TREASURY OF SECRETS (Makhzan al Asrar)

TREASURY OF SECRETS (Makhzan al Asrar) NIZAMI GANJAVI Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. One of the greatest Masterpieces of Sufi Poetry. Composed of twenty poetic discourses in masnavi (rhyming couplets) form each one with a story... its content is religious and ethical topics joining both the spiritual and practical. "This most beautiful mystic poem in the Persian language, has both perfection of language and grandeur of thought. Every line of 'Treasury of Secrets' is a living witness to his absolute certainty that piety, devotion, humility and self-forgetfulness are the corner stones of total annihilation, which in turn is necessary for unification with God and the foundation of the edifice of eternal life." G. H. Darab. Senior lecturer in Persian. University of London. Paul Smith has kept to the correct rhyme-structure of the masnavi form while retaining the meaning and beauty of the original in simple, understandable, poetic English. He has written a long Introduction on the Life of Nizami and chapters on each of his books of poetry. Selected Bibliography. Large Print (16pt) & Large Format (8" x 10") Edition 350 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." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator 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 from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Baba Farid, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Lalla Ded and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. Published by New Humanity Books. amazon.com/author/smithpa