Jami: The Polymath Poet and the Culmination of the Classical Tradition

Jami of Herat (1414–1492) stands as the crowning figure of the classical Persian poetic and intellectual tradition. A prodigious scholar, jurist, Sufi master, calligrapher, and astronomer, Nur ad-Dīn Abd al-Rahmān Jāmī brought to completion the poetic lineage of Sanā’ī, ‘Aṭṭār, Sa‘dī, and Rūmī—synthesizing their mystical vision with encyclopedic learning. His works not only refined the language of love and devotion but also exemplified the harmonious interplay of art, science, and spirituality in Timurid Iran.

A Life of Learning and Devotion

Born in the vibrant cultural hub of Herat in the Timurid realm, Jami was immersed from childhood in the madrasa tradition. By his early twenties he had mastered jurisprudence (fiqh), theology (kalām), and hadith, earning the title “Ḥāfiẓ” for his memorization of the Qur’ān. Yet his passions were manifold:

• Mysticism: Under the guidance of the eminent Naqshbandī sheikh Ubayd Allāh Aḥmad-ī Sam‘ānī, Jami delved into Sufi practice, eventually becoming a spiritual authority in his own right.

• Poetry: He wrote in every major Persian metre, renewing classical forms—ghazal, qasida, masnavī—while infusing them with fresh philosophical depth.

• Sciences: His treatises on astronomy and mathematics display a rigorous command of observational methods and theoretical calculation.

• Calligraphy and Art: A master of the nasta‘līq script, Jami’s manuscripts were prized for their elegant penmanship and illumination.

Major Works: Where Learning Meets Longing

Haft Awrang (“Seven Thrones”)

Jami’s most celebrated poetic collection, the Haft Awrang is a suite of seven masnavī romances and allegories:

1. Salāmān wa Absāl – A tale of princely …