In Hafez’s poems, it is apparent that he enjoys indulging in the finer things in life. Even though he is a Sufi, he takes great pride in drinking alcohol and admiring the beauty of women that pass him by. It may seem from the outside that his urge to indulge in pleasure only complicates his role as a Sufi. That is not the case. Hafez is acting in this way to show others the path they need to take to get to heaven, as people need to do the exact opposite of what he does. A Sufi is meant to be someone who is admired for his ability to teach others the right way to live a pious life. Hafez is just taking an alternate route as some people learn better by observing other people’s mistakes.
3 thoughts on “Hafez’s praise of worldly pleasures”
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I find it very interesting the way you inferred Hafez’s writing. It is very true that people often learn from others mistakes, and by you making these connections, it really clarifies Hafez’s role as both a poet and a Sufi. Also, it is interesting to see how Hafez views life as a Sufi and writes about it, compared to Rumi who is also a Sufi, but takes a completely different standpoint and guides you through the actual path you should take to connect with a higher power.
I loke how you described his appeal towards the finer things in life, but I believe you both have a wrong understanding of what a Sufi is. Sufi isn’t really an Islamic priest or sect. but rather a way of approach towards Islam. More so like a belief in the truth of Islam and love for Islam without the complete devotion towards its rituals.
I find your personal take of Hafez’s theology to be very interesting: how Hafez is actually acting as a model for all other Sufis. You also made an interesting point how Hafez is indulging in pleasures and teaching other believers to act differently. In response to Nahiyan’s definition, I like how Nahiyan mentioned Sufis approach Islam differently with their own beliefs thus explaining Hafez’s reasons to share about his pleasures in his works.