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His Eminence Hajj Sultan Husain
During his childhood, he began reading and
writing; later on he learned the rudiments of
Arabic and Persian literature. Then he studied
the literary and “transmitted (naqli)
sciences” with his honorable father, and other
local teachers. In 1350 A. H. L., by the order
of his father, he set out for Isfahan to
complete his education. There for five years, he
studied jurisprudence (fiqh)
and its principles (usul), theosophy (hikmat),
and the other Islamic intellectual (‘aqli)
and transmitted (naqli)
sciences and obtained the ijazah
(written authorization) for narrating the
Traditions (Ahadith). Meanwhile, he obtained
comprehensive knowledge of other sciences such
as ethics, logic, mathematics, astronomy,
traditional medicine, history, and the occult
sciences. Later on he returned to Tehran and
entered the “College of intellectual and
transmitted Sciences”, were he received his B.
A. in 1358 A. H. L. He returned to Gunabad
In the same year and under the shadow of the
training and protection of his gracious father,
began to exercise self-discipline, spiritual
struggle (mujahadah)
with the lower soul (nafs),
purification of the soul, and refinement of the
spirit.
In Sha’ban 1369 (1950 A.D.), after completion of
the seven spiritual journeys of the Path, he
succeeded in obtaining an authorization for
leading the “congregational ritual prayer” and
inspiring (talqin)
the lingual litanies (awrad)
and invocations (adhkar).
On the 11th of Dhul-qa’da in the same
year, he was honored with the spiritual title of
“Rida ‘Ali” to guide the seekers (taliban)
and assist and direct the qualified novices. In
Dhul-qa’da 1379 A. H. L. (1960 A.D.), he was
appointed to be the successor and vicegerent (khalifa)
of his gracious father with the spiritual title
of “Rida ‘Ali Shah.”
His Holiness has made several journeys to
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Arabic
countries and succeeded in pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. In 1373 A. H. L. (1954 A.D.), he
accompanied his father, who traveled to Europe
for medical treatment, and visited some European
countries. He also made several journeys to
visit Ka’ba, the tomb of the Holy Prophet (may
God cover him in glory and give him peace), as
well as the tombs of the Imams (peace be upon
them).
In all of his journeys, he was very interested
in visiting the jurisprudents (‘Ulama)
and religious authorities. On one of his
journeys to Najaf, after holding lengthy
discussions about some difficult points of
jurisprudence, he obtained
a formal authorization for practicing
jurisprudence (ijtihad).
Although he used to live in Tehran, his real
residence was in Bayducht. There he was usually
engaged in attending to the affairs of fuqara
and in completing the construction of the
building of the illuminated tombs of his
honorable great grandfather and his gracious
father.
In the afternoons, as his father did
before him, he usually thought Bayan
Assa’ada in a plain and comprehensive
language and with necessary explanations of the
Gnostic truths, spiritual instructions and
advice.
In the mornings, he would spend a few hours for
meeting fuqara,
receiving visitors, and looking after his own
and others’ affairs.
He earned his livelihood by farming and raising
domestic animals and strictly forbade others to
beg, to be a burden to society, or to be idle.
He was quite disgusted with those who were
addicted to unlawful habits and did not admit
them to his presence.
On II Rabi al-Awwal 1413, 18 Shahrivar 1371,
September 9, 1992 his most holy graciousness
passed from the corporeal world to be united
with his Beloved. He was buried in Gunabad
beside his esteemed father; may they rest in
Peace. He has been succeeded by his son, Mawlana
Hajj ‘Ali Tabandah, Mahbub ‘Ali Shah.
His Gracious Holiness has written many books,
some of which have been reprinted several times.
They are as follows:
1.
A Theophany of the Truth: On the Mysteries of
the Tragedy of the Karbala.
2.
A Treatise on Hypnotism.
3.
A Biography of Khwajih ‘Abdullah Ansari.
4.
Niyaz-I Tajalli: A Translation of Abu Hamza
Thumali’s Supplication.
5.
The Philosophy of Plotinus.
6.
The Genius of Knowledge and Gnosis in Fourteenth
Century (A.H.L.): A Biography of the Late Hajj
Mulla Sultan Muhammad Gunabadi, Sultan ‘Ali
Shah.
7.
Memories of a Pilgrimage to Mecca.
8.
Treatise on the Removal of Doubts.
9.
A Guide to Happiness.
10.
A Religious Commentary on the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (translated into
English under the title of A Muslim Commentary
on…).
11.
From Gunabad to Geneva.
12.
The History and Geography of Gunabad.
13.
Notes from Visits to Arabic countries.
14.
A visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
15.
The Holy Qur’an and the Three Mysterious Gnostic
Stories.
16.
Ten Lectures.
17.
A Short History of the Fourteen Innocents.
18.
The Three Radiant Gems of the Most Blessed Sea
of the Divine Word.
19.
Progression and Transubstantial Motion
(unpublished).
20.
The Philosophy of Averroes (unpublished).
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