Skip to content

From beginning to end, this collection of sufi poetry is uncompromisingly direct and lucid. Master of the Nimatullahi sufi order for over fifty years, poet and psychiatrist Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh knew the twists and turns of the psyche and the soul, and the way of love. His message here is clear, stark, and beautiful.

In this new translation of 188 ghazals, 20 poems in the masnavi form, 45 quatrains, and 55 five-verse poems, seekers from many paths will find accurate and unflinching guidance combined with unfailing generosity. Love and truth manifest in these verses, as do correction and direction. The poems always lead the reader along a straight path. They very much take into account the sometimes challenging territory of spiritual endeavor, and although the way to the Beloved may not always be easy, the poems show how to get there, encouraging, chiding, and illuminating as they go.

A concise glossary and footnotes offer English-speakers and those proficient in the Persian language a fresh and comprehensive approach to the body of Dr. Nurbakhsh's poetry in its authentic sufi context. Beginners, long-time practitioners and students of contemplative and mystical traditions will find joy and fellowship in these pages.