There are many great Persian Sufi poets and their work is highly recognized in literary circles. Sufism is a mystical tradition within Islam that has been practiced for more than 1,000 years. Sufis believe in the power of love and divine grace to lead one to enlightenment and higher levels of consciousness. They also believe in poverty, chastity, and self-denial as tools for spiritual purification.
Sufi poetry has always played an important role in preserving the wisdom of this tradition. Here are some great Persian Sufi poets whose work you would like to know about:
1- Rumi (1207-1273)
2- Hafez (1320-1390)
3- Saadi (1194-1291)
4- Khayyam (1048-1131)
5- Attar (1119-1190)
Great Persian Sufi Poets and Their Work
Rumi is one of the most well-known Persian Sufi poets. According to history, His birth year was 1207, and he died in 1273. Rumi often wrote about love and divine grace. His most famous work is the Masnavi, a six-volume poem written in couplets about spiritual purification and enlightenment.
Hafez was another Persian Sufi poet who wrote poetry for many years. He was born in 1320 and died in 1390. Some of his poems tell stories or teach lessons, like “The Story of the Shipwrecked Sailor” and “Counsels”. Other poems express his thoughts on religion, such as belief in one God and divine grace.
Saadi’s work earned him a reputation as a wise man. He was born in 1194, lived a long life, and passed away in 1291. Because he was a traveler and trader who composed poetry during their journeys across Persia and Arabia for entertainment and to share wisdom with others. Saadi’s most famous work is Golestan, or Garden of Roses, which consists of advice on government, society, marriage life, friendship, ethics, economics, religion, happiness, justice, tolerance, respect for human beings—and much more.
Khayyam was another popular Persian Sufi poet whose literary work is still famous in the work. Moreover, Omer Khayam was also a renowned astronomer of his time.
Rumi
Rumi was born in 1207 and became a Sufi master at the age of 18. He spent most of his life wandering throughout Persia, Turkey, and Syria. His literary work has been translated into many languages around the world.
One of Rumi’s best-known works is a poem called “The Masnavi” which is a series of six books that he wrote based on the teaching of Islam. In one line from “The Masnavi”, Rumi writes: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing there is a field.” So, in this line, he emphasizes how important it is to be out in the world to find enlightenment, not just sitting around contemplating it.
Hafez/Hafiz
Hafez is considered to be one of the most popular Persian poets. He was born in Shiraz, a famous city in Iran, and lived during the time of the Mongolian invasion.
He wrote many poems about divine love and his greatest work is known as Divan-e-Hafez, which includes more than 6,500 verses. Hafez died at the age of 73 in Khorasan, Iran.
Saadi
Shaikh Saadi Sherazi lived during the 12th century in Shiraz, a renowned city in Iran. He was born into a wealthy family and studied theology, law, and Arabic literature. He was later appointed vizier to the Sultan of Shiraz. Throughout his life, he wrote some of the most famous verses in Persian poetry. His poems are characterized by their wisdom and wit combined with elements of spirituality and self-reflection.
According to some people, Saadi is the father of modern Persian poetry. His best-known work is Bustan (The Garden), which tells the story of a garden tended by an old man who has only one daughter to help him tend it. The daughter falls in love but must choose between marrying a young man who is not a gardener or staying home to care for her aging father.
Khayyam
Omer Khayyam was a Persian mathematician and poet who lived from 1048 to 1131. He’s best known for his poems on the joys of wine and love, such as “The Wine Ode” and “The Bird-catcher.” Although Khayyam is often called a Sufi poet, he never actually claimed to be one himself. His poetry has been interpreted by many different Sufis over the centuries, which may have contributed to the confusion about his faith.
Khayyam is an ideal example of a great Sufi poet in Persian literature because he uses worldly pleasures in his writing to point out how fleeting they are in comparison to spiritual enlightenment. His poems are often about wine and love, but they show how much deeper their meaning goes because of the underlying message behind them.
Attar
Attar was a Persian poet and visionary from the 12th century. He is considered to be one of the greatest Sufi poets, and his poems have been translated into many languages in different parts of the world. In order to achieve higher consciousness, Attar believed that one must overcome the ego and go beyond personal desires. He used a lot of symbolism in his work, often referring to animals to represent different aspects of a person’s self-image or society.
In one of his most famous poems, The Conference of the Birds, he tells the story of thirty-six birds who set off on a journey together looking for their king. They encounter all sorts of obstacles on their way home. But eventually, they find their king, Simurgh. Which a mythical figure with an eagle’s head and a peacock’s body and then fly back home together.
Conclusion
The Persian Sufi poets are recognized as some of the most influential poets in the world. They have been praised for the beauty of their language. Their Sufi literary work has been translated into many different languages. And they have helped to shape the cultural identity of countries all over the world.
In their Literary work, one can feel the deeper meanings of Sufi spiritualism. The deep meanings and symbolism of the language made their work more marvelous for the readers. This is a fact that all their literary inspirations were reflections of Islamic teachings. Which they have beautifully expressed in their literature. The deep meaning and use of symbolism and metaphor had their literary work everlasting in Sufi literature.
If you are looking to explore Persian Sufi poetry, this blog post offers a start for you to learn more. We hope you find something new in this blog that you are looking for.
