Zabihollah Safa
Illustration — Zabihollah Safa, c. 1975 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.
Zabihollah Safa
- Born
- 1911 · Shahmirzad.
- Died
- 1999 · Lübeck.
- Nationality
- Iran
- Occupation
- iranologist · poet · historian · translator · literary scholar · writer · university teacher
- Education
- University of Tehran
- Honours
- Commander of the French Order of Academic Palms
- Languages
- Persian
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Illustration — Zabihollah Safa, c. 1975 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.
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Zabihollah Safa (1911–1999) was an Iranian historian, iranologist and literary scholar, among other activities. Born in Shahmirzad, the historian died in Lübeck.
Zabihollah Safa studied at University of Tehran. The historian worked for University of Tehran.
Languages used include Persian. Zabihollah Safa received Commander of the French Order of Academic Palms.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q138984 · wikipedia · Zabihollah Safa
In this article
Education and professional life
Education and professional life
He was also a regular contributor to the Encyclopædia Iranica.
Newsletter of the Center for Iranian Studies, MELAC, Vol 11, No 1, Columbia University, New York, Spring 1999
Persian history and history of thought and science
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
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
Translations into the Persian language
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
Own poetry
• Nas’at-e Djâm, 1976 (1355) (2535), Teheran
Quotes on Zabihollah Safa
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)
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Shahmirzad.
Birth place
Lübeck.
Death place
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
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)
Persian literature
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
Literature (selection)
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
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Studied at
1- University of TehranOrganisation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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