Last Friday we enjoyed an inspiring afternoon exploring female mystic saints in Christianity and Islam. Alongside the beautiful lectures, we were treated to a wonderful musical piece by Rokus de Groot, performed by Irene Maessen.

We are excited to share the audio recording with you—listen below!

Rokus de Groot

“Open your door to me,” Poems of Jahan Malek Khatun

For (mezzo)soprano solo

Dedicated to the Utrecht University ERC Research Group ‘Beyond Sharia’, in friendship and appreciation:

Asghar Seyed-Gohrab, Bodil Carina Ponte-Kok, Diede Farhosh-Van Loon, Arash Ghajarjazi, Amin Ghodratzadeh, Maarten Holtzapffel, Fatemeh Naghshvarian, Alexandra Nieweg, Zhinia Noorian, Leila Rahimi Bahmany

1

“Sing one or two of Jahan’s lines”

If you get hold of Jahan’s poems

Take up an instrument to pass the time,

And sing one or two of her lines with a sweet voice;

Let the sounds of the tambourine and flute delight you.

2

“My heart – how sweet”

To see the blossom of his face, my heart – how sweet; To nibble kisses from his lips, my heart – how sweet; To snatch a moment’s happiness, exchanged for so much sorrow – To gain my soul, and sacrifice my heart – how sweet,

ای دل گل روی یار دیدن چه خوش است وز لعل لبانش بوسه چیدن چه خوش است یک لحظه وصال او به بازار غمش دل کرده فدا به جان خریدن چه خوش است

3

“As gentle as the morning breeze”

How sweet those days when we were still together; when we cared For one another, and our grief and happiness were shared!   We used no waspish tongues to wound each other’s hearts; we swore That we’d be one another’s shields, faithful for evermore!   And would, thanks be to God, be famed for how much we’d dispense In charity, and for our buildings’   bold magnificence.   For years we took our pleasure, laughed   aloud – it was as though We were spring flowers, and happiness   was all that we could know;   And we were kind, considerate,   politely intimate – As gentle as the morning breeze   with every soul we met.   We spread our light throughout the world   as if we were the sun, And like the sun itself we dried   dew’s tears for everyone.

یاد باد آنکه عزیزان همه با هم بودیم همه دم با غم و شادی همه همدم بودیم   نیش زنبورصفت بر دل هرکس نزدیم به وفا عهد سپر کرده و محکم بودیم   به زکات و صدقات و به بناهای بزرگ شکر معبود که مشهور به عالم بودیم   سالها در چمن ذوق به بستان طرب همچو گل خنده زنان خوش دل و خرّم بودیم   با همه خلق جهان خلق و تواضع کردیم چون صبا با همه کس یکدل و محرم بودیم   تا که خورشیدصفت بر همه کس تافته ایم در سر مهر جهان دافع شبنم بودیم

4

“Open Your door to me”

O God, be kind, and open wide Your door, I don’t want others’ kindness any more;   And if I’ve strayed from the right path, I know That You will guide me where I have to go   […]   All powerful God, who needs no human prayer, Open Your door to me, receive me there.   In one night, sovereignty abandoned me – Your kindness now is all my sovereignty.   And who dare praise You or extol You? Who, For all his eloquence, can speak of You?   If You’re my friend, then what is it to me If all my country’s now my enemy?

الهی تو بگشا به لطفت دری که منّت نمی خواهم از دیگری   اگرچه ره راست کج رفته ام نماید به ما هم رهی رهبری   اگر بر سرماست او را سخن فدای سر یار دارم سری   به روی من ای خالق ذوالجلال تو بی منّت خلق بگشا دری   شبی داوری رفت بر من ز دور بجز لطف تو نیستم داوری   که یارد که حمد و ثنایت کند اگر چند باشد زبان آوری   تو گر دوست خواهی چه غم باشدم اگر خصم باشد مرا کشوری

Translation by Dick Davis, Faces of Love: Hafez and the Poets of Shiraz (New York: Penguin, 2013, pp. liv, 190, 166-7, 161)