Life, Times & Poetry of Nizami Paul Smith Nizami (d. 1208) is a true Sufi Master Poet who is most famous for his six books in masnavi form: The Treasury of the Mysteries, Layla and Majnun, Khrosrau and Shirin, The Seven Portraits and his two books on Alexander. He also composed a Divan of approximately 20, ooo couplets mostly in ghazals and ruba'is... tragically only 200 couplets survive. His influence on Attar, Rumi, Sadi, Hafiz and Jami and all others that followed was profound. Here a number of his ghazals and ruba'is and a qasida translated into English and a good selection from his masnavis. This book is on The Life and Times and Poetry of Nizami and on the various forms of poetry he used and the reason why he composed his major works and their effect on the times and our time. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of the selected beautiful, mystical poems. 97 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. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all and I will lay down my head at his feet out of respect." 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. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University.