Vahid Dastgardi, Hasan Ibn Muhammad Kasam

Born 1879, in the village of Dastgard near Isfahan; died 1943. Iranian literary scholar and poet.

Vahid Dastgardi was born into a peasant family. From 1920 almost to the end of his life he edited the literary journal Armaghan in Tehran. He was a strong defender of classical poetry. Although Vahid Dastgardi’s lyric poetry is sonorous and elegant, it has little content. Of most interest is the epic poem The Adventures of Ardashir. Vahid Dastgardi prepared critical editions of divans by the poets Baba Tahir, Abu al-Faraj Runi, Hatif of Isfahan, Adib al-Mulk Farahani, Qaim Magam, and Auhadi and tadhkirs (biographies) by Sama and Nasrabadi, as well as the most complete and accurate edition of the Seven Books by Nizami.