About the Book
THE SUFI QASIDA: An Anthology Translations, Introduction by Paul Smith The qasida is a form of praise poetry from pre-Islamic Arabia. It was later inherited by the Persians, the Turks, the Afghans and Urdu Poets where it was developed immensely by Sufi, court and tribal poets. The qasida resembles a ghazal in many ways except that it is longer. Included with each poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful poems. Introduction: The Qasida: The Beginnings in Arabia... The Persian Qasida... Qasida in Turkey, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art and Use of Poetry. THE POETS (In Order of Appearance) Ka'b 39, Rudaki 46, Dhu'l-Nun 51, Kisa'i 58, Al-Mutanabbi 60, Farrukhi 121, Minuchirhri 69, Unsuri 133, Ibn Sina 72, Nasir-i-Khusraw 75, Al-Ghazali 70, Asadi 82, Sana'i 88, Gilani 93, Anvari 97, Falaki 111, Khaqani 15, Abu Madyan 119, Suhrawardi 125, Zahir 130, Nizami 135, Ibn al-Farid 140, Ibn 'Arabi 156, Rumi 161, Hamgar 274, Al-Busiri 167, 'Iraqi 189, Humam 192, Amir Khusrau 195, Auhadi 202, Obeyd Zakani 205, Hafiz 209, Haydar 219, Azad 230, Shah Shuja 292, Shah Ni'tmu'llah 233, Necati 238, 'Aishah al-Ba'uniyah 245, Fuzuli 267, Baqi 271, Mirza 277, Nef'i 285, Khushal 289, Rahman Baba 296, Zauq 301, Ghalib 306, Iqbal 312, Ahmed Shawqi 318, Parvin 337, Paul 344. Pages 351. 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 into Persian 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 of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages, including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mu'in, Mansur Hallaj, Mahsati and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa
