Publisher's Synopsis
MANSUR HALLAJ Selected Poems of the Sufi Martyr Translation & Introduction Paul Smith The Perfect Master, poet & martyr, Mansur Hallaj (died 919), was born near Shiraz and tortured and executed in Baghdad for declaring: "I am the Truth (Anal Haq)." Much has been written about his famous (and infamous) statement, but few of his powerful, often mysteries and always deeply conscious and spiritual poems in Arabic have been translated before from his Divan into English, and in the poetic form in which they were composed. Now here they all are! Included is The Tawasin. 'Written in rhymed Arabic prose... it sets forth a doctrine of saint-ship-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 Hallaj, The Perfect Master (Qutub), 'Anal-Haq' or 'I am the Truth' of Mansur Hallaj, Four Master Poets of Baghdad who influenced Hallaj, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry. There is a wide selection of his qit'as, ghazals, ruba'is, qasidas in the correct form for the first time... the largest translation into English. A Selection of Poetry from the Persian, Turkish & Pashtu poetry about or influenced by him. Large Print 14pt & Large Format Paperback... 7" x 10". Pages 406. 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 from English into Persian, 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 of poems inspired by Hafiz). 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, Ghalib, Makhfi, Ibn Farid, Abu Nuwas and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa NEW HUMANITY BOOKS
