Fal-e Hafez: The Oracle of Shiraz

For six centuries, Iranians have turned to a single book in moments of uncertainty. Not a religious text, not a book of spells — a collection of poetry. The Divan of Hafez sits beside the Quran in almost every Iranian home. When faced with a difficult decision, a broken heart, or a crossroads in life, one does not simply read Hafez. One consults him.This is the practice of the Fal-e Hafez — the omen of Hafez. You hold a question in your heart, close your eyes, and open the book at random. The poem that appears is your answer.This definitive edition presents all 495 ghazals of Hafez of Shiraz in a single luxurious volume, making it the most complete English-language oracle of its kind. Each poem appears in the original Farsi alongside the celebrated English translation of Gertrude Lowthian Bell — the diplomat, archaeologist, and poet whose 1897 renderings remain unsurpassed in their beauty and fidelity to the Persian spirit.Whether you read Persian or not, whether you come as a seeker, a scholar, or simply someone who loves great poetry, this book is designed to be used. A full guide to the Fal-e Hafez ritual is included, along with access to AI-assisted interpretations of your reading via QR code.Hafez is known as Lisan al-Ghayb — the Tongue of the Unseen. His words have comforted the grieving, guided the lost, and illuminated the hearts of readers across six centuries and every continent. This edition brings that living tradition into your hands.495 ghazals. Two languages. One oracle. Read more