Sanai

Hakim Abul-Majd Majdūd ibn Ādam Sanā'ī Ghaznavi more commonly known as Sanai or Sanai Ghaznavi (1080 - 1131/1141) was a Persian poet. He was poet from Ghazni who lived his life in Ghazni in medieval Iran, which is now located in Afghanistan.

Quotes

• Others are heedless,—do thou be wise, and on this path keep thy tongue silent. The condition laid on such a one is that he should receive all food and drink from the Causer, not from the causes. Go, suffer hardship, if thou wouldst be cherished; and if not, be content with the road to Hell. None ever attained his object without enduring hardship.
  • Enclosed Garden Of Truth (Hadiqat al-Haqiqa wa Shari'at al-Tariqa): translated by John Stephenson, 1910
• He who knows not his own soul, how shall he know the soul of another? and he who only knows hand and foot, how shall he know the Godhead? The prophets are unequal to understanding this matter; why dost thou foolishly claim to do so? When thou hast brought forward a demonstration of this subject, then thou wilt know the pure essence of the faith; otherwise what have faith and thou in common? thou hadst best be silent, and speak not folly. The learned talk nonsense all; for true religion is not woven about the feet of everyone.
  • Enclosed Garden Of Truth (Hadiqat al-Haqiqa wa Shari'at al-Tariqa): translated by John Stephenson, 1910

Stanza

• While mankind remains mere baggage in the world
  It will be swept along, as in a boat, asleep.
  What can they see in sleep?
  What real merit or punishment can there be?
  • Enclosed Garden Of Truth (Hadiqat al-Haqiqa wa Shari'at al-Tariqa): translated by John Stephenson, 1910

Stanza

• There is a Witness in the world, but we are idle;
  There is a draught left in the cup, but we remain sober.
  Arise! Let us set to rest, with the water from our faces,
  The wind blowing from this deceitful heap of earth.
  Let's sally forth on a raid and let's destroy
  The marketplace where this black-faced soul thrives!
  • Persian Sufi Poetry, p. 38/39

Stanza

• In the gallery of God's Command no statues
  Of believers or unbelievers can be seen:
  Deep in the ocean of "Other than God" lives
  The snake 'No' who devours belief and unbelief.
  • Persian Sufi Poetry, p. 40

See also

• Khaqani
• Ahli Shirazi

External links

• J. T. P. De Bruijn: Persian Sufi Poetry, Curzon Press, Surrey, United Kingdom, 1997
• Sanai Ghaznavi: Enclosed Garden Of Truth (Hadiqat al-Haqiqa wa Shari'at al-Tariqa): translated by John Stephenson (1871-1933), Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta, 1910