Gholamhossein Yousefi Information

Gholamhossein Yousefi (January 23, 1928 – December 5, 1990) was a distinguished Iranian writer, translator, text editor, and professor of Persian literature. Renowned for his scholarly precision and deep commitment to the literary heritage of Iran, Yousefi played a prominent role in advancing Persian literary studies during the 20th century.

Life and Education
Born in January 1928 in Mashhad, Yousefi completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown before moving to Tehran in 1946 to pursue higher education. He received his doctorate in Persian language and literature in 1951 at the age of 24, while also earning a bachelor’s degree in judicial and political law from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tehran.

With the establishment of the Faculty of Literature at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 1955, he began teaching courses in literary history. In addition to his academic role, he served as the director of teacher training in Khorasan Province. Until his retirement in 1979, he continued teaching both undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Ferdowsi University. His academic work extended beyond teaching, encompassing critical editing of classical Persian texts and scholarly research trips to France, England, and the United States.

Yousefi passed away in December 1990 at the age of 63 due to lung cancer. He was buried in Mashhad near the shrine of Ali ibn Musa al-Reza.

Major Works and Contributions
Yousefi was a prolific scholar whose works include critical editions, translations, and original research in Persian literature. Some of his notable contributions include:

Farrokhi Sistani: A Study of His Life, Times, and Poetry (1962)
Letter of the People of Khorasan (1967)
Qabus-nama (Critical Edition, 1966)
Tasfiyah fi Ahwal al-Mutasawwifah (Critical Edition)
Abu Muslim, Commander of Khorasan (1966)
Taqwim al-Sihhah (Critical Edition, 1971)
Leaves in the Embrace of the Wind (2 vols., 1977)
Lata’if al-Hikmah (Critical Edition)
Translation of But I Love Poetry by Gilbert Sésébron
Anthology of Contemporary Arabic Poetry by Mustafa Badawi
Translation of Perspectives in Literature and the Arts by René Wellek and others
Bustan by Sa’di (Critical Edition, 1980)
Mukhtasar al-Lughat (Critical Edition, 1983)
Translation of Critical Approaches to Literature by David Daiches (1983)
Translation of Humanism in Islam by Marcel Boisard (1983)
Translation and commentary on Sa’di by Henri Massé (1985)
Radiant Souls (1984)
Gulistan by Sa’di (Critical Edition, 1989)
The Clear Spring (1990)
A Visit with the People of the Pen
Sa’di’s Ghazals (Critical Edition, posthumously published in 2006)
Academic Philosophy and Legacy
Yousefi was deeply committed to cultivating scholarly rigor and research-oriented thinking in the university environment. As a senior professor at Ferdowsi University, he maintained exacting standards in graduate admissions, especially in master’s and doctoral programs. Proficiency in Arabic and at least one European language was considered essential, and students were required to have a minimum GPA of 16/20 to even qualify for entrance exams. Written research papers were a significant component of the application process, and only candidates with demonstrable academic potential were admitted. His uncompromising academic integrity resulted in years when only one or two students were accepted—or in rare cases, none at all.

Tributes and Recognition
Numerous scholars have paid tribute to Yousefi’s academic stature and personal character. Iranian bibliographer Iraj Afshar praised him as a sincere and humble scholar, devoted to the pursuit of Iranian knowledge and universal human values—traits seldom found in one individual. Bahauddin Khorramshahi described Yousefi’s edition of Gulistan as a model of textual scholarship. Mohammad Mahdi Naseh, a prominent professor and former student of Yousefi, remembered him as a passionate and disciplined educator who left no minute of classroom time unutilized, always encouraging students to consult original sources and references beyond the curriculum.

Gholamhossein Yousefi’s legacy endures through his writings, critical editions, and generations of students who continue to be inspired by his dedication to literature and scholarship.