Shams al-Dīn Muhammad b. ‘Alī was a poet born in Samarqand or its vicinity. He is more often known by his name, Suzani, or Suzani Samarqandi. According to one theory, the name is said to have arisen because of his violent passion for a needle-maker's apprentice under whose influence he supposedly took up the twin crafts of needle making and poetry. According to his own claim, he was a scion of the family of Salman the Persian, a famous companion of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
