Sa’di

Sa’di, pseudonym of Muslih al-Din (1213?-1292?), Persian poet, admired for his blend of cynical wisdom and kindness, and for the elegance of his verse. Born in Shīrāz, Iran, Sa'di studied in Baghdād and later traveled widely in North Africa, Iraq, and perhaps India. He also made several pilgrimages to Mecca, the most sacred of the Islamic holy cities. After returning to Shīrāz in the 1250s, Sa'di wrote his most famous works: the Bustan (The Orchard, 1257), a verse collection of fables, maxims, and histories illustrating Islamic virtues; and the Gulistan (The Rose Garden, 1258), a book of prose stories and anecdotes interspersed with short poems and maxims. Sa'di is also renowned for his lyric poetry and his panegyrics (written works of praise), composed in both Persian and Arabic. His tomb in Shīrāz remains one of the prominent sights of the city.