The VIII issue of the collection is dedicated to Safar Shirinov’s memory – a late orientalist, poet-translator. Even the lead article of academician Rafael Huseynov “The early leaf fall” is about the untimely dead scientist. R.Huseynov gives great value to Safar Shirinov’s talent and ability and calls him as “the best connoisseur of the East breathing in poetry and classical literature who associated with the storehouse of poetry in Persian long years. Complete translation of the third volume of Movlana Jalaladdin’s “Masnavi” by Safar Shirinov is presented in the “Literary monuments” chapter of the book. It should be mentioned that the poetic translation of the first two chapters of Movlana’s “Masnavi” by the orientalist were published in the previous issues of the collection “Sharg”. It is pity to say that the scientist could not finish translation of “Masnavi”’s six volumes which had been intended to be done.

In the “Classical literature and folklore” chapter of the collection there is an article “Baba Tahir and his successor Faiz Dashtistani’s life” by Rafael Huseynov who gives information about the XI century great philosopher Baba Tahir’s worthy follower Faiz Dashtistani and his literary legacy, approximately consisting  of 400 dubeyties (distiches). “Dubeyties” are presented in Rafael Huseynov’s translation. The ordinal number according to Dr. Mahammad Kazimi’s publication is given at the end of each dubeyti in order to be compared easily.

The information about Badi az-Zaman al-Hamadani who occupies the honorable place in Arabic literature with his magamas is presented as well as in the collection. It is noted that though Al-Hamadani was the author of more than 400 magamas, only 51 of them have come down to our days. All these magamas were told by Isa ibn Hisham and all events were happened around the single hero Abul-Fath al-Iskandari. The “Magamas” of Badi az-Zaman al-Hamadani are presented in the translation of Solmaz Baghirova.

The last chapter “Classical literature and folklore” of the collection gives information about the life and creativity of the well-known and active representative of renovation movement in the history of Arabic literature Hasan ibn Hani Abu Nuvas. It is mentioned that Abu Nuvas’s teacher Khalaf al-Ahmar played an important role in the development of his poetic ability and outlooks on shuubism. That was Khalaf al-Ahmar who gave young poet pseudonym “Abu Nuvas”. He was the court poet of Harun ar-Rashid, but became famous in the reign of Harun ar-Rashid’s son Caliph Amin.

The poems of Abu Huvas are presented in the translation of Ph.D Aida Gasimova.

In “Contemporary literature” chapter of the collection in the article “Streams join in a single stock” Sabir Nabioglu gives information about Manuchohr Kayan and mentions that Gashgays have Turkic origin. Manuchohr Kayani’s documentary story “From Khonj to Mahur”, “Faithful to the oath” and “Who is in fault?” from the series “Gashgai stories” are presented in the translation from Persian into Azerbaijani in Sabir Nabioglu’s translation.

The artist of the collection is Stanislav Shatikov, the  proofreader is Kamala Jafarli, the designers are Jasarat Gasimov and Kabira Hashimova.

You can download it in PDF.