Book excerpt: THE ENLIGHTENED SAYINGS OF HAZRAT 'ALI The Right Hand of the Prophet Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Hazrat 'Ali (598-661) was Prophet Mohammed's nephew, son-in-law and favourite and was the first Imam of the Shi'ites and the fourth of the true caliphs of the Sunnis. Sufi Masters believe in Ali as one of the 'Seven Great Ones' in the first generation of teachers and many in orders of Dervishes trace their spiritual ancestry back to him. Hazrat Ali's sayings are published as Nahj al-Balagh or 'The Peak of Experience'... a treasury of wisdom and divine grace. It is said that he wrote the original Koran in his own blood as Prophet Mohammed gave it. He also composed a Divan of enlightened poetry and one of his important, profound ghazals is translated in the Introduction on his Life, Times & Works to this book. Pages 260. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Hindi, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Baba Farid, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Makhfi, Mu'in. Majnun, Mansur Hallaj, Abu Sa'id, Sarmad and others, and his own poetry, fiction, children's books, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays.