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FOUR GREAT LATER CLASSIC SUFI MASTER POETSShah Ni’mat’ullah, Jami, Dara Shikoh & MakhfiSELECTED POEMSTranslation & Introduction Paul SmithThe great Sufi Perfect Master Poets of the Later Classic Age (15th-17th century) were straightforward and inspiring in the poetic forms of the ghazal, ruba’i, qasida and masnavi and other forms in expressing their love for the Divine Beloved and their contempt for this world and its illusions and explaining the spiritual path. Here are hundreds of beautiful poems by them in the correct form and meaning and biographies about them. Shah Ni’mat’ullah (1330-1431) was the founder of an order of Sufis. As well as a Sufi Master he was a great poet later in his life. He was influenced by Ibn ‘Arabi and Hafiz. His Divan contains mostly ghazals and ruba’is. Jami (1414-1493), is mostly known for his masterpiece seven masnavi epics. He also composed ghazals, rubai’s and other profound, mystical poems. Dara Shikoh (1615-1659) was the oldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan. He was a fine poet, having an influence of Sufism to which he was dedicated. Makhfi (1638-1702) was the beautiful, talented daughter of the strict Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. He imprisoned her for 20 years for her Sufi views. Her over 550 ghazals and ruba’is in Persian are deep, spiritual and at times truly heartbreaking. Introduction: Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Use of Poetry & various poetic forms they used. Pages 526.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.“Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz.” Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 130 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, Lalla Ded, Iqbal and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books and over a dozen screenplays.