The Book of al-Ma'arri

THE BOOK OF AL-MA’ARRI

Translation & Introduction Paul Smith

CONTENTS: The Life and Works of al-Ma’arri, The Ruba’i & Qit’a, Ghazal & Qasida: Form, Use, History. Abu‘l- ‘Ala al-Ma’arri was born in Ma’arra, south of Aleppo in Syria in 973 A.D. He achieved fame as one of greatest of Arab poets. Al-Ma’arri was stricken with smallpox when four and became blind. His early poems in ruba’i form gained great popularity as did his other poems. As he grew older, he was able to travel to Aleppo, Antioch and other Syrian cities. Al-Ma’arri spent 18 months at Baghdad, then the centre of learning and poetry, leaving to return to his native town. There he created the Luzumiyyat, a famous collection of 1592 poems. On return, his presence in al-Ma’arri drew many people who came to hear him lecture on poetry and rhetoric. Here is a large selection of poems in all the forms he composed in the correct rhyme and meaning. Selected Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7” x 10”. 172 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 works into Persian, 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 of poems inspired by Hafiz).

Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 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, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Baba Farid, Rahman Baba, Lalla Ded, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Bulleh Shah and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books and 12 screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com