Persian Poetics

Hātif-i Iṣfahānī (died 1783) is considered the best Iranian poet of his generation. Renowned for reviving the style of Saʿdi and Hāfiz in an age of poetic decline, his most famous work is a poem exploring the path to God via different religious traditions. Join us as we read it in English and Persian over four classes.

Sometimes described as perennialist, Hātif’s poem explores the commonalities between Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam, which were the three dominant religions of Iran in his day. The poem’s refrain is a reminder of the essence of all three religions:

“There is One, and there is nothing but He,

He is One, there’s no God other than He.”