Shahriar of Tabriz, Iran’s Great Honor

Seyed Mohammad-Hossein Behjat  Tabrizi, popularly known as Shahriar, was bom in Tabriz in 1904.

He was taught reading and writing at an early age by his mother whom he loved dearly. He finished his secondary education at the Dar-ul-Fonoun High School in Tehran and went on to study medicine.

After many years of hardship, he abandoned his pursuit of higher education due to emotional problems resulting from a failure in love, which he himself called “a divine gift”, allowing him to transcend earthly love to a spiritual and real love.

Shahriar was a pious Muslim, in addition to being arguably Iran’s greatest contemporary poet.

Tender-hearted, sensitive, and modest are among descriptions of his sublime characteristics.

Interested in all kinds of art-especially poetry, music, and calligraphy-he was well-versed in the art of calligraphy as well.  He also played the setar (traditional musical instrument) so well that it never failed to deeply move listeners, especially his master Abolhassan Saba.

His unique masterpiece, “Heydar Baba”, in the Azeri Turkish language tells the sweet tale of a childhood when no wickedness and cruelty dared to live.

His bitterest memory was of his mother’s death, and his sad poem entitled “Also, My Mom” reminds all of his deep sorrow in losing her.

His “Heydar Baba” lyrics have turned into proverbs and are heard frequently among the people in Iran.

Shahriar had a unique style all his own, with his words rising from the deep of his soul and his sensitive, emotional heart-and decorated with beautiful, stylish words.

His first book was published in 1929, and his last one after his death in 1990.

Poems of master Shahriar contain mostly social subjects. His poetry on the sacred defense and its martyrs speak much of his devotion to these issues.

One September 18, 1988, he returned to where he had come from, and to where he originally belonged. He was buried in the cemetery of the great poets of Tabriz (Maqbarat-ul-Sho’ara(

May God bless his soul.