Obeyd Zakani

DIVAN OF OBEYD ZAKANI Translation and Introduction Paul Smith Obeyd Zakani (b. 1300) is an important a figure in Persian and Sufi literature and poetry. His satire, humorous stories, ribald and obscene poems, social commentary, mystical ghazals, prose, ruba'is, qit'as and his famous epic qasida 'Cat & Mouse' are popular today and are more relevant than ever. He is considered to be one of the world's greatest satirist and social-commentator whose life and mystical poems had a great influence on his student and friend Hafiz and many others. This is the largest selection of his works available in English. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these sometimes rude, funny and mystical poems and prose. There is a long Introduction on his Life, Times & Works. Selected Bibliography Illustrated. 7" x 10" Large Paperback Edition 357 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." 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. "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 (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, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Ghalib, Rahman Baba, Makhfi, Amir Khusrau, 'Iraqi, Iqbal, Seemab, Jigar, Ibn 'Arabi, Ibn al-Farid, Abu Nuwas, Dara Shikoh and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays.

FOUR WONDERFUL SUFI ALLEGORIES IN POETRY & PROSE Azz-eddin al-Muqaddasi, Obeyd Zakani, Shah Da'i & Parvin Etesami Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Azz-eddin al-Muqaddasi (d.1280) is famous for one book, his 'Secret of Birds, Flowers' etc. in prose and poetry. The allegories are easy, yet deep and elegant, with no lack of real Sufi knowledge and experience of the Path through various seekers: the expressions are poetic and pleasant. "It has been said, perhaps with truth, that there is no document of such age to touch this one for a combination of mystical insight and understanding of human psychology." K. Winstone-Hamilton. Mouse & Cat by Obeyd Zakani is a satirical, epic allegory that was influential at the time it was composed (14th c.) and has remained so for the past 600 years. It is more than just a story for children (that some say brought about the cartoon of Tom & Jerry)... it is a story of the stupidity of the false power of those in power and a warning to all that such blind ambition always leads to destruction at the hands of one even more powerful. Sufi poet Shah Da'i (1406-1464) takes his clue from 'Attar and tells the marvellous allegory of the fish who go in search of an answer to their problem from the Ancient Wise Fish. Iran's recent great female poet Parvin Etesami (1907-1941) tells the simple but deep allegory of the lazy man and the hard-working spider in such a clever and engrossing way that her reason for telling it is subtle but truly enlightening. The correct rhymes and meaning are achieved. Illustrated. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 380 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." 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. Paul Smith (b.1945) is an Australian 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, Seemab and others and his poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

ABU NUWAS & OBEYD ZAKANI 'CONTROVERSIAL' DERVISH/SUFI POETS Selected Poems & Prose Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Abu Nuwas (757-814) was the most famous and infamous poet who composed in Arabic of the Abbasid era. His style was extravagant and his compositions reflected the licentious manners of the upper classes of his day. As a youth he was sold into slavery; a wealthy benefactor later set him free. As a man he finally settled in Baghdad and was composing poetry. Because of his long hair, he acquired the name Abu Nuwas (Father of Ringlets). Gradually he attracted the attention of Harun al-Rashid and was given quarters at court. His ability as a poet no doubt was one reason for Abu Nuwas' success with the caliph, but after a while he became known as a reprobate and participated in less reputable pastimes with the ruler. He spent time in Egypt but soon returned to Baghdad to live out his remaining years. He is popular today, perhaps more so than he ever was, as a kind of comic anti-hero. His poems consist of qit'as (of which he was the first master) ghazals and qasidas. His poems could be classified into: praises, mockeries, jokes, complaints, love of men and women, wine, hunting, laments, asceticism. All forms are here in the true meaning & rhyme structure. Introduction: Life, Times & Poetry and forms both composed in and two appendixes of some stories about him in the Arabian Nights and elsewhere. Obeyd Zakani (1300-1371) is an important a figure in Persian and Sufi literature and poetry. His satire, humorous stories, ribald and obscene poems, social commentary, mystical ghazals, prose, ruba'is, qit'as and his famous epic qasida 'Cat & Mouse' are popular today and are more relevant than ever. He is considered to be one of the world's greatest satirist and social-commentator whose life and mystical poems had a great influence on his student and friend Hafiz and many others and he (like his predecessor Abu Nuwas is as controversial today as they ever were. This is the largest selection of his works available in English. The rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these sometimes rude, funny and mystical poems and prose. Introduction on his Life & Times & Writing. Appendix, Selected Bibliography, Many illustrations. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 571 pages. 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, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Makhfi, Iqbal, Dara Shikoh, Ghalib and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. Published by New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa

THE PERSIAN & TURKISH JOKERS OBEYD ZAKANI & MULLA NASR UD-DIN Selected Jokes & Rude & Hilarious Stories Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Obeyd Zakani (1300-1371) is an important a figure in Persian and Sufi literature and poetry. His satire, humorous stories, ribald and obscene poems, social commentary, mystical ghazals, prose, ruba'is, qit'as and his famous epic qasida 'Cat & Mouse' are popular today and are more relevant than ever. He is considered to be one of the world's greatest satirist and social-commentator whose life and mystical poems had a great influence on his student and friend Hafiz and many others. Mullah Nasr ud-din is a wise man famous throughout the Muslim and some parts of the non-Muslim world since the 16th century. Historical documents show that he lived in the 13th century in Anatolia (today Turkey). He was a scholar or at least an educated man. His jokes were narrated for centuries between people for different purposes, some for humour and some to tell as stories full of meaning and wisdom. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 269 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. Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many works into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. 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, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah, Ghalib, Iqbal, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Dara Shikoh and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books & a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com

THE BOOK OF OBEYD ZAKANI Poetry, Prose, Satire, Jokes and Ribaldry. Translation and Introduction by Paul Smith Obeyd Zakani is an important a figure in Persian and Sufi literature and poetry. His satire, humorous stories, ribald and obscene poems, social commentary, mystical ghazals, prose, ruba'is, qit'as and his famous epic qasida 'Cat & Mouse' are popular today and are more relevant than ever. He is considered to be one of the world's greatest satirist and social-commentator whose life and mystical poems had a great influence on his student and friend Hafiz and many others. This is the largest selection of his works available in English. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these sometimes rude, funny and mystical poems and prose. Illustrated. 7" x 10" large edition 357 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." 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." 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 150 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, Lalla Ded, Ghalib, Rahman Baba, Makhfi, Amir Khusrau, 'Iraqi, Iqbal, Ibn Farid, Abu Nuwas, Dara Shikoh and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa