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Rahman Baba Afghanistan (1653 - 1711) Timeline Muslim / Sufi Poems by Rahman Baba Books - Links |
Rahman Baba was born in the early seventeenth century in the hilly Mohmand region of Afghanistan, outside of Peshwar. This was a time when Afghanistan was under invasion by the Persians to the west and the Mongols to the east, a period of great struggle and hardship.
Yet, in the midst of this turmoil, the young Abdul Rahman showed himself to be an excellent student with a natural gift for poetry. But as he grew older he became disillusioned, questioning the real value of such pursuits. He withdrew from the world, becoming a hermit, dedicating himself to prayer and devotion. In his solitary worship, he began to write poetry again.
Despite his reclusive life, Rahman Baba's poetry quickly spread and gained fame. Religious figures used his poetry to inspire the devout. Political leaders used his poems to inspire the independence movement. Rahman Baba's poetry became an important part of the nation's voice.
Poems by Rahman Baba
Recommended Books: Rahman Baba
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| The Nightingale of Peshwar: Selections from Rahman Baba |
Related Links
Virtual Afghans - Rahman Baba
http://www.virtualafghans.com/culture/poetry/rahman_baba/
A basic biographical sketch of Rahman Baba.
Rahman Baba - English translation of all poems
http://www.rahmanbaba-poetry.com/
This is the home page for The Poetry of Rahman Baba, which is, I believe, the first book to translate Rahman Baba's entire body of work into English.
Rahman Baba
http://www.geocities.com/khyber007/rbaba.html
A biography of Rahman Baba.
Rahman Baba - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahman_Baba
A good, though very brief biography of Rahman Baba.
Diwan of Rahman Baba
http://www.rahmanbabadiwan.com
An excellent site exploring the life and significance of Rahman Baba's poetry.
Interlit Foundation
http://www.interlitfoundation.org/catalog2.html#nightingale_of_peshawar
Publisher of two hard to find books with selections of Rahman Baba's poetry in English: The Nightingale of Peshwar, and Sow Flowers
