RUBA'IYAT OF 'IRAQI Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith 'Iraqi (1213-1289) was the author of a Divan of spiritual ghazals and ruba'is and the famous work in prose and poetry... Lama'at, 'Divine Flashes'... a classic of Sufi Mysticism. He was born in Hamadan in western Persia and as a child learnt the Koran by heart. He travelled from Persia to India with dervishes where he stayed for 25 years. It is said that on his travels he met Rumi. His grave is in Damascus beside that of another great Perfect Master and poet Ibn al-'Arabi. When seeing these graves a pilgrim stated, "That ('Iraqi) is the Persian Gulf and this (Ibn al- 'Arabi) is the Arabian Sea." The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, mystical poems. 138 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. "I have never seen such a good translation and I would like to write a book in Farsi and introduce his Introduction to Iranians." B. Khorramshai, Academy of Philosophy, Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "I was very impressed with the beauty of these books." Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. "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 is a poet, author and translator of over 80 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 and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.