The Secret Rose Garden of Sa'd Ud Din Mahmud Shabistari

By Mahmud Shabistari, Muhammad Bin Yahya Lahiji, Florence Lederer

Book Overview

Garden of Mystery, the 'Gulshan-i Raz', holds a unique position in Persian Sufi literature. It is a compact and concise exploration of the doctrines of Sufism at the peak of their development that has... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0933999267
• ISBN13: 9780933999268
• Release Date: October 1985
• Publisher: Phanes Press
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 4.7" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

the intoxication of pure being

The Secret Garden is a Sufi mystical poem written in the 14th Century by Sheikh Sad-ud-Diu Mahmud Shabistari, and translated into English in 1879 by Johnson Pasha. This edition has a ten page introduction by Sheikh Imdad Hussein el-Qadiri, which outlines the story of how Sufism, having finally 'thrown off its Oriental and cultish accretions', thanks to scholars such as Idries Shah, came at last to be properly understood in the West. The theme of the poem is the traditional one of the education and path of the mystic, knowing always '...that his journey from the possible [illusory matter],/All truths unveiling, toward the essential [one ultimate reality] leads' (p. 33). The poet argues that all unreal existence begins with a single atom which contains the universe and to which the universe returns, continually being re-created by God. Also that the real and unreal are inseparable - the unreal being a mirror for the real, as a river safely reflects the sun no human being can look directly upon. This culminates near the end in the remarkable statement: 'Being and nothingness alike are one' (p. 78). Never before have I been so captivated by a mystical work. The allure of the poem stems partly from the newness of the religious context (I thought it would be a painless introduction to the Islamic faith - which it is - and makes it quite appealing) but mostly from the rigorous intellectual effort it demands from the reader. The combination of brilliant language and rare mystical insights on every page makes the whole poem irresistible - just when you have intuited one mystery, another equally enigmatic arises. The 'garden' is a metaphor for realisation of pure being. It is 'secret' because no words can come even remotely close to describing the experience. This poem, though, strongly indicates why the inner paradise is too intoxicating for any wise person to wish to leave it in a hurry.

These flowing verses have weathered the centuries

First written in 1317 A.D., The Secret Rose Garden is a classic work of poetry by Mahmud Shabistari celebrating Sufi wisdom, tradition, life in a dream world and the exploration of divinity and destiny. Skillfully translated by Florence Lederer from the original Persian, these flowing verses have weathered the centuries while remaining as fresh and mysterious. Featuring an introduction about the art and meaning of this enduring literature, The Secret Rose Garden is highly recommended for students of Sufi philosophy and Persian poetry. The Charm Of Beauty: From the unseen world descends/heavenly beauty,/and plants its flag in the city/of earthly fairness,/throwing the world's array into confusion;/now riding the steed of comeliness,/now flourishing the sword of eloquence,/and all alike bow down--/saints and kings, dervishes and prophets--/swayed by the charm of beauty's fascination.