Jalal Matini Information

Jalal Matini (1928 – January 19, 2025) was a prominent Iranian scholar of Persian literature, best known for his expertise in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and his contributions to contemporary Iranian studies. He produced a critical edition of the Kush Nama, a lesser-known Persian epic, and authored numerous scholarly works throughout his career.

Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Matini was a professor and served as the chancellor of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad from 1975 to 1978. After emigrating to the United States, he taught Persian literature at the University of California, Berkeley, and later at Harvard University.

Matini was the founder and editor of two major academic journals: Iran-Nameh and Iranshenasi, both of which became important platforms for Iranian studies in the diaspora.

Throughout his life, Matini published widely in Persian, with several influential books and articles, including:

• Memories of Jalal Matini About Dr. Ali Shariati in Ferdowsi University (2014)

• A Look at the Political Legacy of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh (2009)

• Iran Over the Centuries (2007)

• Why Islamic?! (2017)

• Eighteen Articles (2017)

He also contributed numerous entries to the Encyclopædia Iranica, covering figures such as Āz̄ar Bīgdeli, ʿAref Qazvīnī, and Adīb Nīshābūrī, as well as literary works like Āfarīn-nāma and Kuš-nāma.

Jalal Matini passed away on January 19, 2025, at the age of 96, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Persian literature and Iranian studies.