The British Institute of Persian Studies greatly regrets to announce the death of Dr Leonard Lewisohn, who died suddenly in California on 6th August whilst attending the Association for Iranian Studies conference. Lenny was the Iran Heritage Foundation Fellow and Senior lecturer in Persian and Sufi Literature at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter (2004-2011). He studied Persian literature and Iranian religion and history at the Pahlavi University, Shiraz, and wrote a PhD thesis at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London on the Divan of Maghribi.

He was a highly regarded scholar, who was much respected for his command of the Persian language (both written and spoken) and his knowledge of Persian literature. He published widely, including making many translations from Persian. Amongst many other works, he wrote Beyond Faith and Infidelity: the Sufi Poetry and Teachings of Mahmud Shabistari (London 1995) and he edited three volumes on The Heritage of Sufism (1995-1999).

We wish to extend our deepest condolences to his widow Jane Lewisohn, who is working on the Golha project supported by BIPS, as well as his friends, family and colleagues.