Jafar Shahidi Information

Jafar Shahidi, also known as Seyed Jafar Shahidi, was born on March 21, 1919, in Borujerd, Lorestan Province, Iran, and passed away on January 13, 2008, in Tehran. He was a distinguished scholar of Persian language and literature, a prominent Islamic historian, and a jurist with the title of mujtahid. Shahidi held several influential positions throughout his life, including serving as the President of the Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute, the founder of the International Center for Persian Studies (ICPS), and the Dean of the Faculty of Literature and Humanities at the University of Tehran.

Education and Early Life
Shahidi lost his father, Mohammad Sajjadi, a respected scholar, shortly after birth. He received his early education in Borujerd before continuing his studies in Tehran. In 1941, he traveled to Najaf, Iraq, where he studied under prominent Islamic scholars such as Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, Tabatabaei, and Seyed Abolqasem Khoei, earning the degree of ijtihad—the highest level of Islamic legal scholarship.

He later returned to Iran and pursued religious and academic work in Qom. After falling ill, he engaged in translation projects and accepted a teaching position at the Abu Moslem School.

Academic Contributions
Through his acquaintance with Dr. Mohammad Moin, Shahidi became closely associated with Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, the renowned Iranian linguist and lexicographer. Recognizing Shahidi’s exceptional scholarly abilities, Dehkhoda designated him as his successor at the Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute. After Dehkhoda’s death, Shahidi played a vital role in continuing and expanding the work on the monumental Persian dictionary.

He also collaborated with Dr. Moin on the Moin Dictionary, the second-largest Persian lexicon, and took charge of completing and publishing it after Dr. Moin’s passing in 1971.

In 1989, Shahidi founded the International Center for Persian Studies (ICPS), promoting Persian language education globally.

Leadership and Legacy
1968: Appointed Associate Director of the Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute
1971–2007: Served as President and Editor-in-Chief of the Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute
1989: Founded the International Center for Persian Studies (ICPS)
1971: Co-Editor and posthumous publisher of the Moin Dictionary
In 1991, he donated his residence in Narmak, Tehran, to the municipality, which now operates as the Dr. Shahidi Public Library.

Recognition and Awards
Honorary Professorship from Peking University
Distinguished Professor Award from the University of Tehran
First-Class Science Medal from the President of Iran
First Rank Medal for Eminent Researcher from Tehran University
Honored as a Chehreh-ye Mandegar (Eternal Figure) of Iranian culture
Death
Dr. Seyed Jafar Shahidi passed away at the age of 88 in Tehran and left behind an enduring legacy in both Persian literature and Islamic scholarship. His life’s work continues to influence generations of scholars and students in Iran and beyond.