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Jami,a Scientist and a poet was born in 1414. (Post 117)


Nur ad-Din Abd Al Rahma Jamin  was born in 1414 in Jam and grew up in Herart (Afghanistan). He was a scholar of Islam, a poet and a Sufi shaikh of Naqsbandi order. He received his higher education at Madrasa Niazmiyah, an institution of higher learning and research in Herat where he studied mathematics, natural science, logic, philosophy,  Arabic literature and religious studies.  For more advanced studies in science he went to Samarkand to attend  its famous institute of advanced studies in sciences.

He wrote extensively on science, religion and poetry. His divan "Hft Awran" (7 thrones) is well known. It contains the famous story of  "Yousuf and Zolekha". He wrote Treaties on Sufism and many other divans, books articles and commentaries. Not much of his work is available in English translation.

To give Jami's period a context, Lodhi Dynasty rule in India began in in1450.  Leonardo da Vinci was born in1452, and both Shakespeare and Galileo were both born inin1564. In1450 Delhi had a population of about 80,000* and London, a population of about 50,000. 

Jami at first used the pen name of Dashti because his father came from there and then changed to Jami  for reasons  describes below. Khaliq

My birthplace is Jami, and my pen

Has drunk from (knowledge of) Shaikul Ul Islam

Ahmed Jam,

Hence in the books of poetry

My pen name is Jami for these two reasons.

Here is a short selection from Jami.

"Whether your destiny is glory or disgrace,
Purify yourself of hatred and love of self.
Polish your mirror; and that sublime Beauty
From the regions of mystery
Will flame out in your heart
As it did for the saints and prophets.
Then, with your heart on fire with that Splendor,
The secret of the Beloved will no longer be hidden."

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