The Ladder of Heaven (2 Volumes)

Sharifi writes about “Nardebane Aseman” (The Ladder to Heaven): “This book is not an exegesis of the Masnavi. It is a prose version of the Masnavi that could perhaps be regarded as an interpretative rendition of it. I have tried, through ‘writing,’ to enable a precise reading of the Masnavi for an audience that is neither a specialized reader of the Masnavi nor entirely unfamiliar with it. One distinguishing feature of this book is the author’s method, which involves first understanding the meaning and concept underlying each verse and then conveying it in the clearest language possible. Therefore, while considering all verses, the author treats each ‘semantic segment’ of the Masnavi as a single unit, presenting it as a paragraph. He avoids merely translating the meanings of verses sequentially. This method resembles a free translation, whereby repetitive concepts or details inherent to the poetic structure are not reiterated to focus on conveying the essence.” “One of the most important factors in understanding the Masnavi is grasping Rumi’s references to Quranic verses, Hadiths, and narratives. Therefore, Sharifi has attempted to include an appendix in ‘Nardebane Aseman’ that comprehensively provides source-based research on the Masnavi’s references to aid in the clarification of the background of its stories and metaphors. To distinguish between the narrative and non-narrative or didactic sections — a task that is challenging and may even affect the meaning of the verses — he has used changes in font size within the text, making it easier for the reader to engage with the book.” “Within the prose text, Sharifi has selected and quoted certain verses to maintain the reader’s connection with the poetic nature of the Masnavi. He has quoted three categories of verses: those containing profound ideas or brilliant thoughts, proverbial verses, and simple and beautiful verses, along with segments of prayers.”