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The 37th
Qutb
Hazrat Reza Ali
Shah
The true learned authority of faith, and
mystic of divine knowledge, ornament of the Gnostics and eyesight of the
faithful, Hazrat Hajj Sultan Hussein Tabandeh “Reza Ali Shah”, the son and
successor of Hazrat Hajj Sheikh Mohammad Hasan Salih Ali Shah (may his
esteemed grave be sanctified) and the great grand son of the late Sultan Ali
Shah (may his grave be fragrant).
His Holiness, Mr. Reza Ali Shah was the 37th
head and master (Qutb) of the Alavieh Razavieh Namatullahieh Sultanalishahi
Order. His auspicious birth date was on the 28th Zilhijjah 1332
AHL corresponding to the 25th Aban 1293 AHS from the modest,
generous and honorable daughter of the late Molla Mohammad Sadr-el-Olama.
After the breast feeding and his childhood
days, he was engaged in learning to read and write under the late Molla
Khodadad Khaibargi, next started learning the rudiments of Arabic in
Baydukht under the late Mr. Mulla Mohammad Rahmani Nowdahi well known as
Adib[i],
and after, under the late Molla Mohammad Ismael Raees-ol-Olama,
and Rhetoric under the late Mr. Molla Mohammad
Sadr Al Olama, and then he studied the book
Maalem[ii]
and the book Sharayeh[iii]
and Shar’he Lom’eh[iv] and Shahr
Manzomeh[v] on theosophy
and logic in the luminous presence of the great teacher His Holiness the
late Mr. Salih Ali Shah (may his
grave be sanctified).
In the year 1310 A.H.S. (1350
A.H.L) on the orders of his noble father he went to Isfahan to complete his
education, and there studied Esharat va Ghavanin[vi] under the late Sheikh
Mohammad Gonabadi and Asfar[vii] under
the late Hajj Sheikh Mahmood Mofid, Sharhe Makaseb[viii] and Geometry and
Astronomy under the late Ayatollah Hajj Rahim Arbab and Farayed al
Usul[ix] under Mr. Hajj Sayed
Morteza Khorasani known as the Jarchi and
Kafayet-al-Usul[x] under the late
Ayatollah Sayed Mohammad Najafabadi and was successful in obtaining
authorization for narrating the traditions, and continued his studies in
Isfahan and studied Sharhe Fusus[xi] and some other
sciences under the late Sheikh
Assadullah Izad Goshasb (Dervish Nasser Ali) and after five years in Isfahan
returned to Teheran, and entered the “College of Intellectual and
Transmitted Sciences” and from the late Mr. Assar, the late Mr. Meskat and
the late Ashtiyani and other
respected teachers also
benefited scientifically.
He received his B.A. in the year 1318 A.H.S.
and resided in Teheran for sometime and in the year 1321 A.H.S. returned
back to Baydukht, and under the care and guidance of his gracious father
began to exercise self discipline, purification of the soul and refinement
of the spirit.
In the year 1316 A.H.S. (1356 A.H.L.) he got
married to the honorable daughter of the late Dr. Ali Nour Al Hokama, and on
the 7th Zihajjeh-tul Haram 1364 A.H.L. (22 Aban 1324 A.H.S.) the
Almighty God favored him with a son by the name of Ali who was the third
child among his children. His Holiness’s second son by the name of Mohammad
was born on the 3rd Rabi-ol-thani 1374 corresponding to 9th
of Azar 1333. His Holiness had only two sons.
In the year 1364 A.H.L. (1324 A.H.S.) set out
for Iraq to visit the sacred Holy Shrines, and he was successful to meet
acknowledged jurisprudents on Islam and religious teachers such as the late
Ayatollah Mr.Syed Abolhassan Isfahani, Ayatollah Mr. Hajj Agha Hassan Ghomi,
Mr. Hajj Sheikh Abdulkarim Zanjani, the late Mr. Syed Habatu-din Shahrestani
and the late Hajj Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Al Kashef al Ghetah, and revered by
them.
On his next journey in the year 1368A.H.L to
Najaf Ashraf after examining by the late Ayatollah Al Kashef Al Kotah., he
held discussions about some difficult points of jurisprudence and obtained a
formal authorization for practicing jurisprudence (ijtihad).
After fully understanding and having
benefited from the pilgrimage of the Holy Shrines, in the year 1364 A.H.L.
he went towards Syria and in Damascus visited the esteemed Shrine of Hazrat
Zainab (SA) and the sacred shrines of the rest of the Prophet’s family and
after sightseeing the cities of Hamas and Halab, went to Beirut and from
there to Egypt, in Cairo and Alexandria visited historical centers of
science and after sight seeing went to Palestine and visited Masjid Aqsa and
the Masjid Saghreh.
He also visited important churches, such as
the Church of Ghiyamat and the Church of Mary and the Church of Jetseemani
and the rest of the Churches and then left for Khalil Al Rahman and Bait Al
Lamh and was successful in visiting the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Musa (AS) and
from there he went to Syria and then to Iraq and by way of Basra returned to
Iran.
After a brief stop, he went to Qom and
visited the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Masoumeh (SA) and had meeting with Islamic
jurists and came back to Teheran and returned to Gonabad and under the
training and care of his esteemed father started mortification, spiritual
struggle (endeavor) and purification of the soul and of the heart and
refinement of the spirit.
In Sha’ban 1369 A.H.L. he succeeded in
obtaining an authorization for leading the congregational ritual prayer and
inspiring the verbal litanies and invocation on behalf of his noble
father. On the 11th of Zel-qa’dah in the same year (1369 A.H.L.),
he was honored with the spiritual title of ‘Reza Ali’ to guide and assist
the seekers.
Then, in the same year 1369 A.H.L. (1329
A.H.S.) he acquired the honor to visit the holy city of Mecca, after having
fulfilled the ceremonies of Hajj and visit to the illuminated garden of
Nabavi and the holy graves of the Imams (AS) and the rest of the graves of
esteemed religious guides, went towards Syria and Lebanon, from there he
went to Egypt, then to Jordan and Palestine and after visiting Jerusalem and
the rest of the sacred places and sightseeing in the famous cities of
Lebanon such as Balbak and Trablos and other cities, he went to Oman and
then towards Iraq and after having visited all the Holy Shrines and having
held meetings with religious jurists came back to Iran.
In the year 1333 A.H.S. the late Salih Ali
Shah (may his grave be fragrant), was attached by a severe illness, he came
to Teheran and after careful examination by the physicians it was deemed
necessary to move him to Europe for treatment, and with the insistence of
friends and firm conviction of the physicians he set out for Europe. Mr.
Hajj Tabandeh too accompanied his noble father to
During this period according to the
invitation and persistence of Mr. Sheikh Mustafa the head of the Shazeliyeh
Spiritual Order who was resident in
Dr. Mohammad Hussain Hafezi too, who was a
resident there, fully attended to nursing and took full care of His Holiness
in the hospital.
In the year 1336 A.H.S. (1376 A.H.L.)
according to the invitation of the late Mr. Hajj Abolfazl Hazeghi cultural
representative of Iran, he journeyed to Afghanistan and in the few days of
his stay, visited the cities of Herat, Kabul , Kaznin and the holy tombs and
was successful in visiting the graves of esteemed religious guides and
mystics and went towards Pakistan and sight seeing in the cities of
Peshawar, and Lahore and Karachi and Kuyteh and returned back to Iran and
from Zahedan he went to Kerman
and visited the Holy Shrine of the
great luminous light, His Holiness Shah Nematullah Wali ( May his
grave be fragrant ) in Mahan and then he went to Yazd and Isfahan and Shiraz
and Kashan and Qom, returned back to Teheran and after a few days stop, he
returned back to Gonabad. In the year1338 A.H.S. he also went to the
northern and western cities of
In Zel-qa’dah 1379 A.H.L., he was appointed
the successor and vicegerent of his gracious father with the spiritual title
of Reza Ali Shah.
In the year 1380 A.H.L. (1340 A.H.S.) he
accompanied his gracious father for fulfillment of the lesser pilgrimage to
the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and was in Mecca during the blessed
birthday of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and in Medina on the day of
Be’ saat (mission of the Prophet (S), and from there he accompanied his
esteemed father to Oman and Palestine and was successful in visiting
Jerusalem and other sacred places. Then he went towards
In the year 1382 A.H.L. corresponding to the
beginning of 1342 A.H.S. according to the permission of his esteemed father
he visited the holy city of Mecca for the greater
Hajj and
after visiting the Luminous Garden of Nabavi and the Imams (AS)
and the Holy Shrine of Hazrat Zainab (AS)
in Damascus and after having gone to Jordan and Beirut, in Moharram 1383 he
returned back to Teheran. Frequently he used to also visit the Holy Shrine
of Hazrat Reza (AS) and was honored to be in the services as a sentry in the
Holy Shrine of Razavi (AS).
On the 8th of Rabi-o-thani
1386 A.H.L. (1345 A.H.S.), His
Holiness Salih Ali Shah customarily and as usual was attending to various
affairs, unexpectedly was attacked by the illness he was suffering with from
the past, the physicians started medical treatment, but with upmost sorrow
and grievousness in the morning of the 9th during the call for
dawn prayers, his pure spirit joined the beloved (may his esteemed grave be
sanctified) and the world of Gnosis and the community of Shiites became
mournful and His Holiness Reza Ali Shah for 40 days, morning and evening was
in the sacred tomb and the village of Bayducht and the villages of Gonabad
was engaged in mourning.
After the death of the late Mr.
Salih Ali Shah (may his grave be fragrant) according to the commands and
will, the seat of guidance and enlightenment and the leadership of the
Glorious Alavieh Razavieh Nematullayieh Sultanalishahi Order found elegance
and adornment with Mr. Reza Ali Shah’s holy presence, and he was engaged in
the affairs of the fugara and enlightment of the seekers and initiating the
desirous. In the meantime attending to agricultural affairs and completing
and expanding the courtyard of the Holy Shrine of the late Mr. Sultan Ali
Shah (may his grave be fragrant) and was engaged in the development of the
area, excavation and trimming of the water canal and built a full guest
house with his own expenses for the accommodation of the pilgrims in the
courtyard of the Holy Shrine and assigned an amount of his own to meet
expenses.
After the death of His Holiness
Salih Ali Shah (may his grave be fragrant) since then he went for the lesser
pilgrimage once and made four journeys for performing the greater pilgrimage
to the holy city of
In
In Bayducht, His Holiness in the evenings
usually used to go to the courtyard of the holy shrine and interpret the
luminous book Bayan Sadeh, written and compiled by the late Mr. Sultan Ali
Shah (may his grave be fragrant) with a comprehensive explanation that even
the fully learned and even the ignorant individuals benefit from it, at the
same time according to the occasion, he used to counsel and instruct
religious and moral advises and mention necessary duties. On Friday nights
after performing the obligatory duties, he used to narrate the Treatise on
Salihiyeh.
The important events
during His Eminence’s time:
The Islamic Revolution and the downfall of
the 50 years of the Pahlavi government and the exit of the Shah on the 26th
of Dey 1357 A.H.S. and the
referendum and the implementation of the Islamic Republic. It is hoped that
this revolution has brought about the welfare and comfort of the people and
the execution of the firm and reliable Islamic laws and the appointment of
the first President on the 5th of Bahman 1358 A.H.S.
Next, the aggressive attack of the Batist
Regime of Iraq in the month of Mehr 1358 to the southern and western
provinces of Iran that all the classes and tribes of society who were
capable of defending themselves by self sacrifice and heroism and of course
with victory and the grace of God, the enemy of Islam will
be destroyed because Islam is great and there is
nothing greater than it.[xii]
His Holiness Reza Ali Shah, from the learned,
jurisprudents and scholars of his time was a known authority, and besides
his spiritual, pure and holy status and excellence in the virtues of
humanity and accomplishments in controlling carnal desires and having
mastered distinguished virtues, he was unequaled and distinguished.
He had abundant love and affection for
reading books and their collection, compilation and composition, he wrote
many practical books on various subjects, religion, moral and historical in
Farsi and Arabic, some of them were reprinted many times and repeatedly his
articles on science and religion were printed in magazines in Farsi and
Arabic.
Books written by His Holiness:
1) The manifestation of
truth on the mysteries of the tragedy of
2) Treatise on Magnetic
sleep (printed 2 times)
3) A biography on Khwajih
Abdullah Ansari (printed 2 times)
4) A translation on the
supplication of Abu Hamzah Thumali (printed 3 times)
5) The philosophy of
Plotinus (printed 2 times)
6) The genius of knowledge
and gnosis (printed 3 times)
7) The Philosophy of
Averroes and translation of the book (unpublished)
8) Progression and
Transubstantial Motion (unpublished)
9) The History and
Geography of Gunabad (printed 2 times)
10) Notes from the visit
to Arabic countries
11) Memories of a
pilgrimage to
12) A visit to
13) From Gonabad to
14) Treatise on the
removable of doubts (printed 3 times)
15) A guide to happiness
(printed)
16) A Muslim commentary on
the Universal declaration of Human rights (printed 2 times in Farsi and
English)[xiii]
The Sheikhs of His
Holiness:
1) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Agha Mohammad Rastin (Dervish Ronaq Ali)
2) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Sheikh Abdullah Sufi Amleshi (Dervish Iszat Ali)
3) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Sayed Mohammad Shariat (Dervish Hemmat Ali)
4) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Sayed Hebatullah Jazbi Isfahani (Sabet Ali)
5) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Agha Mohammad Javad Amuzegar Kermani
(Zaffar Ali)
6) The honorable Mr. Hajj
Mohammad Ali Tabatabaie, known as Fani (Faiz Ali)[xiv]
Those who had written
authorization from His Holiness:
1) Renewal of permission
to lead the congregational prayer to the honorable Mr. Hajj Ali Mohammad
Sultanpour.
2) Renewal of permission
to lead the congregational prayer and permission to renew the covenant and
instruction for verbal Zekr (remembrance of God) to the late Mr. Hajj Abol
Kasem Nournejad
3) Renewal of permission
to lead the congregational prayer and permission to renew the covenant and
instruction for litanies to the late Hajj Sheikh Ali Akbar Aref Kashani.
4) Renewal of permission
to lead the congregational prayer and the permission to renew the covenant
and instruction for verbal Zekr and litanies to Mr. Hajj Mohammad Javad
Amuzegar Kermani.
5) The permission to lead
the Friday and Monday night congregational prayer to Mr. Hajj Sheikh
Mohammad Motezare in Lahijan.
6) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to the late Mr. Sheikh Jaffer Fani in Mashad.
7) The permission to hold
Assembly for supplication to the honorable Mr. Hajj Mohammad Rastin.
8) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Hajj Sayed Ali Tabatabaie
9) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to the late Mr. Hajj Sheikh Fatullah Ansari
Garashi
10) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to the late Mr. Hajj Mehdi Danaie Semnani
11) The permission to hold
Assembly for supplication to the honorable Mr. Hajj Sheikh Abdullah Sufi
Amleshi (Ezat Ali)
12) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to the late Mr. Mohammad Ali Mavaddat Shirazi
13) The permission to lead
the congregation prayer to Mr. Abdulgafoor Abulhassanzadeh Qouchani
14) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Engineer Akhavan Araki
15) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Hajj Sayed Ali Zahed Zahedani
16) The permission to hold
Assembly for supplication to Faghir Hajj Sayed Habatullah Jazbi.[xv]
Those who had verbal
authorization from His Holiness:
1) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Sheikh Ali Bahrani in Sheeshdeh Fasa.
2) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer of the Fugara to Mr. Hajj Sheikh Ibrahim Kazemi.
3) The permission to
establish congregational prayer to Mr. Kerbalaie Asaadullah Nourani in
Baydukht.
4) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Hajj Sheikh Habibullah Razi in Teheran.
5) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to the honorable Mr. Hajji Sheikh Azizullah
Mohaghegh Najafi
6) The permission to lead
the congregational prayers to Mr. Abdulmajid Tadayyon in
7) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer to Mr. Abbas Vojudi in Zanjan.
8) The permission to lead
the congregational prayer of the Fugara to Mr. Hussain Ali Kashani in the
absence of authorized Sheikhs.[xvi] His Holiness, Reza Ali Shah unfortunately during the early dawn on the 18th Shahrivar 1371 corresponding to 11th of Rabi-ul-awal 1413 left this world to be united with his beloved. His apparent successor was his eldest son, His Holiness, Hajj Ali Tabandeh, Mahboob Ali Shah whose period of guidance was short for only 4 years and a few months and with up most regret on the 27th Dey 1375 corresponding to 6th Ramazan 1317 he was released from the bond of his physical body and his sacred spirit was united with his beloved. His apparent successor was his great and honorable uncle, His Holiness, Hajj Doctor Nour Ali Tabandeh, Majdhub Ali Shah, the present qutb and spiritual guide of the glorious Nematullahi Gonabadi Order and which is adorned by his presence.
[i]
Adib a learned person.
[ii]
Maalem a
book by Hassan ibn Zainudin Amoli on jurisprudence in Arabic.
[iii]
Sharayeh ul Islam a book written by Jaffer ibn Hassan
al Mohaghegh Helli on jurisprudence in Arabic.
[iv]
Sharhe Lom’eh
A Shi’a text book of jurisprudence, a book
one studies in a seminary, and on which one is tested in
becoming a religious jurisprudent. The original name of the this
book is Al Lomatul Dameshqiyeh fi figh’ul Imamiyeh written by
Mohammad ibn Maki famous as martyr the first, in the Arabic language
and about jurisprudence. A commentary has been written on this book
by Zainudin famous as martyr the second.
[v]
Sharhe Manzomeh By Mulla Sadra on theosophy.
[vi]
Esharat va Ghavanin
by Abi Ali Sina.
