SHAMS-AL-DIN MOHAMMED, THE POET HAFIZ (1320-1388)

 
Hafiz, who is widely known throughout the literary world as a great poet, was also a Qutub, a Perfect Master of his age. At present, there are hundreds of thousands of people in Persia and India who rely upon his work for divine guidance. There are numerous instances in history when momentous decisions were arrived at after consulting the Divan-e-Hafiz (the entire collection of Hafiz's poems). The practice of referring to it for advice is still very common to this day. Even the answering of the question of Hafiz's burial was decided upon through the advice of his own poetic compositions.

Yet there are very few who understand the spiritual secrets which are revealed in his poetry. In fact, Khwaja (the Master) Hafiz has clearly narrated, one by one, all the stages of spirituality in his Divan. Every complete ghazal refers to a certain spiritual state and stage for one who can understand it.

Hafiz never actually wrote poetry. He only spoke it out loud when in the mood, or sang it. Shams-e-Tabriz, too, did not ever write, but Jalal-ud-din Rumi did. In his odes, Hafiz describes with poetic beauty the charms of the universe, the planes, the path and reveals secrets. Hafiz not only excelled in spiritual writings, for he was perfect, but also in poetic meters and style. The poets and spiritual Masters Tukaram, Kabir, Saadi, Shams and Rumi were all God-Realized and said splendid things, but none so splendid as Hafiz in language and poetic diction.