In the 13th Century AD, during one of the most turbulent periods in Iranian history, the poet Sa'di left his native Shiraz to study in Baghdad.
Unlike his great contemporary Rumi, the medieval Persian poet Sa'di is not much known in the West. Sa'di is no Rumi. Sa'di is a bit like the chameleon whose eyes can look in two separate directions at once: one eye is focused on this life and the other eye is cocked at the afterlife.
The "Rose Garden" appeared in 1258, when he was turning 50. That was the same year in which the Mongols under the dread Hulagu Khan overran the Islamic world, sacking Baghdad, murdering the last caliph, and bringing the 500-year-old Abbasid dynasty to an end.
The poetic persona of Sa'di came across a friend who had lost so much weight. He asked him why was he so weak, as he was a wealthy man and could have weathered the famine much better. Then came the most memorable punchline of the poem:
"The wise man looked at me visibly hurt,
With the look of a wise man upon an ignoramus:
I am not weak because I don't have food to eat,
I am saddened because of the sufferings of the poor!"
Sa'di's poems are in reality sermons and moral discourses. He criticizes the sycophants and pleads with his patrons to practice justice, generosity, kindness and benevolence. He implores them to spare no effort in alleviating the misery of the poor and the destitute.
Sa'di is a strong believer and proponent of the universal brotherhood of mankind and fervently propagates it. He denounces the indifference of man to the sufferings of his fellow human beings, and considers such indifferent people to be grossly inhuman.
"Human beings are like parts of a body, as they are created from the same substance. When the world causes pain to a single part, the other parts also cannot be at ease. You who are indifferent to the suffering of others, do not deserve to be called a human being."
The great Sa'di is a votary of peace and strongly advises the wisdom of pursuing peace in all spheres of life.
He said, "Even if you have the strength of an elephant and the claws of a lion, in my opinion, peace is preferable to war."
The wise poet fearlessly advises the rulers to follow the path of justice. Sa'di detests oppressors and tyrants, and considers rebellion to tyrants as obedience to God.
Sa'di wrote, "The evil tyrant does not last long, but the curses of his victims last forever."
Sa'di attaches great importance to the subject of humility which is the root, mother, foundation and bond of all virtue.
He wrote, "A drop of rain trickled from the clouds, and on seeing the ocean, it was embarrassed by the ocean's vastness and said, "What am I in comparison to the vast ocean? Truly, I do not exist when compared to the ocean." Since it regarded itself with contempt, a pearl-oyster nurtured it within its bosom. The heavenly sphere elevated it to such a status, that it became an illustrious royal pearl. It attained greatness because it displayed humility. An honourable wise person will always be modest. A branch laden with fruits shall always touch the ground."
Sa'di impresses me with his open and friendly style and simple, though not simplistic, diction. He does not merely recount tales that support proverbs and morals. He makes the reader forget that he is being taught something. He wanted his writings to provide a "mirror for princes", practical and corrective moral and ethical guidance for his supporters.
Sa'di said that religion consists only in the service of the people. Religion does not lie only in the rosary or the prayer-rug. He did not support the recluse and the ascetic.
Sa'di enlightenment and free thinking touched the core of Emerson's poetry and made Emerson compose a poem called "Saadi". This poem shows how Emerson is fascinated and enchanted by Sa'di and how he loves Sa'di.
Sa'di is the poet of friendship, love, self-devotion, and serenity. Emerson calls Sa'di a poet of the human race and knows the human being. Poetry is eternal, and poets are constantly living with their poems and never die.
Indeed, the world needs more poets than politicians since the world needs peace! NOT WAR! Poetry and NOT POLITICS, Poets and NOT POLITICIANS!
Only poets can bring about peace and friendship.
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