De Bruijn J.T.P. Persian Sufi Poetry: An Introduction to the Mystical Use of Classical Persian Poems

Curzon, 1997. — vi, 142 pages. — (Curzon Sufi Series). — ISBN: 0-7007-0674-7; ISBN: 0-7007-0312-8.Islamic mysticism, or sufism, has found its finest expression in the classical poetry of Persia, in particular during its most creative period up to the late 15th century. Focusing on the poems themselves rather than on their authors, this very readable introduction surveys the development of Persian mystical poetry, dealing first with the relation between Sufism and literature and then with the four main genres of the tradition: the epigram, the homiletic poem, love poetry, and symbolic narrative.Mystical epigrams.
Persian quatrains.
The case of‘Umar-i Khayyam.
Baba Tahir ‘Uryan.
Shaykh Abu Sa‘id.
Baba Afdal.
The Mukhta-r-nama of ‘Attar.
Anthologies.
Commentaries.
Poems of abstinence.
The qasida in secular and religious poetry.
Kisai.
Nasir-i Khusrau.
Sana’i;
Sana’is zuhdiyat.
Khaqani and other 12th century poets of the qasida;
The qasidas of ‘Attar.
Poetry of love.
The theme of love.
The ghazal as a prosodic form and as a genre.
The ghazal in the history of literature.
The scope of ghazal poetry.
The ghazal as a mystical poem.
Unbelievers and qalanders.
A specimen from the ghazal of Hafiz.
Teachers and story-tellers.
The masnavi.
Didactical poetry.
The masnavis of Sana i.
Nizami’s Makhzan al-asrar.
The masnavls of ‘Attar.
Rumi’s Masnavi-yi Ma‘navi.
Sultan Valad.
Sa‘dis Bustan.
Auhadi’s Jam-i Jam.
Khvaje Kirmani.
Gulshan-i raz.
Sufi practices.
Mystical allegories.
The Seven Thrones of Jami.