HAFIZ SHIRAZI (1315-1390)

1780. MS 044

This compilation of Odes by Hafiz, a Commentary on the Koran, and Turkish Poems is contributed by a multitude of authors in Persian and Turkish. The first 342 folios are in a Persian hand and consist of a Turkish poem, the Odes of Hafiz, and miscellaneous notes in Turkish. A Turkish hand wrote a Commentary on the Koran with flyleaf notes and drawings from folios 343-488. A second Turkish hand wrote down a series of Turkish and Persian poems with various quotations from the Koran in large red letters from folios 489-511. A third Turkish hand wrote a poem and a multitude of flyleaves full of notes and diagrams from folios 528-646. The final folios, 647-855, are a second Persian hand and consists of a possible Persian Prose Treatise with verses. While not illuminated, this compilation features a great collection of various handwriting styles in the Arabic and Persian alphabet.

There are 486 odes and poems, or Ghazal (غزل) by the Sufi poet Hafiz. Although it is not currently known which odes are in this compilation, the traditional structure of the lyric poems are about 7-9 lines and may have been sung in addition to being read aloud. By definition, a ghazal is a love poem. However, Hafiz often leaps outside of the traditional bounds of a ghazal, and some poems and odes include themes of other kinds of passion. To read more about Hafiz’s Ghazal collection, please see MS 45 and 115.

Bibliography

Hafiz Shirazi and others. Odes of Hafiz, Commentary on the Koran, Poems, and miscellaneous. 1780. University of Oregon Special Collections & University Archives, MS 044. https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/3uoa1r/CP71269051710001451

Yarshater, Ehsan. “Hafez, an Overview.” Encyclopedia Iranica. Dec. 15, 2002. Encyclopædia Iranica | Articles (archive.org)