Paul Smith

Baba Afzal: Life & Poems Paul Smith

Publisher Marketing: BABA AFZAL: LIFE & POEMS Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Baba Afzal (1186-1256) came from Maraq near Kashan. He is the author of many Persian works on philosophical and metaphysical subjects and translated the Arabic version of Aristotle's 'The Book of the Soul' into Persian. He was a Sufi and the author of about 500 mystical and at times controversial ruba'is some that have been mistakenly identified as Khayyam's. Some of the themes in these include warnings about the futility of involvement with the things of the world, correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm and self-knowledge as the goal of human existence. He is one of the greatest poets among the philosophers of Islam and one of the greatest of this form. Introduction includes: The Life, Times & Work of Baba Afzal, Sufis: Their Art & Use of Poetry, The Ruba'i. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these poems. Introduction to Sufi Poets Series. 90 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 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). 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, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah, Mu'in and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and 12 screenplays. www.newhumanitybookbookheaven.com Contributor Bio:  Smith, Paul Paul H. Smith, a retired Army intelligence officer and Operation Desert Storm veteran, spent seven years in the Department of Defense's remote-viewing program, serving as operational remote viewer, theory instructor and trainer, security officer, and unit historian. Smith has a B. A. in Middle Eastern studies from Brigham Young University, and an M. S. in Strategic Intelligence (Middle East emphasis) from the Defense Intelligence College, and is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is president of Remote Viewing Instructional Services, Inc., and vice president of the nonprofit International Remote Viewing Association.