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Sacred Poetry from Around the World

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Muslim / Sufi

13th Century

Iran/Per
(Middle East)

Mahmud Shabistari

Timeline (1250? - 1340)

Poems by Mahmud Shabistari
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Mahmud Shabistari lived in Persia (Iran) during the time of the Mongol invasions of the region. It was a time of massacres and religious sectarianism. Yet it is also during this time that the Golden Age of Persian Sufism emerged.

Shabistari's Secret Rose Garden (the Gulistan-i Raz, which can also be translated as The Rose Garden of Mystery) is considered to be one of the greatest works of Persian Sufism.

In the Secret Rose Garden, Shabistari expresses a viewpoint of Sufi realization similar to the perspective of the great Sufi philosopher Ibn Arabi, but expressed through the rich Persian poetic tradition.

The value of Shabistari's work was recognized almost immediately. Many commentaries on the work by other Sufi mystics soon began to appear. The Secret Rose Garden quickly was regarded as one of the central works of Sufism.

Poems by Mahmud Shabistari

	One Light
	The Tavern Haunters
	A Drop of Seawater (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	Reason (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	Sun-Reflections (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	The Beloved Guest (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	The Effect of the Draft (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	The Marriage of the Soul (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	The Mirror (from The Secret Rose Garden)
	The Wine of Rapture (from The Secret Rose Garden)

Recommended Books

Beyond Faith and Infidelity: The Sufi Poetry and Teachings of Mahmud Shabistari, Edited by Leonard Lewisohn

Amazon.com

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

Amazon.com

The Secret Rose Garden: Mahmud Shabistari, Translated by Florence Lederer / Edited by David Fideler

Amazon.com

Related Links:

	Quotes, text and mystical poems from Shabistari http://www.onelittleangel.com/wisdom/quotes/saint_net.asp?mc=329 Several very brief quotes from Shabistari's writings.
	Knowledge, Unity and Tolerance http://www.sufistudies.net/world-community/shabistari.html An extended article on the Sufism of Shabistari, excerpted from The Secret Rose Garden, edited by David Fideler
	The Life of Shabistari http://sufibrighton.com/rosegarden/intro.htm A brief exploration of what little is known about the life of Shabistari, along with an exploration of the symbolism and language used in his writing.

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

Mahmud Shabistari

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Support the Poetry Chaikhana

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Support
the Poetry Chaikhana