Morteza Rezvanfar calls the Ashura poem of Mohtasham Kashani the most-used Persian text in the world and says: The Poem of Mohtasham describing Ashura is the most abundant Persian text that I have documented from East Asia to East Africa.
The researcher, and member of the Cultural Heritage Research Institute is preparing a certificate for Persian inscriptions found in places other than Iran. He had an interview with ISNA. He said in his book, there are Persian inscriptions in the world and include the field of influence of Iranian culture and civilization:
“I tried to identify and document Persian inscriptions around the world for many years, so I go to different areas. After reading and preparing the inscriptions, along with the image of the building and the inscription itself, I will publish them in a book. I found the most-uses text, and it is from Mohtasham Kashani, the 16th-century Persian poem.”
He continued: “The scope of my activities starts from the easternmost parts of Asia and continues to Africa and Europe, and fortunately, there are a relatively large number of Persian inscriptions in these areas.”
Rezvanafar referred to the preference of Mohtasham Kashani in the Persian inscriptions mentioned in the religious section of the book and said: I saw it on the edge of the altar, then in Burma or Myanmar in East Asia, Kazemin in Iraq, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the port of Mombasa in Kenya. I must say that the Poem of Mohtasham Kashani describing Ashura is the most abundant Persian text that I have documented from East Asia to East Africa.
He spoke about the many reasons for the preference of Mohtasham in this geographical area: according to the late Jaber Ansari, the presence of powerful theatrical aspects and staging in this poem has made it more influential and memorable.
This lament from the beginning: “Anon, what is this revolt in the heart of the universe? What is this lament, this grief, this mourn that wanders/ What a great resurrection vitalizing the earth, no trumpets, but all rise to the mighty thrones?” begins with greatness and epic.
This Poem of Mohtasham Kashani is the flag and statement of Shiism in different parts of the world.