Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob

Abdolhossein Zarinkoob (Luri/Persian: عبدالحسین زرین‌کوب, also Romanized as Zarrinkoub, Zarrinkub) (March 17, 1923 – September 15, 1999) was a prominent scholar of Iranian literature, history of literature, Persian culture and history.
He was born on March 19, 1923 in Borujerd, Iran, received his PhD from Tehran University in 1955 under the supervision of Badiozzaman Forouzanfar, and held faculty positions at prestigious universities such as Oxford University, Sorbonne, and Princeton University, among many others.
Because of his pioneering works on Iranian literature, literary criticism and comparative literature, he is considered the father of modern Persian literature. He was a very influential individual For many people in various fields. His academic persona and his love for Persian literature, history, poetry and art etc., turned him into an idol of intelligence, wisdom and potency. He wrote and researched about the many aspects of Iranian culture and provided his country with precious and important books which vary in subjects; for example Two Centuries of Silence is about a period of Persian history and the effects and roles of Arabian culture on the culture of Persian people at that time, "step by step until meeting god" is about one of Iran's famous poets "Molavi" (Rumi), not western, not eastern, simply humanist" is a series of articles which varies in subjects from criticism to short stories to his thoughts on some issues. Zarinkoub's work provided the Iranian people with rich subjects to read about and gain information about. When asked from all of his works which one does he like the most he replied: " two centuries of silence". He was married but never had a child. Indeed, he was a tycoon whose influence and effect on so many subjects can be felt and seen even today.

Abdulhussein Zarrinkub's solid research works made him a world class Iranologist and undisputed master of Persian literature and poet.He was known for his extreme precision and solid works. He was the author of dozens of books in Persian, French, and English, and published hundreds of articles.

Some of his more famous works in English are:

• The Arab Conquest of Iran and its aftermath: in Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 4, London, 1975.
• Persian Sufism in its historical background, Iranian studies III, 1970
• Nizami, a Lifelong Quest for a Utopia, 1977, Rome.

Literary criticism and comparative literature

Zarrinkoob boosted comparative literature and Persian literary criticism. His book entitled "Naqda Adabi" (نقد ادبی, "Literary Criticism") is a classic book on Persian literary criticism.

Rumi and Erfan

Prof. Dr. Zarrinkoub is also known for his profound research on revered Persian poet Molana Jalaleddin Balkhi (Rumi) and his works. Zarrinkoub's "Serr-e Ney" (سرّ نی, "Secret of the Reed") and "Bahr dar Koozeh" (بحر در کوزه, "Sea in a Jug") are critical and comparative analysis of Rumi's Masnavi. "Pelleh-Pelleh ta Mulaqat-e Khuda" (پله‌پله تا ملاقات خدا, "Step by Step until Visiting God") is also a work he carried out on the same line.

Zarrinkoub's research works on Hafez and Persian mysticism resulted in several books: "Az Kooche-ye Rendan" (از کوچهٔ رندان) and "Arzeshe Miras-e Soofieh" (ارزش میراث صوفیه) are a few examples.

History of Persia

Zarrinkoub's classic book is titled "Two Centuries of Silence" (دو قرن سکوت) Zarrinkoub also published seminal articles and a few books on Islamic history.

The translation of Two Centuries of Silence into English has recently been published.

Zarrinkoob’s other notable book is titled Rouzegaran, (روزگاران) (The Ages) (Iran's history from the beginning to the fall of the Pahlavi) which covers the 3, 000-year history of Iran, since the Aryans migrated to the Iranian plateau, giving it their name.