Mohammad Shafi‘, known as Mirza Kouchak and also by his pen name Vesāl, was born in Shiraz in 1782 CE. His father, Mirza Ismā‘il, passed away when he was only six months old. After completing his studies in literature, Arabic, and practical philosophy, he became close with the leader of the Nur Bakhshi Sufi order, Mirzā Abu’l-Qāsem-e-Shirāzi (d. 1823), whose pen name was ‘The Silent’ (Sokut).
The only master Vesāl ever had was his uncle, Mirzā ‘Abd-Allāh, though he eventually had many pupils, the best of whom was Fath-‘Ali Hejāb who worked in the Nasta‘liq script. Vesāl also wrote poetry, producing a collection that includes odes (qasida), elegies (marsiyeh), lyrics (tarāneh), and rhyming distichs (masnavi). In addition to poetry, he wrote a number of books in the fields of literature, theology, and practical philosophy. His remaining works of calligraphy date back to 1817–1844 CE. They mostly consist of copies of the Qur’an and invocational prayers which he wrote in the Naskh and, sometimes, Nasta‘liq scripts. Vesāl passed away in 1845 CE and was buried in the cemetery of the shrine of Ahmad b. Musā Kāzem, known as Shāh-e-Cherāgh. He was survived by six children all of whom became distinguished figures in literature and the arts.