THE QASIDA IN SUFI POETRY An Anthology Translations, Introduction by Paul Smith The qasida is a form of praise poetry from pre-Islamic Arabia. It was later inherited by the Persians, the Turks, the Afghans and Urdu Poets where it was developed immensely by Sufi, court and tribal poets. The qasida resembles a ghazal in many ways except that it is longer. Included with each poet is a brief biography plus a list of further reading. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning. Introduction: The Qasida: The Beginnings in Arabia, The Persian Qasida, Qasida in Turkey, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art and Use of Poetry. THE POETS: Ka'b, Rudaki, Dhu'l-Nun, Kisa'i, Al-Mutanabbi, Farrukhi, Minuchirhri, Ibn Sina, Nasir-i-Khusraw, Al-Ghazali, Asadi, Sana'i, Gilani, Anvari, Falaki, Khaqani, Abu Madyan, Suhrawardi, Zahir, Nizami, Ibn al-Farid, Ibn 'Arabi, Rumi, Hamgar, Al-Busiri, 'Iraqi, Humam, Amir Khusrau, Auhadi, Obeyd Zakani, Hafiz, Haydar, Azad, Shah Shuja, Shah Ni'tmu'llah, Necati, 'Aishah al-Ba'uniyah, Fuzuli, Baqi, Mirza, Nef'i, Khushal, Rahman Baba, Zauq, Ghalib, Iqbal, Ahmed Shawqi, Parvin, Paul. Pages 351. $22.00 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." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith 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, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Mu'in, Mansur Hallaj, Mahsati and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. wwwnewhumanitybooks.com