# List of Kurdish scholars

The following is a list of people who have contributed to the Kurdish literature. This list is not comprehensive, but is continuously being expanded and includes Kurdish writers and poets from Iran (Persia), Iraq, Turkey (Ottoman Empire), Syria, Russia (Soviet Union), and European countries.

## 8th century – 9th century

* Jaban al-Kurdi

## 11th century

* Ali Hariri (Elî Herîrî) (1009–1079), Kurdish poet

## 12th century

* Ali ibn al-Athir (1160–1233), Kurdish/Islamic historian, born in Jazira (Cizîre) region
* Fakhraddin, Yezidi saint, philosopher, poet and scholar
* Saladin (1137–1193)

## 13th century

* Ibn al-Salah (1181-1245)
* Fakhr al-Din al-Akhlati

## 14th century

* Mala Pareshan (1356-1416)
* Abu'l Fida (1273-1331) Kurdish, the crater Abulfeda on the Moon is named after him
* Masud ibn Namdar
* Al-Shahrazuri
* Zain al-Din al-'Iraqi (1325-1404)

## 15th century

* Mela Hesenê Bateyî (Melayê Batê), (1417–1491), Kurdish poet and Muslim cleric, Hakkari region
* Idris Bitlisi

## 16th century

* Malaye Jaziri (Melayê Cizîrî), (1570–1640), Kurdish poet and Sufi
* Sherefxan Bidlisi (1543–1599), historian and poet, author of Sharafnama

## 17th century

* Faqi Tayran (Feqiyê Teyran), (1590–1660), poet, author of Sheik San'an and Battle of DimDim
* Ali Taramakhi (Eliyê Teremaxî), (1591-1653), linguist and writer
* Mustafa Besarani, (1642–1701), Kurdish poet
* Ahmad Khani (Ehmedê Xanî), (1651–1707) Kurdish writer, poet, astronomer and philosopher, author of Mem û Zîn

## 18th century

* Khana Qubadi (Xana Qubadî), (1700–1759), Kurdish poet, author of Şîrîn û Xesrew
* Mahmud Bayazidi (1797–1859), Kurdish writer, translator and historian
* Nalî (1797–1869), Kurdish mathematician poet
* Khâlid-i Baghdâdî

## 19th century

* Mastoura Ardalan (1805–1848), Kurdish poet and historiographer
* Mawlawi Tawagozi (1806–1882), Kurdish poet and Sufi
* Haji Qadir Koyi (1817–1897), Kurdish poet
* Mahwi (1830–1906), Kurdish poet and Sufi
* Sheikh Rezza Talabani (1835–1910), Kurdish, Iraq
* Wafaei (1844–1902), Kurdish poet, Iran
* Edeb (1860–1918), Kurdish poet, Iran
* Piramerd (1867–1950), Kurdish poet, writer, novelist and journalist, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Mulla Effendi (1863 - December 31, 1942), Islamic philosopher, scholar, astronomer, and politician
* Said Nursi (1876–1960), Kurdish Islamic philosopher, Turkey
* Hajj Nematollah (1871–1919), mystic and poet
* Zewar (1875-1948), writer and poet

