Nizam Vafa

Nizam Wafa Kashani (1926 or 1927-2005), son of Mirza Mahmud. A writer and poet with the nom de plume Nizam whose genealogy traces back to the poet Sabahi Bigdili. His mother, Haya, was a poetess. Born in Bidgul, Kashan, and having received his preliminary education, he studied Persian and Arabic literature under Sayyid Muhamad Kashani, jurisprudence, its principles, and theology under Sayyid Muhammad Riza Mujtahid, and philosophy under his father, Mirza Mahmud. He studied at a seminary in Qum for a while and also studied traditional medicine under Mirza Muhammad ‘Ali Aqa Jamal, a distinguished physician. He furthered his religious studies in Najaf and following his return, he settled in Tehran where he learned French at the Alliance School. Having entered the political arena, he defended the constitutionalist at the Sipahsalar Garden when the parliament was bombarded at the behest of Muhammad ‘Ali Shah, as a consequence of which he was arrested and imprisoned. After his release and the establishment of the constitutional government, he left the political arena and taught at the Saint Louis School. He also served for a while as the Chief of Inspectorate at the Public Utilities Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry and was promoted to the office of Managing director. He established the Wafa monthly in Tehran in 1923 which was directed by ‘Abd al-Husayn Maykada. He died of stroke in Tehran. His poetical compositions include: Habib wa Rabab, on the suicide of Habib Allah Maykada; Hadith-i Dil; Gudhashta-ha; Divan of poetry. His prose works include: Sitara wa Furugh; Furuz wa Farzana; Yadigar-i Safar-i Urupa.

Asar-afarinan (6/ 53); Sukhanvaran-i Nami-yi Mu’asir (6/ 3656-3661).