Mazahir Musaffa

Musaffa, Mazahir (b. 1928), son of Isma’il. A poet born in Arak bearing the nom de plume Musaffa. His father was a pious man of good disposition and a mystical turn of mind. Having studied the fifth year of his secondary education in Qum, Musaffa departed for Tehran where he completed his sixth year at Dar al-Funun. He studied Persian literature at the Faculty of Letters, of the University of Tehran and obtained his BA and PhD with honors. He was encouraged by his father throughout his collegiate years. He showed his talents for poetry and writing in his student years when he organized speeches at high school and above all volunteered to engage himself in debates and deliver speeches.  Having completed his studies, he taught Persian literature and French at high school in Tehran and also served as the director of the Education Administration in Qum for a while. Then, he was appointed a lecturer in Persian language and literature at the university and also directed the Legal School of Higher Education in Qum. He also contributed articles to The Great Islamic Encyclopaedia. He embarked upon his poetical career in high school and used the noms de plume Yadigar, Tufan, Atash, Zurwan, and Musafa, though he later rarely used any noms de plume. A vigorous poet composing exquisitely elegant qasidas on the model of Khurasani poets and his ghazals are also vigorous, delicate, and adorned with exalted themes. his prose style is fluent, masterly, and eloquent, marked by great stylistic features. Some of his editions of Persian divan and literary studies of Persian prose and poetry have appeared. His works include: Pasdaran-i Sukhan; Qand-i Parsi; complete edition of Riza Quli Khan Hidayat’s Majma’ al-Fusaha; edition of the Divan of Sana’i Ghaznawi; biographical accounts and selected poetry of Safa-yi Isfahani; complete edition of the divan of Sa’di Shirazi; edition of Hakim Nizari-yi Quhistani.

Sukhanwaran-i Nami-yi Mu’asir-i Iran (5/ 3329-3335); Farhang-i Sha’iran-i Zaban-i Parsi az Aghaz ta Imruz (1/ 530-531).