## 20th and 21st century

* Muhamed Amin Zaki (1880–1948), writer, historian and politician, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Taufiq Wahby (1891–1984), writer and linguist, Iraq
* Celadet Bedir Khan (Celadet Alî Bedirxan), (1893–1951), linguist, journalist and politician, founder of the Latin-based Kurdish alphabet
* Nuri Barzinji (1896–1958), poet, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Arab Shamilov (Erebê Şemo) (1897–1978), Kurdish writer and novelist, Armenia
* Rafiq Hilmi (1898–1960), Kurdish writer, literary analyst and politician, Iraq
* Cigerxwîn (Cegerxwîn), (1903–1984), Kurdish poet and writer, Turkey/Syria
* Abdulla Goran (1904–1962), Kurdish poet
* Osman Sabri (1905–1993), Kurdish poet, writer and journalist, Turkey/Syria
* Emînê Evdal (1906–1964), Kurdish writer and linguist, Armenia
* Alaaddin Sajadi (1907–1984), Kurdish writer, poet and academic, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Nado Makhmudov (1907-1990), Kurdish writer and public figure, Armenia
* Hecîyê Cindî (1908–1990), Kurdish writer, linguist and researcher, Armenia
* Qanate Kurdo (1909–1985), Kurdish writer, linguist and academic, Russia
* Qedrîcan (1911–1972), Kurdish poet and writer, Turkey/Syria
* Ibrahim Ahmad (1914–2000), Kurdish writer, novelist and translator, Iraqi Kurdistan/England
* Dildar, (Yonis Reuf), (1917–1948), Kurdish poet, Iraq
* Hejar (Abdurrahman Sharafkandi), (1920–1990), Kurdish poet, writer, translator and linguist, Iran
* Hemin Mukriyani (Hêmin Mukriyanî), (1921–1986), Kurdish journalist and poet, Iran
* Ahmad Hardi (1922–2006), Kurdish poet, Iraqi Kurdistan/UK
* Karim Hisami (1926–2001), Kurdish writer, Iran/Iraq/Sweden
* Muhamad Salih Dilan (1927–1990), One of the founders of modern Kurdish poetry
* Shamil Asgarov (1928–2005), poet, researcher on the history and culture of the Kurds in Azerbaijan, translator
* Mahmud Baksi (1944–2001), Kurdish writer and journalist, Sweden
* Rauf Hassan (born 1945), Kurdish writer and journalist, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Rojen Barnas (born 1945), Kurdish poet and writer, Sweden
* Azad Zal (born 1972), Kurdish poet, writer, journalist, translator and linguist, Kurdistan
* Abdulla Pashew (born 1946), contemporary Kurdish poet
* Şahînê Bekirê Soreklî (born 1946), Kurdish writer, poet and translator, Australia
* Reşo Zîlan (born 1947), Kurdish writer, translator and linguist, Sweden
* Latif Halmat (born 1947), Kurdish poet, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Keça Kurd (born 1948), poet, writer and linguist, Germany
* Cankurd (born 1948), Kurdish writer and poet, Germany
* Têmûrê Xelîl (born 1949), translator and journalist, Sweden
* Rafiq Sabir (born 1950), Kurdish poet, Sweden
* Farhad Shakely (born 1951), poet, writer and academic, Sweden
* Khalil Rashow (born 1952), Kurdish writer and academic, Germany
* Pîr Xidir Silêman (born 1952), Kurdish writer, teacher and parliamentarian, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Mehmed Uzun (1953–2007), writer and novelist, Turkey/Sweden
* Jalal Barzanji (born 1953), writer, poet and journalist, Canada
* Fawaz Hussain (born 1953), writer and translator, France
* Zeynelabidin Zinar (born 1953), Kurdish writer, researcher and specialist in Kurdish folklore, Sweden
* Yekta Uzunoglu (born 1953), Kurdish writer, translator and entrepreneur, Czech Republic/Germany
* Najiba Ahmad (born 1954), Kurdish writer and poet, Iraq/Iran
* Perwîz Cîhanî (born 1955), Kurdish writer, poet and novelist, Switzerland
* Hesenê Metê (born 1957), Kurdish writer, novelist and translator, Sweden
* Mustafa Aydogan (born 1957), Writer, novelist and translator, Sweden
* Firat Cewerî (born 1959), Kurdish writer, translator and journalist, Sweden
* Serdar Roşan (born 1959), writer, poet and translator, Sweden
* Ata Nahai (born 1960), writer and novelist, Iran
* Farhad Pirbal (born 1961), Kurdish writer and academic, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Nazand Begikhani (born 1964), Kurdish writer, poet and researcher, UK
* Mahabad Qaradaghi (born 1966), Kurdish writer, poet and translator, Sweden
* Kaziwa Salih (born 1977), Kurdish writer and researcher, Canada.
* Kajal Ahmad (born 1967), Kurdish poet, writer and journalist, Iraqi Kurdistan
* Choman Hardi (born 1974), Kurdish poet, researcher and painter, UK
* Jalal Dabagh (born 1939), Kurdish writer and journalist, Sweden
* Zeki Majed (born 1996) Kurdish poet and film director, Bulgaria