Important
Events
Teens: He had
memorized the Koran by listening to his father's recitations of
it. He also had memorized many of the works of his hero, Saadi, as
wells as Attar, Rumi and Nezami.
Teens: His father who
was a coal merchant died, leaving him and his mother with much
debt. Hafiz and his mother went to live with his uncle (also
called Saadi). He left day school to work in a drapery shop and
later in a bakery.
Age 21
(1341
ad): While still
working at the bakery, Hafiz delivered bread to a wealthy quarter
of town and saw Shakh-e Nabat, a young woman of incredible beauty.
Many of his poems are addressed to Shakh-e Nabat.
Age 21: In pursuit of
reaching his beloved, Hafiz kept a forty day and night vigil at
the tomb of Baba Kuhi. After successfully attaining this, he met
Attar and became his disciple.
Early twenties to early
thirties: Became a poet
of the court of Abu Ishak. Gained much fame and influence in
Shiraz. This was the phase of "Spiritual Romanticism" in his
poetry.
Age 33: Mubariz
Muzaffar captured Shiraz, and among his various deeds, he ousted
Hafiz from his position of teacher of Koranic studies at the
college. At this time he wrote protest
poems.
Age 38: Shah Shuja
took his tyrant father as prisoner, and re-instated Hafiz as a
teacher at the college. He began his phase of subtle spirituality
in his poetry.
Early forties: Falling out of
favor with Shah Shuja.
Age 48: Hafiz fled
Shiraz for his safety, and went into self-imposed exile in
Isfahan. His poems mainly talk of his longing for Shiraz, for
Shakh-e Nabat, and for his spiritual Master, Attar (not the famous
Farid-uddin Attar of Neishabour - who predates Hafiz by a couple
of centuries - but the lesser known Attar of Shiraz).
Age 52: By invitation
of Shah Shuja, he ended his exile and returned to Shiraz. He was
re-instated to his post at the
College.
Age 60: Longing to be
united with his Creator, he began a forty day and night vigil by
sitting in a circle that he had drawn himself.
Age 60: On the morn of
the fortieth day of his vigil, which was also on the fortieth
anniversary of meeting his Master Attar, he went to his Master,
and upon drinking a cup of wine that Attar gave him, he attained
Cosmic Consciousness or God-Realization.
Sixties: In this phase,
up to the age of 69 when he died, he composed more than half of
his ghazals., and continued to teach his small circle of
disciples. His poetry at this time, talk with the authority of a
Master who is united with God.
Poetry
Divan-e-Hafiz: Some 500
ghazals, 42 Rubaiyees, and a few Ghaseedeh's, composed over a
period of 50 years. Hafiz only composed when he was divinely
inspired, and therefore he averaged only about 10 Ghazals per
year. His focus was to write poetry worthy of the Beloved.
Compiler of Divan: Hafiz did not
compile his poetry. Mohammad Golandaam, who also wrote a preface
to his compilation, completed it in 813 A.H or 1410 a.d, some
21-22 years after Hafiz's death.
Also another person who compiled
Hafiz's poetry was one of his young disciples Sayyid Kasim-e
Anvar, who collected 569 Ghazals attributed to Hafiz. He died in
1431 a.d. some 42-43 years after Hafiz's death.
Death
Date: Late 1388 or
early 1389 a.d. or 791 A.H. at the age of
69.
Place: Shiraz
Tomb: in
Musalla Gardens, along the banks of Ruknabad river in
Shiraz, which is referred to as Hafezieh.
Controversy: The orthodox
clergy who always opposed Hafiz, refused to allow him to have a
Muslim burial. Yet his grass-roots support among the people of
Shiraz created an atmosphere of
conflict.
The Oracle: To resolve the
controversy, they decided to use Hafiz's poetry, by dividing his
ghazals into couplets, and asking a young boy to draw a couplet.
It was agreed that however the couplet directed them, they would
all consent to follow.
The couplet that was chosen was verse 7 of
Ghazal #79, which was a tongue-in-cheek response from Hafiz to
the orthodox clergy. It reads:
Neither Hafiz’s corps, nor his
life negate,
With all his misdeeds, heavens for him
wait.
To this day, Hafiz's Divan (Poetry)
is utilized as an Oracle to give guidance to our questions, and
direction to realize our wishes.
After His
Death
What others say about
Hafiz:
Goethe: In his
poetry Hafiz has inscribed undeniable truth indelibly ... Hafiz
has no peer!
Emerson: Hafiz
defies you to show him or put him in a condition inopportune or
ignoble ... He fears nothing. He sees too far; he sees throughout;
such is the only man I wish to see or be.
Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle: ...You may remember the old Persian saying, 'There
is danger for him who taken the tiger cub, and danger also for
whosoever snatches a delusion from a woman.' There is as much
sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much knowledge of the
world.
Edward
Fitzgerald: The best musician of Words.
Gertrude
Bell: It is as if his mental eye; endowed with
wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces
of thought which we of a later age were destined to
inhabit.
A. J.
Arberry: ... Hafiz is as highly
esteemed by his countrymen as Shakespeare by us, and deserves as
serious consideration.
Selections from the spiritual poetry of Hafiz
I have learned so much
I Have Learned So much from God
That I can no longer Call Myself
A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, A Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself
With me That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel,
Or even pure Soul.
Love has Befriended Hafiz so completely
It has turned to ash And freed Me Of every concept and image
My mind has ever known.
Forget them not
Forget not when dear friend to friend returned,
Forget not days gone by, forget them not!
My mouth has tasted bitterness, and learned
To drink the envenomed cup of mortal lot;
Forget not when a sweeter draught was mine,
Loud rose the songs of them that drank that wine -
Forget them not!
Forget not loyal lovers long since dead,
Though faith and loyalty should be forgot,
Though the earth cover the enamored head,
And in the dust wisdom and passion rot.
My friends have thrust me from their memory;
Vainly a thousand thousand times I cry:
Forget me not!
Weary I turn me to my bonds again.
Once there were hands strong to deliver me,
Forget not when they broke a poor slave's chain!
Though from mine eyes tears flow unceasingly,
I think on them whose rose gardens are set
Beside the Zindeh Rud, and I forget
Life's misery.
Sorrow has made her lair in my breast,
And undisturbed she lies - forget them not
That drove her forth like to a hunted beast!
Hafiz, thou and thy tears shall be forgot,
Lock fast the gates of thy sad heart! But those
That held the key to thine unspoken woes -
Forget them not!
Cast all your votes for Dancing
I know the voice of depression
Still calls to you.
I know those habits that can ruin your life
Still send their invitations.
But you are with the Friend now
And look so much stronger.
You can stay that way
And even bloom!
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter.
Keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved
And, my dear,
From the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Learn to recognize the counterfeit coins
That may buy you just a moment of pleasure,
But then drag you for days
Like a broken man
Behind a farting camel.
You are with the Friend now.
Learn what actions of yours delight Him,
What actions of yours bring freedom
And Love.
Whenever you say God's name, dear pilgrim,
My ears wish my head was missing
So they could finally kiss each other
And applaud all your nourishing wisdom!
O keep squeezing drops of the Sun
From your prayers and work and music
And from your companions' beautiful laughter
And from the most insignificant movements
Of your own holy body.
Now, sweet one,
Be wise.
Cast all your votes for Dancing!
