Hafez is an “intellectual” whose criticisms do not belong to his own era; rather they are still appealing and will remain so for ever, said the minister while addressing a ceremony to commemorate Hafez in Shiraz, capital of Fars Province in southern Iran.
He added that Hafez is not the intellectual of a special time alone; rather he is an intellectual of all times.
Describing Hafez as the “symbol and forerunner of Persian language and culture”, Salehi said, “His teachings have passed on us after a lapse of centuries and he has a special place in our lives.”
Hafez poetry draws inspiration from Qur’an as all his poems are an interpretation of the holy book, the minister said, noting that the main theme of Hafez poetry is knowledge.
October 10 has been designated as Hafez Day in Iran’s national calendar.
Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzi, known by his pen name Hafez (the memorizer; 1315-1390), was a Persian poet. His collected works are regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature and are often found in the homes of people in the Persian speaking world, who learn his poems by heart
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Publish Date: 12 October 2017 - 01:59
Shiraz, Oct 12, IRNA – Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi said on Wednesday that well-known Iranian mystic poet Hafez has been respected among Iranians and his audience as a social reformer and a critic.