‘Ashiq-i Isfahani

Biography

‘Ashiq Isfahani, Aqa Muhammad Khayyat (1689/1699-1767/1768), a poet from Isfahan and a contemporary of Hatif and Adhar. He earned a living as a tailor. A Sufi minded poet, like many other young poets at the time, he was encouraged by Mushtaq Isfahani, one of the forerunners of the first literary movement under the Zand Karim Khan, to turn towards literary restoration movement following the poetical styles of earlier masters. ‘Ashiq’s ghazals are lyrical and elegant and he was praised by his contemporaries for his pleasant and fluent ghazals. He died in Isfahan and his Divan of poetry survives.

Az Saba ta Nima (1, 13).