Selected Ghazals of Shahriar

Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Behjat Tabrizi (January 2, 1906 – September 18, 1988), mainly known by the pen name Shahriar, was an Iranian Azerbaijani poet who wrote in both Azerbaijani and Persian. His most important work, Heydar Baba Salam, is considered the peak of Azerbaijani literature and gained great popularity among the Turkic world, being translated into more than 30 languages. Contrary to many figures of his time, Shahriar rarely engaged in political problems and ideologies, but he was known for his passionate nationalism. His works contain numerous metaphors praising Persepolis, Zoroaster, and Ferdowsi. The book Selected Ghazals of Shahriar, written by Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Shahriar, was published by Negah Publishing. The poet began composing tragic poetry. Many of his bitter and sweet memories are reflected in the books “Sorrows of the Heart,” “Heydar Baba,” and “Mummy.” Heydar Baba, originally written in Azerbaijani and later translated into Persian, was long among the top ten best-selling books in Tehran. Heydar Baba is the name of a mountain where the poet spent his childhood. He also wrote the epic poetry book “Persepolis.” He was interested in humanitarian issues and criticized the misuse of scientific achievements as nuclear weapons in his poem “A Letter to Einstein.” Shahriar’s verses come in various forms, including ghazal, rubai, do-bayti, qasida, and elegy. He was a talented calligrapher, an excellent setar player, and had a profound interest in music. He was a close friend of the Iranian musician and respected master Abdolhossein Saba.