Khosrow Hakim Rabet Information

Khosrow Hakim Rabet, born on March 25, 1930, in Shiraz, was the son of Mahmoud and Rezvan. He spent the first few years of his life in Estahban and recalls memories from those early days. Khosrow was still a child when his father’s vision deteriorated, plunging the family into poverty and hardship. Khosrow writes about his grandfather, Hakeem Elahi, who was later given the surname Rabet after an alliance between the two major political parties in Shiraz. Hakeem Elahi, a religious scholar and a disciple of Seyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi, was actively involved in the political landscape of Shiraz. Due to his political affiliations, his family name was changed from “Hakeem Elahi” to “Hakeem Rabati.”

Khosrow Hakim Rabet describes his grandfather, Hakeem Elahi, as a religious scholar who had studied under Seyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi. He was currently teaching at the “Hakeem” school, lecturing on philosophy and principles, and had a room behind Seyed Mir Mohammad, the brother of Shah Cheragh, at the school. In his later years, Hakeem Rabet continued to teach and contribute to the cultural and educational landscape of Shiraz.

Regarding his wife, Ahoo Banoo, Khosrow Hakim Rabet expresses deep gratitude, stating that he owes everything to her. He describes her as the compassionate hand that pulled him out of the fire and storm, providing comfort and peace for him to stand, reflect on himself, look at his past, and come to terms with himself. He considers her a blessing and a source of prosperity, emphasizing that if there is any religion, he is indebted to her.

In the years of Khosrow Hakim Rabati’s youth, he experienced a period of displacement and wandering, marked by the tumultuous political events of the 1930s and 1940s. These were years of labor and hard work, forcing him to undertake various tasks, from plumbing to electrical work and serving as a meat hygiene specialist in Turkey. During this time, he was distanced from the academic and artistic realms, although his eventful life became a self-learning journey filled with experiences.

Khosrow Hakim Rabet faced challenges and hardships during these years, navigating through a period heavily influenced by political turmoil in the 1930s and 1940s. He found himself engaged in labor-intensive activities, requiring him to overcome numerous challenges. From pipe installation to electrical work and serving as a meat hygiene specialist in Turkey, he embarked on diverse paths.

Despite being distanced from formal education and the artistic atmosphere, Khosrow Hakim Rabet embraced a self-taught approach to life. He once remarked that no teacher has been better for him than life itself, and he learned more from life and work than anything else.

While Khosrow Hakim Rabet is familiar with the struggles and pains of life, his playful disposition stands out as one of his prominent features. Some critics have criticized him for what they perceive as artistic and literary inactivity during the long years of his life. In response, he reflects on the challenges he faced, describing a person engulfed in storms, consumed by fire, fleeing from alley to alley in disarray, and contending with displacement and wandering. In such circumstances, he questions what one can achieve, whether they can write, stand, observe their surroundings, or even think. For him, the majority of his life has been traversing through these storms, fires, and displacements, leaving little opportunity for standing still and contemplation.

Khosrow Hakim Rabati’s life is a testament to resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity, and he emphasizes the limited capacity for artistic and intellectual pursuits during turbulent periods.