Understanding Hafiz: An Introductory course to worldview of Hafiz and the key concepts of his thought

Course Description

Hafiz is the most eminent mystical poet in Persian Islamic culture. He combines beauty and meaningfulness and merges aesthetic aspects with mystical, gnostic and philosophical ones. His unique usage of imaginary, equivoques and sacred symbolism in his linguistic art put him among the best sonneteers.

Entering to Hafiz’s wondering thought system requires familiarity with different branches of traditional, rational and transmitted sciences along with Sufism and Sufi’s teachings and traditions. These are fundamental teachings and key concepts that facilitates one’s understanding to Hafiz’s spiritual tradition.

This course will introduce these principles and key concepts to entering Hafiz’s world in seven aspects.

Programme details

Session 1: An Introduction to Hafiz: why Hafiz? the main characteristics of his personality.

Session 2: Key concepts of Hafiz’s thoughts: ontological terms: wujud (being) and aks (reflected picture).

Session 3: Key concepts in epistemological terms: miy (wine) and Jam (goblet).

Session 4: Key concepts in theological terms: zulf (tresses hair) and Rukh (face).

Session 5: Key concepts in cosmological terms: ayeneh (mirror) and nur (light).

Session 6: Key concepts in anthropological terms: rind (clever humble noble one) and Dervish (humble saint).

Session 7: Key concepts in moral terms: Malamat (self-reproach) and Ikhlas (sincerity).

Session 8: Key concepts in religious terms: Taqwa (self-immunity) and Kufr (infidelity)

Background Readings

Alston A.J., in Search of Hafiz, 1996, London, Shauti Saden.

Avery, Peter, the Collected Lyrics of Hafiz of Shiraz (translation) 2007, London, Archetype

Saberi, Reza, The Divan of Hafiz (translation) 2002, New York, University Press of America.

Smith, Paul, Divan of Hafiz (translation), 1986, London, Melbourne New Humanity Books.

Lewisohn Leonard, Religion of love in Classical Persian Poem, 2010, London, I.B. Tauris.

Also, you could read some general references such as Mystical Dimensions of Islam by Annemarie Schimmel, A Literary History of Persia by Edward Granville Browne, The Mystics of Islam by Reynold Nicholson and the Hafiz Poems (translation) by Bell, Gertrude.

Course book

There will be no course book. The tutor will provide texts and if needed photocopied materials.

This course will be delivered in English, so it is not essential for people to be able to speak or read Persian.

Key information

Course Title

Understanding Hafiz: An Introductory course to worldview of Hafiz and the key concepts of his thought

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Course start date

The course has flexible start dates. For the start date, please contact us.

 2-day intensive course: the course will also be offered as an intensive course which will be organised over 2 days. If you choose this option, there will be 2 classes in the morning and 2 classes in the afternoon of each day.

If you are interested in taking this course as a private tuition option, please contact us to see the possibility of organising one-to-one course for you. For one-to-one courses, a mutually convenient time will be agreed between you and your tutor. Also, for one-to-one classes, additional fees may apply.

Contact details

Email: info@oxpe.co.uk 

Telephone: +441865522214

Applications

Please apply using the online application form that can be found at the course website.

Please note that we reserve the right to cancel the course for a refund when minimum required number of applicants for a date are not met.

Course Fees

Course fees: £480

About the Tutor: Dr Saeed Rahimian

Dr Rahimian was a visiting scholar at the University of Oxford in 2017-2018 academic year. He is Professor and Chair of Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism at Shiraz University, Iran. He is also appointed as the academic director of Islamic Research Centre of Shiraz University.

Dr Rahimian has been researching and teaching Islamic mysticism in Shiraz University for the past 25 years at both graduate and undergraduate levels. In 2010, he was rewarded the Iranian Farabi International Prize, which is the most respected prize in Iran for publications in humanities.

Dr Rahimian has extensive publications in Persian, which include 10 books (including two academic textbooks) and 40 academic papers. Some of his publications are as follows:

• Principles of Islamic theoretical mysticism (translated into English and published in London by Islam and the West Institute).
• Principles of practical Islamic mysticism (2018, SAMT, Teheran)
• Confronting mirrors: essays on mystical self-knowledge (2012, Hikmat, Tehran).
• Identity of Islamic philosophy (2006, Bustanketab, Qum).
• Emanation from Plotinus to Sadr al-Mutuallihin (1998, Qum, Bustanketab).