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Hu
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# The Commands of Hazrat Hajj Sultan Mohammad Gonabadi Sultan Ali Shah
Renewer of the Nimatullahi Order in Iran
Sufism is the spiritual reality of Islam, even if it was not known as "Sufism" at the inception of Islam. Phenomenologically speaking, it proves to be the essence of Islam, which gives life to it, like the soul gives life to the body. In Sufi terminology, Islam has two aspects: shari'at, its outer dimension, or body, and tariqat, its inner dimension, or soul. These two aspects were inseparably joined in the person of the Prophet, but little by little through the history of Islam, there were people who paid attention only to the shari'at, Islamic law, and even confined Islam to this. Often the fuqaha or 'ulama took this attitude. In contrast to them there were people who emphasized the spiritual reality or tariqat, who became famous as Sufis.
The propagation of Islam was not through the sword of the rulers, but by the heartfelt word of the Sufis. The cutting swords of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi or Nadir Shah Afshar did not make Islam influential among the Hindus. It was by the spiritual attraction and life giving breath of Sufi masters such as the successors of Shah Ni'matullah Wali or Mir Sayyid 'Ali Hamadani that they became Muslim.
Whenever the Muslims were weakened and deviated from the truth of Islam, great Sufis tried to renew and revive it. Sometimes this was done explicitly, as in the case of Ghazali, whose revival finds written form in his famous Ihya 'Ulum al-Din (The Revival of the Religious Sciences), and sometimes it was implicit, as with Shah Ni'matullahi Wali.
The idea of renewal in Islam was not a mere accident of history, but was foreseen by the Prophet himself. It is reported in a hadith that he said, "Verily, at the beginning of every hundred years, God raises one for this community of Islam who renews it's religion for it." Regardless of the soundness of this hadith, and whether what is mean is exactly one century, which is beyond the scope of this paper, the idea of a revival of Islam and that it must be renewed in a manner appropriate to the times, was in the minds of the Muslims.
In Sufism itself, from time to time deviations occurred. The use of expressions such as, "false Sufi claimant" and "true Sufi claimant", in books such as Jami's Nafahat al-Uns, bears witness to this phenomenon. Among the most prominent critics of such deviations were the Sufi masters. They were the true reformers and renewers of Sufism.
Sufism has usually suffered at the hands of two groups: (1) pseudo-Sufis who fancy that the inward aspects of Islam suffice for them and that they may consciously abandon its outward precepts; and (2) those fuqaha who restrict their understanding of Islam to its outward aspects and ignore its interior. Each of these groups has an incomplete understanding of Islam, one with respect to shari'at and the other with regard to tariqat. This is why the Sufi shaykhs were usually confronted by these two groups. Renewal and reformation of Sufism most often required a re-balancing of shari'at and tariqat in order to preserve its original formation. It is this effort at balancing that prompted the great Sufi shaykhs to take into consideration the circumstances of their times in order to make religious precepts appropriate to them. This enabled them to present Islam in a more complete fashion and to keep it from deviation. In a hadith attributed to the Imams, it is reported, "One who is conscious of his times is not in danger of being confounded."
One of the greatest reformers and renewers of Sufism was Shah Ni'matullah Wali. His was one of the most catastrophic times for the Muslims, especially in Iran, which had suffered through the attacks of the Mongols and the Timurids after them. In religious affairs there were Sufi pretenders on the one hand, who did not practice Sufi teachings, and hypocritical preachers on the other, who used religion for personal gain. In his poetry, Hafiz reproaches both groups, thus bearing witness to the situation in Iran. When the religious teachers had fallen so far astray, the religious ethos of the common people of the time would also have been in a state of degeneration.
In those days, Shah Ni'matullahi Wali, as master of the Ma'rufi Order and successor to Shaykh 'Abdullah Yafi'i, tried to improve both the inward and the outward religious conditions. He exposed the misdeeds and pseudo-teachings of the current Sufi pretenders, and criticized both Sunni and Shi'ite 'ulama. He called upon Sunnis to return to the sunnah of the Prophet of love for the Ahl al-Bayt, while he reminded Shi'ites that the main pillar of Shi'ism is the forgotten truth of walayat, rather than points of law and political issues. Thus, he refused to be a rafizi (one who rejected the Companions of the Prophet) or khariji (one who rejected the leadership of 'Ali).
