in Attar and this affected him deeply. Eventually, he abandoned his pharmacy store and travelled widely - to Kufa, Mecca, Damascus, Turkistan, and India, meeting with Sufi Shaykhs - and returned promoting Sufi ideas. His works reflect the whole evolution of the Sufi movement. They were the inspiration of Rumi and many other mystic poets. Amongst his most famous works are: Asrar Nameh (Book of Secrets), Elahi Nameh (Divine Book), Tadhkirat Al-Auliya (The Memorial of the Saints) and Manteq al-Tayr (Bird Parliament).
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