Mohtasham Kashani (905 AH in Kashan - 996 AH in Kashan) was a Persian poet of the 10th century AH and in the same period as Shah Tahmasb I of Safavid dynasty. The main occupation of Mohtasham was Bazazi and Sharabafi, and he lived all his life in Kashan and died there. His tomb in this city - located in Mohtasham neighborhood - is a public shrine.

His death took place in 996 AH. His tomb is in one of the central neighborhoods of Kashan, called Mohtasham Alley. The composition of the famous ward of the martyrs of Karbala made him immortal and famous. Mohtasham Tomb, which is a beloved and romantic shrine of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) today, has a small dome decorated with beautiful tiles. On the four walls on the side of the tomb, there are pieces of his famous white line in the Nastaliq script on a crimson background.

Biography of Mohtasham Kashani

Mohtasham Kashani, a famous Iranian poet who was born in the 10th century AH in the city of Kashan, his real name was Kamaluddin Ali Mohtasham Kashani and he was called Shams Al-Shoarai Kashani. He died on the date of Rabi al-Awal in 996 AH in the city of Kashan. Later, the tomb of this poet was respected by many people. His father’s name was Khajeh Mir Ahmad. He studied religious and literary sciences during his adolescence. He also studied the poems of various Iranian poets. He mostly wrote poems about the suffering of Shiite Imams, and his poems were more ideological for Safavid kings.

The most famous Shiite poet

Among Shiite supporters, “What a revolt …” written by “Mohtasham Kashani” has a special place. After Mohtasham, a large number of poets used this composition in their laments and poems. Mohtasham Kashani studied poetic techniques with Sedghi Astarabadi (a resident of Kashan). Also, Mohtasham himself brought up students such as: Sari Savoji, Horror Joshaghani, Hasrati Kashani, Taghiuddin Mohammad Hosseini, who is the author of “Summary of Poetry".

After composing the lament of the martyrs of Karbala in twelve verses, he was able to gain a high position in lamenting it. The first paragraph of his famous verse is “What kind of revolt is there in the creation of the universe? / What kind of mourning and what kind of
mourning and what kind of mourning is this?”

As a young man, Mohtasham Kashani was able to enter the court of Shah Tahmasb Safavid in his youth, and despite his beautiful poems and lyric poems, he was favored by Shah Tahmasb. His name later became one of the most famous poets of his time. He had religious beliefs, as well as Shiite sentiments at the court of the Safavid kings to strengthen the Shiite religion against Sunni religions.

Mohtasham Kashani was able to compose religious poems and the hardships of the Ahl al-Bayt’s life, which were new and new in their kind at the time. After a while, Mohtasham Kashani became one of the greatest Iranian poets who wrote poetry in the style of religious poetry and the sufferings of the Shiite Ahl al-Bayt. Mohtasham’s poems gained special fame throughout Iran. In such a way that Mohtasham Kashani should be named the most famous poet in the field of lamentation in Iran. For the first time, he was able to create a new style of composing religious poetry. The first religious poem that Mohtasham sang was in mourning the loss of his brother. He composed beautiful verses for the grief of Hajar’s brother. After that, he started composing mourning songs for the event of Karbala’s life, various misfortunes and the Ashura event of Hosseini.