AL-SHUSHTARI: LIFE & POEMS Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari (1312-1369) was a Sufi poet who was born in Guadix, northwest of Granada, Spain. As a young man he travelled to Tunisia, Algeria, Damascus and several times made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He finally settled in Egypt. He became a devotee of the Sufi Master Ibn Sab'in who was four years younger than him and was widely respected at that time. They first met in Algeria when in their thirties and later went together to Mecca and Egypt. Al-Shushtari composed two treatises on Sufism and dedicated three poems to his spiritual Master. Often when walking or riding the poet would sing his poems and play an instrument as he did so. In his latter days he had many disciples. He was influenced by the great Sufi Perfect Master Ibn 'Arabi although he expressed at times criticism of the complicated nature of his teachings, preferring a simpler explanation. Al-Shushtari's true legacy lives on in the heart of men who still sing his poems and celebrate his memory. In the Delta of Egypt, followers of the Shadhiliyya Order still recite his zajal, while in Tunisia his words are sung to the tones of a musical instrument bearing his name, 'al-Sustariyya.' In Morocco his songs are a common denominator to several Sufi celebrations, and in Spain he is regarded as a trendsetter in Andalusian literature and is better known as 'The Juggler of Love.' Most of his poems are in the forms of qasidas, ghazals, qit'as, muwashasha, zajal: all here represented in the correct form & meaning. Introduction on his Life, Times & Poetry, on Sufi Poetry & on the forms of poetry in which he wrote. Selected Bibliography. 120 pages. Introduction to Sufi Poets Series Life & Poems of the following Sufi poets, Translations & Introductions: Paul SmithAATISH, ALISHER NAVOI, ASHGAR, AHMED YESEVI, 'AISHAH Al-BA'UNIYAH, AMIR KHUSRAU, ANSARI, ANVARI, AL-MA'ARRI, 'ARIFI, 'ATTAR, ABU SA'ID, AUHAD UD-DIN, BABA FARID, BABA AZFAL, BABA TAHIR, BEDAR, BEDIL, BULLEH SHAH, DARA SHIKOH, DARD, FAIZI, GHALIB, GHANI KASHMIRI, HAFIZ, HALI, HASAN DEHLAVI, HATEF, HUMA, IBN 'ARABI, IBN YAMIN, IBN AL-FARID, IQBAL, INAYAT KHAN, 'IRAQI, JAHAN KHATUN, JAMI, JIGAR, KAMAL AD-DIN, KABIR, KHAQANI, KHAYYAM, LALLA DED, MAHSATI, MAKHFI, MANSUR HALLAJ, MIR, MOMIN, MU'IN UD-DIN CHISHTI, NAZIR, NESIMI, NIZAMI, NUND RISHI, OBEYD ZAKANI, PAUL, QUTUB SHAH, RABI'A, RAHIM, RAHMAN BABA, RUMI, SADI, SA'IB, SANA'I, SARMAD, SAUDA, SEEMAB, SHABISTARI, SHAH LATIF, SHAH NI'MAT'ULLAH, SHEFTA, SULTAN BAHU, URFI, WALI, YUNUS EMRE, ZAFAR, ZAUQ, EARLY ARABIC, PERSIAN, URDU, TURKISH, AFGHAN SUFI POETS. 90-120 pages Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from 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 and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books & screenplays. amazon.com/authoe/smithpa

AL-SHUSHTARI The Great Sufi Poet of Andalusia SELECTED POEMS Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Abu al-Hasan al-Shushtari (1312-1369) was a Sufi poet who was born in Guadix, northwest of Granada, Spain. As a young man he travelled to Tunisia, Algeria, Damascus and several times made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He finally settled in Egypt. He became a devotee of the Sufi Master Ibn Sab'in who was four years younger than him and was widely respected at that time. They first met in Algeria when in their thirties and later went together to Mecca and Egypt. Al-Shushtari composed two treatises on Sufism and dedicated three poems to his spiritual Master. Often when walking or riding the poet would sing his poems and play an instrument as he did so. In his latter days he had many disciples. He was influenced by the great Sufi Perfect Master Ibn 'Arabi although he expressed at times criticism of the complicated nature of his teachings, preferring a simpler explanation. Al-Shushtari's true legacy lives on in the heart of men who still sing his poems and celebrate his memory. In the Delta of Egypt, followers of the Shadhiliyya Order still recite his zajal, while in Tunisia his words are sung to the tones of a musical instrument bearing his name, 'al-Sustariyya.' In Morocco his songs are a common denominator to several Sufi celebrations, and in Spain he is regarded as a trendsetter in Andalusian literature and is better known as 'The Juggler of Love.' Most of his poems are in the forms of qasidas, ghazals, qit'as, muwashasha, zajal: all here in the correct form & meaning. Introduction: Life, Times & Poetry, on Sufi Poetry & forms of poetry in which he wrote. Selected Bibliography. Large Print (16pt & Large Format (8x10) Edition 190 pages. 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, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Seemab, Jigar, Seemab and many others, as well as his poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books, screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa

Sensuous, spiritual, and ethereal, this selection of works by the prominent Andalusian Sufi mystic and poet Abū al-Hasan al-Shushtarī (1212-1269) will delight everyone, whether or not they are devotees of Islamic literature. +

Mystic and poet Abū al-Hasan al-Shushtarī (1212-1269) remains a towering figure in North African Sufism. His verses are still well loved and often recited, and his songs are arguably the most vibrant element of Islamic Spain's cultural legacy. He is crucial to an understanding of the history of mysticism in Islamic Spain and North Africa. Yet, he is overlooked by Western scholars and few of his poems have been translated. This book seeks to correct this deficit by (1) setting Shushtarī and his work in the political and intellectual contexts of his time; (2) introducing his thought to an English-speaking audience through a presentation of his poetry. Each of the chapters that presents the poetry starts with a thematic introduction that explores the symbolic, poetic, and doctrinal import of the material that follows. Sensuous and spiritual, erotic and ethereal, this selection of works will delight everyone, whether or not they are devotees of Islamic literature. +

Light upon Light: Essays in Islamic Thought and History in Honor of Gerhard Bowering brings together studies that explore the richness of Islamic intellectual life in the pre-modern period.

This book is the outcome of a close study of the Ricote Valley and its famous Sufi Ibn Sab'in. Its purpose is to disclose more of the historical and comparative data. Arab Spaniards have created a glorious human story that lasted for centuries within the scope of the Mediterranean culture. However, a lot of the history of the Ricote Valley is only written in Spanish and still not in English. Andalusian scientists moved from the region of Murcia to the heart of the Islamic world. Their move had quite a deep effect. Among these scientists was the great Sufi philosopher, Muhammad Ibn-'Abdul-Haq known as Ibn- Sab'in (d. 669 H. = 1270 AD), who came from the Ricote Valley. He is the originator of the deep philosophical approach in dealing with highly humanistic Sufi thought, and the author of the magnificent treatise Al-Kalam 'ala Al-Masa'il Al-Siqqilliyya, in which he answered the philosophical questions that Frederick II, the Emperor of Sicily, sent to Muslim scientists in the Mashreq and the Maghreb.

This bibliography - intended to be as complete as possible - provides information on written material in 22 languages about muwaššaḥ and zajal (poetical strophic forms in al-Andalus during the Middle Ages) and the kharja (final segment of muwaššaḥ and some zajals), and about their popularity in East and West.