The 13th century Persian Sufi poet Hafiz has been one of my favorite poets. Hafiz was a moulana in a mosque in Iran. His extreme liberality drew him the ire of the Islamic establishment of his time. I have given below some English translations of his poems taken from the book "The Gift".

One wonders what the relationship between Hindus and Muslims would have been if the Hafiz brand of Islam had gained dominance.

Definition of Love:

*Even after all this time the Sun has never told the Earth

"You owe me", look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky.*

Attitude towards God (as a lover): Like a pair of mismatched newlyweds, one of which still feels very insecure, I keep turning to God saying,"Kiss Me".

Attitude towards God (as a lover): When no one is looking I swallow deserts and clouds and chew on mountains knowing they are sweet bones! When no one is looking, and I want to kiss God I just lift my own hand to my mouth

Attitude towards God (as parent):

The tide of my love has risen so high let me flood over you. Close your eyes for a moment and maybe all your fears and fantasies will end. If that happened God would become an infant in your arms. And then you would have to nurse all creation!

Attitude towards God (as oneself):

At some point your relationship with God will become like this: next time you meet Him in the forest or in a crowded city street there won't be anymore "leaving." That is, God will climb into your pocket, you will simply just take yourself along!

Attitude towards God (You are IT!) God disguised as a myriad things and playing a game of tag, has kissed you and said, "you are it- I mean, you're Really IT!" Now it does not matter what you believe or feel for something wonderful, major-league wonderful is someday going to happen.

God's presence inside a human being (1):

It used to be that when I would wake in the morning I could with confidence say, "What am 'I' going to do?" That was before the seed cracked open. Now Hafiz is certain: There are two of us housed in this body, doing the shopping in the market and tickling each other while fixing the evening's food. Now when I awake all the internal instruments play the same music: "God, what love-mischief can 'We' do for the world today?" God's presence inside a human being (2):

Once someone asked me, "Why do saints seek divine annihilation and are often humble and like to spend their free time upon their knees?" I replied, "It is a simple matter of etiquette," Then they said, "What do you mean, Hafiz?" "Well," I continued, "When one goes into a mosque or temple is it not common to remove what covers your feet? So too does it happen with this whole mind and body - that is something like a shoe sole - when one begins to realize upon whom you are really standing, one begins to remove the 'shoe' from the temple" About seeing God:

Running through the streets screaming, throwing rocks through windows, using my own head to ring great bells, pulling out my hair, tearing off my clothes, tying everything I own to a stick, and setting it on fire. What else can Hafiz do tonight to celebrate the madness, the joy, of seeing God everywhere! About seeing God (2):

There I bow my head - at the feet of every creature. This constant submission and homage, of kissing God all over, someday every lover will do. Only there I postrate myself- against the beauty of each form- for which I bring my heart close to any object I always hear the Friend say, "Hafiz, I am here" Nature of God as love:

We are not in pursuit of formalities or fake religious laws, for through the stairway of existence we have come to God's door. We are people who need to love, because love is the souls's life, love is simply creation's greatest joy, through the stairway of existence, O, through the stairway of existence, Hafiz, have you now come, have we all now come to the Beloved's door.

Hafiz on Nature of God:

Every child has known God, Not the God of names, not the God of don'ts, not the God who ever does anything weird, but the God who only knows four words and keeps repeating them, saying: "Come dance with Me." Come dance. Hafiz's attitude towards Religions:

The great religions are the ships, poets the life boats. Every sane person I know has jumped overboard. That is good for business isn't it Hafiz? Hafiz's attitude towards Religions:

I have learned so much from God that I can no longer call myself a Christian, a Hindu, a muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew. The Truth has shared so much of Itself with me that I can no longer call myself a man, a woman, an angel, or even pure Soul. Love has befriended Hafiz so completely it has turned to ash and freed me of every concept and image my mind has ever known.

Hafiz's attitude about Buddha

Hafiz tonight as you sit with your young students who have eyes burning like coals for the truth, raise your glass in honor of the old Great One from Asia, speak in the beautiful style and precision wit of a Japanese verse, say a profound truth about this path with the edge of your sailor's tongue that has been honed on the finest sake. Okay, dear ones, are you ready? Are you braced? Well then: Who can hear the Buddha sing, If that dog between your legs is barking? Who can hear the Buddha sing if that canine between your thighs still wants to do circus tricks?

Hafiz's attitude about Krishna

Something in your soul trusts me otherwise it would not let you near these words. God has spilled a Great One into each of us, this warrior is always fearless but also always kind. The only business I am concerned with these days, since I heard the moon's drunk singing is stealing back our flute from

Hafiz's attitude about death:

How fascinating the idea of death can be. Too bad, though, because it just isn't True.