Due to the difficulties faced by the Sufis in Iran after the death of Shah Ni'matullahi, the qutbs of the Order moved to India at the invitation of Sultan Ahmadshah Bahmani of the Deccan. During this time, from the end of the Safavids until the end of the Zandi dynasty, because of the political upheaval in Iran, the kings' rejection of Sufism and the sovereignty of the 'ulama who had good relations with the government, most of the Sufi orders either left Iran or operated clandestinely. Although the Safavi dynasty was itself based on a Sufi Order, the attitude taken by them was very exclusivist, so that they did not permit the free operation of other orders. This situation continued until 1190/1776, when Riza 'Alishah Deccani, who was then qutb of the Order, sent two of his authorized shaykhs, Hazrat Ma'sum 'Alishah and Shah Tahir Deccani, to Iran. The latter died soon after arriving in Iran, or on the way, and the revival of the Order in Iran was left to the former and one of his main disciples, Nur 'Alishah Isfahani. These two behaved in a way that attracted the attention of the people who had long forgotten Sufism. Many people, including some of the prominent 'ulama, such as Sayyid Bahr al-'Ulum (d. 1212/1797) and 'Abd al-Samad Hamadani (who was killed in 1216/1801 by Wahhabis), became their followers, and Sufism became current in Iran again. The opposition of some of the 'ulama to Sufism, however, continued, and they even persuaded some of the Qajari kings to kill the Sufi shaykhs on the pretext that they sought to take over the government. One can mention the martyrdom of Mushtaq 'Alishah in Kerman, or that of his disciple Muzaffar 'Alishah in Kermanshah at the order of the influential jurist, known as the "Sufi-killer", Muhammad ibn Bihbihani.
After Nur 'Alishah, the Ni'matullahi Order became the most popular Sufi order in Iran. Whenever Sufism becomes popular, pretenders to it abound. During the time when Rahmat 'Alishah (d. 1278/1861) was the qutb of the Order, Sufism became especially popular, in part because the Qajar king, Muhammad Shah, entered the Order. After Rahmat 'Alishah passed away, the Ni'matullahis divided into three branches: (1) the followers of Hajj Muhammad Kazim Isfahani Sa'adat 'Alishah; (2) followers of the uncle of Rahmat 'Alishah, Hajj Muhammad, famous as Munawwar 'Alishah; and (3) the followers of Mirza Hasan Safi, famous as Safi 'Alishah. This division first appeared due to the differences about the explicit decree of Rahmat 'Alishah that he should be succeeded by Sa'adat 'Alishah. After some time, the opponents of Sa'adat 'Alishah brought another decree attributed to Rahmat 'Alishah according to which Munawwar 'Alishah was to be the successor, despite the fact that Munawwar 'Alishah himself admitted that he had not received the decree personally. Safi 'Alishah first renewed his covenant with Sa'adat 'Alishah, and denied the validity of the decree of Munawwar 'Alishah. However, after Sa'adat 'Alishah refused to appoint him as shaykh, he broke his covenant with him and became a disciple of Munawwar 'Alishah. After some time, he also rejected the leadership of Munawwar 'Alishah and proclaimed himself qutb. In this way the Ni'matullahi Order broke up into three chains: first, the Sultan 'Alishahi or Gunabadi chain, which is the main and largest chain; second, the Dhul Riyasatayn chain; and third, the Safi 'Alishahi chain.
The Sultan 'Alishahi chain takes its name after the successor of Sa'adat 'Alishah, Hajj Mulla Sultan Muhammad Sultan 'Alishah, who was born in Gunabad in Khorasan in A.H.L. 1251/A.D. 1835.
