Kabir

Angelus Silesius

Sadi

Amir Khusrau

'Attar

Tulsidas

Bulleh Shah

Saraha

Dadu

Rahim

Tahir Ghani

Vrind

Ramdas

Shah Latif

Bhima Bhoi

Nizam-ud-din

Baba Farid

THE DOHA Wise Rhyming Couplets from Sufi, Bhakti, Christian Mystic & other Poets AN ANTHOLOGY Translation & Introduction Paul Smith A doha is a poem in the form of one rhyming couplet of two lines. This might seem very simple and easy to understand, but they often have a truly deep meaning. Hindi and Urdu Bhakti poets and Persian Sufi poets and other eastern language and religious poets have been writing dohas for over fourteen centuries. Many poets have used dohas to write entire stories and epics. In Europe they were called alexandrines. Kabir managed to convey his philosophy of life, love, devotion and religion through his magical couplets. He wrote them in Hindi, using everyday examples so that they can be understood by the common man. INTRODUCTION: The Doha... its Poetic Form and History. THE POETS: Saraha, Nizami, Baba Farid, 'Attar, Sadi, Nizam ud-din, Amir Khusrau, Kabir, Tulsidas, Dadu, Rahim, Tahir Ghani, Vrind, Angelus Silesius, Ramdas, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Bhima Bhoi. Biographies & Selected Bibliographies with each poet. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept, often for the first time, and the beauty and meaning of these wise, powerful, mostly spiritual, beautiful, short poems. Large Format Edition, Paperback 7" x 10" Pages 552. 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 of many mystical works in English 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 Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mahasti, Iqbal, Ghalib, Rahman Baba, Ibn al-Farid, 'Iraqi, and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, children's books, biographies and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

An Anthology

The Doha - Wise Rhyming Couplets from Sufi, Bhakti, Christian Mystic and Other Poets

FIVE FAMOUS ALLEGORIES IN SUFI POETRY Conference of the Birds; Secrets of Birds, Flowers, Nature, Animals & Insects; Cat & Mouse; The Fish; The Spider. Translations & Introductions by Paul Smith Farid al-din 'Attar (d. 1221) was a grear Sufi poet who composed over 5o books. His most loved, apart from his ghazals is 'The Conference of the Birds' in masnavi (rhyming couplets) form (translated here by Edward FitzGerald) that would influence all the following poets in their writing of Sufi philosophy in the way of allegories, using Nature. Azz-eddin al-Muqaddasi (d. 1280) is famous for one book, his 'Secret of Birds, Flowers' etc. in prose and poetry. "It has been said, perhaps with truth, that there is no document of such age to touch this one for a combination of mystical insight and understanding of human psychology." K. Winstone-Hamilton. Mouse & Cat by Obeyd Zakani is a satirical, epic allegory that was influential at the time it was composed (14th c.) and has remained so for the past 600 years. It is more than just a story for children (that some say brought about the cartoon of Tom & Jerry)... it is a story of the stupidity of the false power of those in power and a warning to all that such blind ambition always leads to destruction at the hands of one even more powerful. Sufi poet Shah Da'i (1406-1464) takes his clue from 'Attar and tells the marvellous allegory of the fish who go in search of an answer to their problem from the Ancient Wise Fish. Iran's recent great female poet Parvin Etesami (1907-1941) tells the simple but deep allegory of the lazy man and the hard-working spider in such a clever and engrossing way that her reason for telling it is subtle but truly enlightening. The correct rhymes and hpefully, the meanings are achieved. ILLUSTRATED. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 460 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." 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. Paul Smith (b.1945) is an Australian 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, Omar, Seemab and others and his poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.

Conference of the Birds; Secrets of Birds, Flowers, Nature, Animals and Insects; Cat and Mouse; the Fish; the Spider

Five Famous Allegories in Sufi Poetry

'Attar

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