Persian beside Arabic has been a medium for literary and scientific contributions to the Islamic world especially in Anatolia, central Asia and Indian sub-continent. Poetry is a very important part of Persian culture. Poetry is used in many classical works, whether from Persian literature, science, or metaphysics. For example about half of Avicenna's medical writings are known to be versified. Persian literature has been considered by such thinkers as Goethe as one of the four main bodies of world literature.[177] The Persian language has produced a number of famous poets; however, only a few poets as Rumi and Omar Khayy�m have surfaced among western popular readership, even though the likes of Hafez, Saadi, Nezami,[178] Attar, Sanai, Naser Khusraw are considered by many Iranians to be just as influential. The books of famous poets have been translated into western languages since 1634. An example of Persian poetic influence is the poem below which is widely popular:

"

Of one Essence is the human race thus has Creation put the base One Limb impacted is sufficient For all Others to feel the Mace "

Saadi (11841283)