Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī, known by his pen name Hafez, was born in Shiraz, Iran, in the early 14th century. He is revered for his mystical poetry that combines elements of Sufism with romantic themes.

For centuries, Persians have used his collection of poetry, known as the Divan of Hafez, for divination. The tradition involves making a wish, opening his book of poetry randomly, and interpreting the poem on that page as an answer to the question.