A Shaykh is Offered Wine (16th century) From an illustrated Divan of Hafiz Calligraphy by Mir Husayn al-Husayni, known as Mir Kulangi The Khalili Collections (@the_khalili_collections ) A religious elder reaches for the one drink his faith forbids. The poet who imagined the scene, Hafiz of Shiraz (1315–1390), knew the entire Qur’an by heart. The verses around the painting say: drink the ruby wine, and beware of holy men hiding snares beneath their patched robes. Read it as satire, and the shaykh has been caught red-handed. Read it as mysticism, and the wine is the love of God. Hafiz spent his whole life refusing to say which he meant. Voiceover @shabnamnasimi Follow @shabnamnasimi for more stories hidden in Eastern art. #history #art #museum #painting #fashion