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Sacred Poetry from Around the World

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Muslim / Sufi

13th Century

Iran/Per
(Middle East)

Saadi

Timeline (1207? - 1291)

Poems by Saadi
Books - Links

Saadi, Saadi poetry, Muslim / Sufi, Muslim / Sufi poetry, poetry, poetry, poetry

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Sheikh Muslihu'd-Din, known as Saadi, was descended from Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed. Saadi's father apparently died when he was a boy.

Although Saadi was born and died in Shiraz, Persia (Iran), during his life he traveled extensively. He is said to have traveled for thirty years throughout the Islamic world. Iran has filled the centuries with some of the world's finest poets, but Iranians consider Saadi to be one of the greatest.

Historians often divide his life into three parts. His first twenty-five years were spent studying in various countries, going to university at Baghdad. During the next thirty years he traveled widely, east to India and as far west as Syria. He made his pilgrimage to Mecca fourteen times. Finally, Saadi returned to Shiraz where he devoted himself to writing and to teaching.

Saadi was a disciple of the Sufi master Sheikh Shahabud-Din Sahrawardi.

Saadi's two best known works are the Bustan (the Garden), composed entirely in verse, and the Gulistan (the Rose Garden), in both prose and verse. He was particularly known for the wry wit he injected into his poems.

Saadi is probably the first Persian poet to have been translated into European languages. A German version of the Gulistan appeared in 1654.

Saadi's tomb can be seen in the town of Shiraz. Lines from Saadi's poems are still commonly used in conversations by Iranians today.

Poems by Saadi

	How could I ever thank my Friend?
	All Adam's race are members of one frame;
	Have no doubts because of trouble nor be thou discomfited;
	If one His praise of me would learn
	The man of God with half his loaf content
	The world, my brother! will abide with none
	To the wall of the faithful what sorrow, when pillared securely on thee?

Recommended Books

The Gulistan of Sadi: The Rose Garden, Translated by Edward B. Eastwick

Amazon.com

The Mystics of Islam, by Reynold A. Nicholson

Amazon.com

Perfume of the Desert: Inspirations from the Sufi Wisdom, by Andrew Harvey / Eryk Hanut

Amazon.com

Related Links:

	Shaykh Muslih al-Din Sa'di shirazi http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Poets/Sadi.html Biography, chronology, some poetry.
	Internet Classics Archive \| The Gulistan of Sadi http://classics.mit.edu/Sadi/gulistan.html The complete Gulistan of Sadi on-line.
	Sa'di http://www.humanistictexts.org/sa'di.htm A brief introduction and several poems and prose excerpts.
	Sadi: The Gulistan or Rose Garden http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/pwh/sadi.html The complete Gulistan of Sadi on-line.
	The Mausoleum of Sadi http://www.shirazcity.org/shiraz/Shiraz%20Information/Sightseeing/Sa'di%20e.htm Description and several photos of the revered mausoleum of Sadi.

Please support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Saadi

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