TAHIR GHANI KASHMIR'S GREAT PERSIAN SUFI POET Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Tahir Ghani (1610-1668) is Kashmir's greatest Sufi poet of the Persian language. His teacher & spiritual master was another great Sufi & poet Mushin Fani. Tahir Ghani was visited in Kashmir by Sa'ib, Kalim & Qudsi, along with Tahir Ghani some of the most influential poets of the new style of Indian Persian poetry (Sabk-e-Hindi). Tahir Ghani led a simple life often in seclusion and never wrote for royalty or the rich. He exposed corruption and sang of truth, love and beauty in ghazals, ruba'is, masnavi, qit'as & dohas. that are unique. Both Ghalib and Iqbal were influenced by him and sang his praises. He was popular as a Sufi Perfect Master in Kashmir in his lifetime and there is a revival today there and in the west for his poetry. This is one of the largest versions of his poems in English and the only one keeping the correct rhyme structure of the originals. Introduction: Life & Times & Poetry of Tahir Ghani, Some of the Forms in Persian in which he composed poems, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art and Use of Poetry. Selected Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 175 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 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 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, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Mahsati and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa