National Hafez Day in Iran Date in the current year: October 12, 2024

Khājeh Shams-od-Dīn Moḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, commonly known by his pen name Hafez or Hafiz, was born in Shiraz circa 1325. Little is known about his early life. He is said to have memorized the Quran at an early age, earning the title of Hafiz, which he later adopted as his pen name.

Hafez earned widespread acclaim throughout the Islamic work during his lifetime. He held a position as the court poet, and many other Persian poets admired and tried to imitate his work. He is best known for a collection of his poems titled the Divān, which was probably compiled after his death. There is no definite version of the Divān of Hafez; editions vary from 573 to 994 poems.

Although Havez wrote most of his poems in Persian, there is a ghazal in Arabic and a few poems written in a mixture of Persian and Arabic in his Divān. The most important works by Hafez are his ghazals–short poems that often deal with topics of spiritual and romantic love. However, he also wrote poems in other forms such as mathnawi, qasida, qit’a, and ruba’i. Poems by Hafez are widely used in Persian traditional music, Persian calligraphy, and visual art. They have also been translated in multiple languages.

After his death in 1390, Hafez was entombed in his hometown of Shiraz. About half a century later, a small, dome-line memorial structure was erected near his grave, and gardens were planted around it. In the late 18th century, during the reign Mohammad Karim Khan Zand, a more substantial memorial was built in the gardens, and a marble slab was placed over Hafiz’s grave.

The memorial suffered extensive damage in the late 19th century, but it has been rebuilt and expanded since then. The present buildings were designed by French archaeologist and architect André Godard and built in the 1930s. The present-day Tomb of Hafez, also known as Hāfezieh, with its enameled mosaics, rectangular pools, and beautiful gardens, is a major tourist destination.

Hafez is said to be the most analyzed and interpreted Persian poet, as well as the most popular poet in Iran. Many Iranians have his Divān at home and use it for bibliomancy (divination) during big celebrations such as Nowruz or Shab-e Yalda, when the entire family gets together. They would open a random page and read the poem it contains. The poem is then interpreted as an indication of things to come.

National Hafez Day is celebrated in Iran on 20 Mehr, which corresponds to October 11 or 12 in the Gregorian calendar (in leap years and in common years, respectively). The holiday is marked by ceremonies honoring the great poet, poetry readings, literature conferences, art exhibitions, seminars, and other events and activities dedicated to Hafez’s legacy. In honor of the holiday, many Iranians make a pilgrimage to the Tomb of Hafez in Shiraz.