DIVAN OF GHANI KASHMIRI A GREAT PERSIAN SUFI POET Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Ghani Kashmiri (1610-1668) is Kashmir's greatest Sufi poet of the Persian language. His teacher & spiritual master was another great Sufi & poet Mushin Fani. Ghani was visited in Kashmir by Sa'ib, Kalim & Qudsi, along with Ghani some of the most influential poets of the new style of Indian Persian poetry (Sabk-e-Hindi). He led a simple life often in seclusion and never wrote for royalty or the rich. He exposed corruption and sang of truth, love and beauty in ghazals, ruba'is, masnavis, qit'as & dohas that are unique. Both Ghalib and Iqbal were influenced by him and sang his praises. He was popular as a Sufi Perfect Master in Kashmir in his lifetime and there is a revival today there and in the west for his poetry. This is one of the largest versions of his poems in English and the only one keeping the correct rhyme structure of the originals. Introduction: Life & Times & Poetry of Ghani Kashmiri, Some of the Forms in Persian in which he somposed poems, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art and Use of Poetry. Selected Bibliography. APPENDIX: Three Poets of the 'Indian Style' (Sabk-e Hindi) in Persian Poetry who went to Kashmir & Influenced Ghani Kashmiri. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 254 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 and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many 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, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Mahsati, Iqbal and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com