HAFEZ and SA’DI: Mystical Poets of Persia

PHOTOS : WHIB/P. VIROT
TEXT : P.VIROT / WIKIPEDIA

Abu-Muhammad Muslih al-Din bin Abdallah Shirazi better known by his pen-name as Sa’di or, simply, Saadi, was one of the major Persian poets of the medieval period. He is not only famous in Persian-speaking countries, but he has also been quoted in western sources. He is recognized for the quality of his writings, and for the depth of his social and moral thoughts.

Saadi is well known for his aphorisms, the most famous of which, Bani Adam, calls for breaking all barriers:

The poem is translated by M. Aryanpoor as:

Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member is afflicted with pain,
Other members uneasy will remain.
If you’ve no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain!

Khwaja Shamsu d-Din Muhammad Hafeze Shirazi, known by his pen name Hafez (1325/1326 – 1389/1390),was a Persian lyric poet. His collected works composed of series of Persian poetry (Divan) are to be found in the homes of most Iranians, who learn his poems by heart and use them as proverbs and sayings to this day. His life and poems have been the subject of much analysis, commentary and interpretation, influencing post-Fourteenth Century Persian writing more than any other author.
Themes of his ghazals are the beloved, faith, and exposing hypocrisy. His influence in the lives of Iranians can be found in “Hafez readings” (fal-e hafez), frequent use of his poems in Persian traditional music, visual art and Persian calligraphy. His tomb in Shiraz is visited often. Adaptations, imitations and translations of Hafez’ poems exist in all major languages.

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