Esmail Navab Safa
Biography
Esmail Navab Safa (March 20, 1925, Kermanshah – April 8, 2005, Tehran) was an Iranian writer, researcher, poet, and songwriter.
Early Life and Family
Seyyed Esmail Navab Safa was born on March 20, 1925, in Kermanshah. His paternal family belonged to the noble “Navab” lineage from Isfahan, a title given to families related to the Safavid dynasty. His paternal granduncle, Mirza Abdolvahab Khan Mo’tamed-ol-Dowleh, known as Neshat Esfahani, was a poet during the Qajar era.
His father, Seyyed Morteza Navab Safavi, was a devoted follower of the Safi Ali Shah Nimatullahi order. During a meeting in Jafarabad, Shemiran, he received the title “Navab Ali” from Zahir-od-Dowleh, the leader of the Sufi order.
The family later moved to Kermanshah due to his father’s government position. Esmail’s mother was the daughter of Mirza Hassan Khan Basiri, who, along with her sister, founded the first national girls’ school named “Basirat” in Kermanshah
Education and Career
Esmail Navab Safa completed his primary education in Kermanshah before moving with his family to Gorgan and later to Tehran. In 1944, at the age of 20, he published his first poem in the *Tawfiq* newspaper, under the editorship of Mohammad Ali Tawfiq and Abolghasem Halat. Soon after, he joined the editorial board of the newspaper and began writing a regular column under the pseudonym “Morched Safa.”
In the summer of 1946, Navab Safa became a member of the first Congress of Poets and Writers, presided over by Malek o-Sho’arā Bahār. His first song, “Vadeh Golrokhan,” was composed in 1946, marking the beginning of his artistic career. He later joined Radio Tehran, contributing significantly to the station’s programs and working closely with notable artists of the time.
Navab Safa continued his songwriting and literary activities up until the Iranian Revolution. After the revolution, he turned his focus towards research and writing. His works include “Qesseh-ye Shama,” a collection of memoirs, “Tafsir-e Panj Qasideh,” an analysis of five poems by Asadi Tusi, and “Naghmeh-ye Mehr,” a biography of five famous poets and mystics, including Rumi, Saadi, and Hafez.
Later Life and Death
Esmail Navab Safa passed away on April 8, 2005, and was buried in the Artists’ Section of Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in Tehran. His legacy continues through his significant contributions to Persian poetry, music, and literature.
Timeline of Artistic Life
– **1934:** First meeting with Qamar-ol-Molouk Vaziri in Kermanshah.
– **1946:** Began collaboration with Majid Vafadar, resulting in around 12 songs.
– **1955:** Returned to Tehran and started working with Radio Tehran’s music programs under Davoud Pirnia’s leadership, which led to the creation of the “Golha” program.
– **1957-2005:** Engaged in songwriting, research, and occasional collaboration with Iranian composers like Asadollah Malek.
This biography highlights the major milestones in Navab Safa’s life and his contributions to Iranian culture.
- Birthday: March 20, 1925
- Death: April 8, 2005
- Birthplace: Kermanshah, Kermanshah, Iran
Writer, Poet and Songwriter