DIVAN OF NIYAZI A Perfect Master Sufi Poet of Turkey.

DIVAN OF NIYAZI A Perfect Master Sufi Poet of Turkey. Selected Poems. Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Niyazi Misri (d. 1694) was a poet of considerable talent and stands a long way ahead of the throng of Mevlevi and Khalveti sheykhs who had recently been the interpreters of mystic philosophy in Turkish verse. Sufism is the key-note of this poet's work; whatever else is to be found in his Divan is of secondary importance. He was born at the little town of Aspuzi, near Malati. After receiving his first lessons in mystic lore from his father who was a Naqshbendi dervish, he studied in Mardin and Cairo and at the village of Elmali in Anatolia. It is obvious from many of his poems that at some time in his life he became a Perfect Master (Qutub) a God-realized soul. Although Niyazi wrote a good deal of prose his poetical work is confined to his Divan, which is restricted to ghazals and qasidas... some of which are in Arabic while in others the lines are alternately in Arabic and Turkish. Introduction on his Life, Poetry & Times, Turkish Language & Poetry, Form of the Ghazal, God-Realization & The Perfect Masters, Sufism in Poetry, Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and the meaning of these beautiful, powerful, spiritual poems. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8" x 10") Edition. Pages 189. 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 works 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 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 Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Jigar, Mu'in and many others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa