Princesses, Sufis, Dervishes, Martyrs & Feminists: Nine Great Women Poets of the East A Selection of the Poetry of Rabi?a of Basra, Rabi?a Balkhi, Mahsati, Lalla Ded, Jahan Khatun, Makhfi, Tahirah, Hayati & Parvin.

PRINCESSES, SUFIS, DERVISHES, MARTYRS & FEMINISTS: NINE GREAT WOMEN POETS OF THE EAST Translations & Introductions by Paul Smith Rabi'a of Basra (d. 801) is considered one of the greatest Saints and founders of Sufism and composed powerful spiritual verse in Arabic. Rabi'a of Balkh (10th c.) was the princess of Afghanistan whose love for a slave of her father the king caused her downfall... she wrote many of her poems in her own blood on the walls of the prison. Mahsati (12th century) was t...