Sanai of Ghazni: The Poet Who Paved the Way for Rumi

Hakīm Abū al-Majd Majdūd ibn Ādam Sanā’ī Ghaznī (c. 1080–1131) occupies a pivotal place in Persian literary history. Revered as one of the earliest Sufi poets to weave mystical philosophy directly into Persian verse, Sanai’s influence rippled through generations—most notably inspiring Attar of Nishapur, who in turn shaped Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī. In Sanai, we see the emergence of a poetic voice that blends ethical teaching, divine love, and spiritual psychology in a manner that would become central to the great Sufi traditions to follow.

A Life in Ghazni and Beyond

Born in the flourishing Ghaznavid court city of Ghazni (in modern-day Afghanistan), Sanai was a trained physician—a role he shared with contemporaries like Rumi’s father. His title “Hakīm” (physician or sage) reflects his dual commitment to healing both body and soul. Though details of his biography remain sparse, traditional accounts place him at the court of Sultan Masʿūd III, where he served as a scholar-poet before retreating to a life of spiritual teaching.

The Walled Garden of Truth: A Literary Milestone

Sanai’s magnum opus, Ḥadīqat al-Ḥaqīqa wa Shariʿat al-Ṭarīqa (“The Walled Garden of Truth and the Law of the Path”), composed around 1121 CE, is one of the earliest extensive works of Persian Sufi poetry.

• Structure and Style
  Divided into sections on metaphysics, ethics, the stages of the spiritual path, and the nature of Divine love, the Garden employs rhyming couplets (mathnawī)—a form later perfected by Rumi. Sanai’s diction is direct yet richly allusive, drawing on Quranic imagery, Persian folklore, …