Wasif Ali Wasif (15 January 1929 – 18 January 1993) was a teacher, writer, poet and sufi intellectual from Pakistan. He was the son of Muhammad Arif. Wasif Ali Wasif received his early education in Khushab before going to Jhang, where he passed matriculation, intermediate and bachelors in the first division.
He was proficient at hockey, receiving many awards both before and during college. After obtaining his bachelor's degree at Islamia College, Lahore, he opted for a master's degree in English literature. Wasif started writing for the college magazine named "Ravi". He wrote on many topics. His two writings on the topics “College Miserable Life” and “Farewell Party” survive to this day.
He also passed the civil service exam but did not pursue it. In 1962 he established his own institute, "Lahore English College" near Anarkali in Lahore. Wasif had an interest in Sufism since childhood. He strived to meet Sufis and visited different shrines.
He is famous for his literary works. He is said to have been cited in quotations more than any other contemporary Urdu writer. Described as a master of aphorism, he is said to have had a miraculous ability to capture a rainbow of meaning in a few dewdrops of well-chosen words. Many of his aphorisms have become proverbs in recent years. His book "Kiran Kiran Suraj (کرن کرن سورج)" containing these aphorisms remained a best seller for many many years. He used to write short essays on topics like love, life, fortune, fear, hope, expectation, promise, prayer, happiness, sorrow and so on with the clear objective of highlighting the true spirit of Islam. He was a regular columnist of Pakistani Urdu daily newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt. His column was named "GUFTGOO (گفتگو)" and it started publishing in a newspaper in 1984. His shrine is in Lahore in the famous Mianiasaab graveyard where his Urs is celebrated on 22–24 Rajab annually.