[vii]
Asfar (the
transcendent wisdom of the four intellectual journeys) a
philosophical work written by Sadr al-Din Muhammad al-Shirazi (known
as Mulla Sadra). He structured the book according to the four
journeys of the soul in the path of spiritual realization.
[viii]
Sharhe
Makaseb By Sheikh
Morteza Ansari about reasoning jurisprudence.
[ix]
Farayed al Usul
By Sheikh Morteza Ansari on principles of jurisprudence.
[x]
Kafayeh Usul By
Akond Khorasani about jurisprudence in Arabic.
[xi]
Sharhe Fusus ol
Hekam by Ibn Arabi about theosophy and mysticism.
[xii]
Important events in the recent years which happened during His
Holiness’s time was:
1) The end of the war between
2) The passing away of the founder of
the Islamic Republic and the appointment of Hazrat Ayatollah
Khamenie as the leader of the Islamic revolution.
[xiii]
In addition to this, a number of the mentioned books were reprinted,
recent written works by His Holiness which are printed as follows:
1)10 Lectures,
2) The Glorious Quran and the three
mysterious Gnostic stories (printed 3 times)
3) The three radiant Gems of the most
blessed sea of the Divine word ( 2nd printing 1376)
4) A short history of the fourteen
innocents (written during the times of His Holiness’s youth, but
recently printed)
[xiv]
The command and permission
given to initiate, which was issued later from His Eminence as
mentioned under.
1). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Abdulgafoor Abolhassanzadeh Qouchani (Dervish Nasser
Ali).
2). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Hajj Sheikh Azizullah Mohaghegh Najafi ( Mozaffer Ali)
3). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Hajj Ali Tabandeh (Mahboob Ali)
4). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Yusuf Mardani (Dervish Sedgh Ali)
5). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Mohammad Ali Nasuti Shirazi (Hedayat Ali)
6). The permission to initiate, to the
honorable Mr. Hajj Mir Motalleb Mirzadeh Garashi (Moshtagh Ali)
Meanwhile, the permission to initiate,
to the late and honorable Mr. Hajj Abolkasem Nournejad with the
title “ Dervish Saber Ali “ was issued by the son of His Holiness “Nour
Ali Shah “ in the year 1387 A.H.L. ( 1346 A.H.S. ) but before it’s
announcement, the aforementioned passed away.
[xv]
Those, who on behalf of His Holiness, afterwards, were appointed and
had written authorization in matters of establishing congregational
prayers were as follows:
1). Mr. Qamber Ali Hemmati in
2). The honorable Mr. Hajj Ali
Tabandeh
3). The honorable Mr. Hajj Sheikh
Azizullah Mohakek Najafi
4). The honorable Mr. Yusuf Mardani in
5). Mr. Mohammad Azizzadeh in
Boroujerd
6) Mr. Mohammad Ali Taheria in Semnan
7). Mr. Hajj Mohammad Ganji Neshabouri
in Neshahbour
8). Mr. Sheikh Mohammad Abbas Ansari
Kashmiri in
9). Mr. Hajj Mohammad Ebrahimi in
10). Mr. Hajj Ghulam Reza Zeyaie in
Tonekabon
11). Mr. Dr. Bahman Zand in
12). Mr. Ali Taheri in Qouchan 13). Mr. Hajj Sayed
Ahmad Shariat in
[xvi]
The rest of the verbally authorized persons who were
appointed on behalf on His Holiness in matters of congregational
prayers are as follows:
1). Mr. Jahanbani in Garash
2). Mr. Barat Ali Rabeti in
3). Mr. Nouraie in Baydukht
4). Mr. Rafee Mohseni in
5). Mr. Seyad Fakrulldin Borghayei in
6). Mr. Farokhroz Kashani in Hydrabad
7). Mr. Mr. Hajj Mir Motalleb Mirzadeh Garashi in
8). Mr. Seyad Mohammad Reza Ghaie in
9). Mr. Hajj Ali Abde Yazdan in
10). Mr. Mohammad Ali Nasuti in
11). Mr. Hajj Nasser Gholi
12). Mr. Hajj Ebrahim Kaymand in
13). Mr. Ahmad Masoumi in
14). Mr. Sheikh Adolazim Bastani Parizi in Pariz
15). Mr. Hassan Taban in Aradan Garmsar
16). Mr. Hajj Esmail Behesti Fard in Shahroud
17). Mr. Mohammad Jafer Salehi in
18). Mr. Hajj Sayed Mostafa Safavi Rad in Teheran 19). Mr. Nasser
Aghamaleki in
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