He was one of the most distinguished and famous 'ulama and Sufis of his time, such that in most of the books of that time his name is mentioned. At the age of three he was faced with the loss of his father. Even at such a tender age, his excellence was apparent to all so that among the people and tribes of Baydukht and Gunabad he was known for his intelligence, wit, dignity and poise. After finishing his elementary studies in Baydukht, due to a lack of sufficient means, he temporarily suspended his studies, but because of his enthusiasm and eagerness, at the age of seventeen, he continued to pursue studies and made great strides, such that his local teachers no longer satisfied his scientific yearnings. Therefore, he set out by foot for the holy city of Mashhad to pursue his studies where he spent some time and benefited from the presence of the scholars there. From there, he then went to Najaf, Iraq, were he became proficient in fiqh, usul, and tafsir (exegesis of the Qur'an). Under famous fuqaha, such as Shaykh Murtiza Ansari, and was given permission for ijtihad in fiqh. On his return from Najaf, he went to Sabzavar, and under the direction of the famous philosopher, Hajj Mulla Hadi Sabzavari, he studied peripatetic philosophy, illuminationist philosophy and Mulla Sadra's philosophy. He distinguished himself above all the other students of Sabzavari, and wrote marginalia to the famous book of Mulla Sadra, Asfar. Attaining mastery of these sciences did not satisfy his thirst for knowledge, which he began to seek from the hearts of the Sufis. At that time, the qutb of the Ni'matullahi Order, Sa'adat 'Alishah, together with some of his disciples, went to Sabzavar. Mulla Hadi, who was devoted to the qutb, cancelled his classes and suggested that his students come with him to visit Sa'adat 'Alishah. At that very first session, the late Hajj Mulla Sultan Muhammad was attracted to the Sa'adat 'Alishah, even though the latter was not one of the 'ulama, but he did not surrender to him, and after some time returned to Gunabad. Finally, in A.H.L. 1279, he set off on foot for Sa'adat 'Alishah's place of residence in Isfahan. With a passionate inner fire he went to him and was initiated in spiritual wayfaring toward God. Just as Mawlavi followed the illiterate Shams Tabrizi, he became a follower of the unlearned Sa'adat 'Alishah. He spent little time on the various stages of the journey toward Allah, and was authorized by the master for guidance of the Sufi novices and was given the spiritual title of Sultan 'Alishah. In A.H.L. 1293, Sa'adat 'Alishah passed away and Sultan 'Alishah succeeded him as the qutb of the Ni'matullahi Order. Sultan 'Alishah became renowned throughout the Islamic world for both his knowledge and spiritual guidance. This resulted in inciting the jealousy of his enemies, those who were against his way. As a result, unfortunately, in A.H.L. 1327/A.D. 1909, he won martyrdom by being strangled. His grave is in Baydukht, Gunabad.
He has written many epistles and books, the most important of which are: his great Shi'ite Sufi commentary on the Qur'an in Arabic in four oversized volumes, Bayan al-Sa'adat; Sa'adat Nameh; and Majma' al-Sa'adat; all of whose titles allude to his master, Sa'adat 'Alishah. He also authored Walayat Nameh, Bisharat al-Mu'minin, Tambih al-Na'imin, Iyzah, and Tawzih.
As during the period of Shah Ni'matullah, the times of Sultan 'Alishah were critical. It was the time of the encounter of Iran with modern Western civilization, when the people confronted new concepts, including scientific and social ones. Naturally, some completely rejected what was strange and new, while others superficially submitted. During this time, Shi'ite jurisprudence, which is based on ijtihad and the derivation of precepts in accordance with the needs of the times, had become stagnated. Most of the fuqaha, who were not conscious of the situation of the modern world, were zealous about the outward aspects of religion and only took into consideration the outward aspects of Western civilization, as well, which they judged to be contrary to Islam.
Sufism was also undergoing a crisis. The opposition of the fuqaha that began at the end of the Safavid period was vigorously maintained. The practice of the pseudo-Sufis also was apparently contrary to both the modernists as well as Islamic law. Taking all this into account, Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah was confronted with three groups who opposed true Sufism: (1) some of the fuqaha, (2) the pseudo-Sufis, and (3) some of the modernists. All three groups were taken into consideration in his attempt to renew Sufism.
Aside from his position of leadership, Sultan 'Alishah was a philosopher and a faqih, and both his philosophical positions and jurisprudential opinions were colored by his mysticism. He was a student of Mulla Hadi Sabzawari, who was at that time the most famous proponent of a philosophical system based on Sufism derived from the teachings of Mulla Sadra, and he himself adopted a system of philosophy that mostly followed in this tradition. In fiqh, he was a mujtahid, whose permission for ijtihad was granted by the great Shi'ite faqih of the time, Ayatullah Hajj Mirza Shirazi. Nevertheless, he did not issue any fatwas as a mujtahid, because he considered it necessary to keep the realms of tariqat and shari'at separate. However, some of his juridical opinions may be found in his tafsir, Bayan al-Sa'adat. His jurisprudential views show that he was completely aware of the need to take contemporary conditions into account when reaching decisions about Islamic law, and accordingly, he viewed music and chess as lawful, the People of the Book as essentially having ritual purity and slavery, taking more than one wife at a time, and opium smoking as prohibited.
