Hafiz of Shiraz was widely regarded as an infidel in his day. Today he is recognized in the East not only for the excellence of his poetry, but also as a Sufi illuminate. His major work (The Diwan, from which the poems in this book are taken) is found beside the Koran in the homes of the devout. In the West, Hafiz-a contemporary of Dante-is admired for his love-poetry; Goethe, among others, acknowledged his influence. His work stands both as a literary monument and as a teaching instrument. His poetry appeals, at its overt level, to the ordinary man and woman, while yet containing those ingredients which enable the soul of the Seeker to perceive itself.