Publisher's Synopsis
HAZRAT 'ALI & IMAM HUSAYN Shi'a & Sufi Masters & Martyrs: Selected Poems, Sayings & a Prayer. Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Hazrat 'Ali (598-661) was Prophet Mohammed's nephew, son-in-law and 'right hand' and was the first Imam of the Shi'as and the fourth of the true caliphs of the Sunnis. Sufi Masters believe in 'Ali as one of the 'Seven Great Ones' in the first generation of teachers and many in orders of Dervishes trace their spiritual ancestry back to him. Hazrat 'Ali's sayings are published as Nahj al-Balagh or 'The Peak of Experience'... a treasury of wisdom and divine grace. It is said that he wrote the original Koran in his own blood as Prophet Mohammed gave it. He also composed a Diwan of enlightened poetry and most are translated in the correct forms here for the first time. Imam Husayn (626 - 680) was the brother of the great martyr Hasan, son of Hazrat 'Ali and grandson of the Prophet who said of him 'Husayn is of me, and I am of Husayn' and the third Imam who was famously martyred at Kerbala. He was praised for his knowledge of the Koran, most of his poems, sayings and a prayer that is still said are here translated and are well-loved by many great Sufi Poets as is he. Introductions on both Lives Times & Works, Words in Praise of Hazrat 'Ali by Prophet Mohammed. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8" x 10"). Pages 650. 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 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). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi, 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, Lalla Ded, Baba Farid, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Makhfi, Mu'in. Majnun, Mansur Hallaj, Abu Sa'id, Sarmad and others, and his own poetry, fiction, children's books, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa
