Nasir Bukhara’i

Nasir Bukhara’i, Darwish Nasir (d. 1371 or 1377), calligrapher, Sufi, and poet well-known as Shah Khwaja Nasir. Born in Bukhara, he was a contemporary of the Muzaffarid Shah Shuja’ (1358-1385). Having spent his youth in Transoxiana, he studied under the Shaykhs in that region. He traveled to Baghdad and entered the court of the Ilkanid Sultan Uways ibn Shaykh Hasan (1356-1374) and served him as a companion. Having retired from the companionship of the king, he trod the Sufi path, visited Shaykh Nur al-Din ‘Abd al-Rahman Isfarayini and donned the Sufi garb. Having received the permission to provide disciples with spiritual guidance, he departed for the Hijaz and joined the audience of  ‘Ala’ al-Dawla Simnani, asking him questions and receiving replies. He had mastery of composing ghazals and qasidas. He composed qasidas on the style of the twelfth and thirteenth century poets. His elegantly delicate ghazals are imbued with novel themes and eloquent and exquisite diction. He was also a skillful calligrapher. His Divan of poetry runs to about 4,000 couplets. Some biographers attribute Hidayatnama to him as well. The following lines are by him:

The needless poor Sufi who rules the realm of contentment,

Is called Darwish and is the sovereign of the world.

We are passionately intent on the reviving company of the beloved,

Though our keen interest in wine is not for hang-over.

One may not claim to be acquainted with oneness at school,

The place of those believing in oneness is on the gallows.

Those of fiery breath may assess the true value of the tavern,

The depressed have nothing to do with the tavern.

Asar-afarinan (6/ 7); Tarikh-i Adabiyyat dar Iran (3/ 995-1003).