Zabihollah Safa

Zabihollah Safa (; 7 May 1911 in Shahmirzad, Qajar Iran – 29 April 1999 in Lübeck, Germany) was a scholar and professor emeritus of Iranian studies at the University of Tehran.

His main contribution to the field of Iranian studies is seen in his seminal and comprehensive works on the history of Persian literature. He was also a regular contributor to the Encyclopædia Iranica.

Education and professional life

Awards

Z. Safa has won several awards: a.o. Decoration (medal) for Science (1. class) (Cultural Ministry (1936), Nešān-e Sepās, 1. class (1947), Palmes Académiques Rang Commandeur (French Government) (1970), Neshān-e Tāj (1977), Ehsan Yarshater prize (1997)

Bibliography

Persian literature

Hamâse-sarâyi dar Irân, Tehran 1945 (2000) Târikh-e tahawwol-e Nazm-o- Nasr-e Pârsi, 1952 (1331), 8. ed. 1974 (1353), Ayên-e sokhan. Dar ma’âni wa bayân, Tehran 1952 (1959), 18. ed. 1994 Târikh-e adabiyyât dar Irân, Tehran 1953, 16. ed. 2001 8 vol. Gandj-e Sokhan, 1370 pages, 1968 (1348), ed. 1976 (1355), Tehran, 1995 3 vol. Gandjine-je Sokhan, 1969 (1348), 3. ed. 1974 (1353), ?. ed. 1983, Tehran, 6 vol. Gandj va Gandjine, Tehran 2002

Persian history and history of thought and science

Gâh-shomari wa Djashn-hâ-je Melli –je Irâniân, 1933 -1976 (1312–1355)) Dânesh-ha-ye Iunâni dar Shâhanshâhi-ye Sâssâni, 1952 (1331) Tehran Mazdâ-Parast-i dar Irân-e Ghadim, 1957 (1336), 3. ed. 1978 (1357) (2537) Târikh’e olum’e aghli dar tammaddon’e eslami ta awwasate gharne panjom, Tehran, 1952 (1977) Târikh-e Oulum wa Adabiyyât-e Irâni Moghâddem-e-ï bar Tassâwof, 1975 (1354), 4 ed. 1976 (1355), Tehran Nazar-i beh Târikh-e Hekmat wa Oulum dar Irân, 1976 (1355), Tehran Âmuseshgâh-ha wa Âmusesh-hâ dar Irân, 1975 (1354), Tehran Dur-namâ-ï as Farhang-e Irâni wa Assar-e Djahâni-ye Ân, 1971 (1350), Tehran Khollasseh-ye Târikhe Siyâssi wa Edjtemâï dar Irân, 2. ed. 1978 (1357), Tehran Siri dar Târikh-e Sabân –hâ wa Addab-e Irâni, 1976 (1355) Tehran Niki-nâmeh, 1971 (1350), Tehran Âyin-e Shâh-han-shâhi-ye Irân, 1967 (1346), Tehran Târikh-e Shâhanshâhi-ye Irân wa Maghâm-e Manawi-e Ân, 1975 (1354), Tehran Shâhanshah dar Târikh wa Addab-e Irâni

Editorials and works on specific historic personalities

Ayyuqi (Poet of the 5th century/isl.): Warqa o Golshâh, Edition with Introduction, Glossary and Appendix. 1964 Tehran, (This novel written in verses was translated into the French language by Souren Melikian (In: Arts Asiatiques Tome XXII. Numéro Spécial. in 1970) after being published in Iran. (Remark by Z. Safa in his handwritten CV) Djashn-nâmeh-je Ebn-e Sinâ(3 volumes), vol 1: 1952 (1331), vol 2: 1955 (1334), vol. 3: 1956 (1335), Teheran Yâd-Nâmeh-ye Kh. Tussi(Congress Teheran 1957 (1336)) Diwân-e Abdul-Wâse’ Djebli, 1960 (1339), 2. ed. 1977 (1356), Tehran Dârâb-nâmeh-je Bigami (or Firuznâmeh) 2 volumes, vol 1: 1960, (1339), vol 2: 1962 (1341) (both issues reprinted in 2003) Unesco - Translation into Englisch Diwân-e Saïfu’d-din e Mohammade Farghâni, 1962 (1341), 3. ed. 1965 (1344), 3 volumes Dârâb-nâmeh-je Tarsussi, 2 volumes, vol. 1: 1965 (1344), 2. ed. 1977 (1356), vol 2: 1967, 2. ed. 1977 (1356), Tehran Bakhtiârnâmeh, 1966 (1345) Ahwâl wa Assâr-e Abu Reihân-e Biruni, 1973 (1352), Tehran Dalirân-e Djânbâs, 1976 (1355), Tehran, 467 pages Bahrâm-e Tshubin Rostam wa Esfandijâr(Rostam and Esfandiar – Heroes of the Shâhnâmeh Tshâhar Maghâleh Hakim-e Fârâb, 1974 (1353), Tehran

Works published in French

Le livre du Millénaire d’Avicenne, 1953 (1332) Anthologie de la poésie persane, Paris, Gallimard Unesco, 1964, ?. ed. 2003 Un aperçu sur l’évolution de la pensée à travers la poésie persane, 1969 (1348), Tehran Al-Biruni, ses oeuvres et ses pensées, 1973 (1352), Teheran Djalal al-Din Mawlavi, grand penseur et poète persan 1974 (1353), Tehran La prose rythmique persane (Asiathèque, 1976) Comparaison des origines et des sources des deux contes persans:“Leyli et Madjnoun“ de Nizami et „Varqah et Golchah“ de Ayouqi, Accademia Nazionale die Lincei, Roma, 1977

Translations into the Persian language

Marg-e Soghrât, (La mort de Socrate, Lamartine) 1935 (1314), 3.ed. 1968 (1347), Tehran Râfâël, (Raphael, Lamartine) 1938 (1317), 5. ed. 1978 (1357), Tehran Leibnitz, Mehr, 2. ed. 1949 (1328) Kayâniân, 1957 (1336), 4. ed. 1976 (1355), Translation of the Danish scholar Arthur Christensens: ‚Les Kayanides’

Own poetry

Nas’at-e Djâm, 1976 (1355) (2535), Teheran

Literature (selection)

Iranshenasi. Papers in Honour of Professor Zabihollah Safa. Vol.III, No. 1, Rockville, Maryland, USA Spring 1991 Iranshenasi. Commemorative Issue for Zabihollah Safa (1911–1999). Vol.XI, No. 3, Rockville, Maryland, USA Autumn 1999 Djalal Khaleghi Motlagh: "Zabihollah Safa und sein Werk". (Zabihollah Safa and his works). In: Iranzamin, Bonn 1991, 1 Seyfeddin Najmabadi: "Ein Nachruf auf Professor Zabihollah Safa". (Obituary for Professor Zabihollah Safa) In: Orient 4/2000, Hamburg, S. 528ff. Mohammad Torabi. Djaschn-nâmeh-ye Ostâd Zabihollâh Safâ (Honorary issue for Professor Zabihollah Safa). Nasr'e Shâhâb, Teheran 19

Quotes on Zabihollah Safa

"The most outstanding historian of Persian literature" (BBC, Persian 11 November 1999) "One of the most eminent and productive Persian scholars of our time and a Consulting Editor and regular contributor to the Encyclopaedia Iranica" (Newsletter of the Center for Iranian Studies, Melac, Vol 11, No 1, Columbia University, New York, Spring 1999) "An Eternal Name in the History of Persian Literature." (Ehsan Yarshater lecutreship prize signature, 1997)

See also

Iranian studies Persian literature