Shifa'i Isfahani

Shifa'i Isfahani (also spelled Shafaei; Persian: شفایی اصفهانی; 1549 or 1558/59 – 9 May 1628) was a physician and poet in 16th and 17th century Safavid Iran, as well as the poet laureate of Shah Abbas I (r. 1587–1629). The didactic masnavi Namakdan-e haqiqat is considered his best work, made to resemble the Hadiqat al-Haqiqa by Sanai. Although writers of Shifa'i's era criticised his harsh and frequently sarcastic humor, they considered him as one of the greatest poets of his era.

Due to his strong patriotism, Shifa'i criticized Iranians migrating to India, a common trend at the time. He wrote in more different styles than his peers, including the Indian style (also known as the Isfahani or Safavid style), which was common at the time in both India and Iran.