Quote by Nizami Ganjavi: “The heart is a mirror; polish it so it can reflect the divine light.”

The human heart is capable of perceiving something greater than itself, but only if you clear away the things that cloud it — selfishness, distraction, pride. Inner purification is not about punishment; it is about becoming capable of deeper seeing.

Nizami composed his epics in Ganja under the patronage of the Eldiguzids, a dynasty ruling Azerbaijan during a period of fragmented power following the decline of the Seljuk Empire. His love epics drew on both Persian and Islamic traditions to explore the relationship between earthly and divine love.

Persian epic poet born around 1141 in Ganja, in present-day Azerbaijan, whose romantic epics collectively known as the Khamsa are masterpieces of Persian literature. His poem Layla and Majnun profoundly influenced subsequent literary treatments of romantic love across the Islamic world.