The Prohibition of Opium
One of the bad habits that was becoming current in the Far East, India and Iran during that time was smoking opium. This was a result of the colonial policies of some European countries. This practice was becoming widespread among some of the Sufis for many years to the point that it would be considered a Sufi custom. They used to say that to be a dervish one should smoke opium or hashish. To justify this, they claimed that it promoted ecstasy and the attainment of the Sufi goal of annihilation, fana. They imagined that the nothingness that comes from smoking opium is the same as the nothingness of mysticism. According to Mawlana:
In order that for a while they may be delivered from sobriety (consciousness),
they lay upon themselves the opprobrium of wine and marijuana.
Mystical nothingness comes from God, not from changes in physio-chemistry. Again, Mawlana says:
Nothingness should come from God,
So that the beauty of God may be seen in it.
The disadvantage of smoking opium from the point of view of mystical experience in Sufism is that one could confuse the hallucination produced by the use of the drug with the unveiling or opening from God for which every Sufi waits. From a social point of view, the practice led first to inactivity and then to idleness. The disadvantages for public hygiene are clear to all. For these reasons Sultan 'Alishah strictly prohibited the use of opium among his followers at a time when its subsequent social malaise had not yet become apparent, to the extent of cursing those who smoked it. He would not accept anyone who smoked opium as a Sufi novice. In his commentary on the Qur'an, Bayan al-Sa'adat, with regard to the verse, (They ask you concerning wine and lots. Say: in both these is great sin…) (2:219), he pronounced the prohibition of opium on the grounds that it violates the rights of ones faculties. This pronouncement at that time appeared to be quite revolutionary, since none of the 'ulama had said anything about it. The prohibition also became a great obstacle to the activities of the colonialists who were trying to make the people weak and dependent on them.
After Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, his grandson and viceregent, Hazrat Nur 'Alishah Gunabadi, wrote a separate book entitled Dhu al-Faqar: On the Prohibition of Smoking Opium. In that book he says that since this sin, that results from the temptations of Satan, had become current in most of the cities of Iran, and none of the 'ulama had paid any attention to it, it is obligatory for those who are familiar with this problem to try to repel it. The language of this book is simple and lucid in a way that ordinary people could understand the evil of it.
From the time of Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, the prohibition against smoking opium has been one of the characteristics of the Ni'matullahi Sultan 'Alishahi Gunabadi Order of Sufism.
The Abandonment of Idleness
In Islam, the outward is not separate from the inward. Any work done with the intention of pleasing God is considered to be an act of worship. So, occupation with worship is no excuse for abandoning worldly affairs. The Prophet said, "There is no monasticism in Islam." In Sufism, in special circumstances, such as during the taming of the carnal soul, instructions may be given for seclusion. Before the divine commissioning of the Prophet, he spent time in seclusion in the cave of Hera. Due to divine attraction, it sometimes occurs that a Sufi abandons the world. In all of these instances, solitude is the exception rather than the rule. Occupation with the arts and crafts in traditional Islamic societies, e.g., architecture, calligraphy, etc., were integrated with the journey toward God. This is why anyone who wants to become a fata and enter the way of Sufism, had to occupy himself with a craft or art. However, there were Sufis who both intentionally and unintentionally made use of the idea of khalvat, or seclusion, as an excuse for idleness and begging. They made a pretext of reliance on God alone, tawakkul, and contentment with one's lot, riza, as a Sufi manner. This is why some of the khanaqahs turned into gathering places for the lazy.
During the time of Shah Ni'matullah Wali, this bad custom was common among many Sufis. Although he practiced seclusion many times, he instructed his followers to be occupied with some work and not to try to gain money through Sufism. He himself used to farm and praised this occupation. He said that labor was a sort of alchemy.
The custom of mendicancy was current among many Sufis, especially in the Khaksar Order, during the time of Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, who strictly prohibited all his followers from being idle and without work. He gave reasons for this prohibition based on rational argument, common sense and religious principles. He said, "Everyone should work for a living and for the sake of the improvement of the world. One should occupy himself with any work that he likes and is not against religious law, including farming, trading, or industry." In another place he says, "Idleness is against civilization, too."
This instruction, especially in the modern world, and with the appearance of civil society that necessitates close social relations and the occupation of each member of society with a work was much needed at that time. At the same time, as a Sufi master, he warned his followers against taking pride in worldly gains and wealth or being covetous thereof. He said, "One should consider himself poor even if one has limitless wealth…. No one takes more than a single shroud from this world. When one becomes aware of this truth, he will understand that he is poor in this world and needy to God…. Improvement of the world is by no means contrary to dervishood." He taught that any work, including prayer and fasting, but also trading and farming, with the intention of performing God's commands, is worship. Earning money is not opposed to reliance on God. He says that the faqir should work but consider the results of his work to be from God.
Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah like Shan Ni'matullah Wali used to farm, and he often had calloused hands. Once, someone came to his house to ask him about alchemy. He was not in the house at the time, but was in his garden. The man went into the garden, and after greeting him, before he could ask anything about it, Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah showed his hands to him and said, "This is our alchemy! We toil and benefit from it." He even used to rebuke farmers who neglected their lands, saying, "If an earth that has the capacity of delivering 300 kilos of wheat, delivers only 270 kilos of wheat because of negligence, the farmer will be held responsible for the remainder."
After Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, the prohibition of idleness has become one of the main characteristics of the Ni'matullahi Gunabadi Order, and all the subsequent qutbs have themselves worked and advised their followers to do so, as well.
The Lack of Restrictions to Special Garb
One of the old customs among the Sufis was wearing special garments, such as woolens, a patched cloak, and other items. Shah Ni'matullah Wali did not restrict himself or his followers to any special clothing by which they could be designated as Sufis. He sometimes wore a white wool robe, and sometimes a long gown. To the contrary of his practice, many of his followers again began wearing distinctive dress, as is mentioned by 'Abd al-Razzaq Kermani, the author of his biography: "The clothing worn by his dervishes was absolutely not worn by him or his children." The prohibition of dervish vestments was only temporarily cancelled several centuries later by Hazrat Riza 'Alishah Deccani for two of his authorized shaykhs, Hazrat Ma'sum 'Alishah and Hazrat Nur 'Alishah I, whom he had sent to Iran. These two great men entered Iran wearing special dervish robes and carrying the characteristic dervish bowl and ax. This policy was enacted to attract attention to the arrival of Sufism in Iran where it had been outlawed for many years.
Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah once again prohibited his followers from wearing any distinctive Sufi clothing. He used to say: "Servitude to God does not depend on any special clothes. In the Qur'an it is written, 'The garment of piety (taqwa) is the best.'" With this rule, no difference could be made out between Sufi Muslims and the other people of the country, and their particular beliefs remained protected in their hearts. This rule is still current in the Ni'matullahi Gunabadi Order, which has been reissued by the qutbs after Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah.
Social and Political Affairs
Essentially, Sufism is not a political school of thought, so it has nothing to do with politics. However, Sufis have entered into political affairs as individuals rather than as Sufis.
Generally speaking, the duties ordained by Islam have been divided by the Sufi shaykhs of the Ni'matullahi Order into three kinds:
(1) Precepts of the shari'at that must be obtained from a qualified mujtahid (expert in Islamic law);
(2) Precepts of the tariqat that must be obtained from the current Sufi master;
(3) Personal precepts to be discerned by the individual himself. One should personally discover one's responsibilities by one's own religious thinking and reasoning.
Thus, interference and expressing views about social affairs is outside the scope of tariqat and the fuqara do not expect instructions in such regards from the authorities of the Order. One's works and intentions are to be made pure for the sake of Allah, and one's own responsibilities are to be discovered. The authorities of the Order will not express views on such questions so that it is not imagined that these are duties of tariqat.
During the constitutional crisis in Iran in the first decade of the twentieth century, when the fuqara asked Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah about their duties, he used to say, "I am a simple farmer from a village. I don't know what constitutional and absolute monarchy mean." He left it to them to figure out for themselves. At the same time, he gave advice to the rulers not to do injustice to the people. For example, in his book Walayat Nameh, there is a chapter entitled, "On Explaining Sovereignty and the Treatment of Subjects," in which he severely criticized the rulers of the country, and says, "In this matter, they should take as their example the first caliphs of Islam; and if their time was too long ago, they should take as their example the rulers of the West, who do not live in luxury, make the country flourish, provide ease for their subjects and who fill the treasury."
Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah lived during the dictatorship of the Qajar dynasty and its opposition to the reform of the Iranian constitution. The idea of a constitution was one of the first political concepts from the West to enter Iran. Some of the 'ulama, like Bihbahani approved of it as consistent with Islam, while others, such as Fazlullah Nuri, disapproved of it as against Islam. Naturally, the formation of political groups and intrigue were current. The fuqara were uncertain of their duties in this regard.
The Revival of Walayat
Walayat is the inward aspect of the mission (risalat) of the Prophet to guide the people. It is the source of tariqat in Islam, or Sufism. The outward aspect of this mission is bringing the shari'at, which is concerned with religious precepts. According to the Qur'an, the period of risalat came to an end with the passing away of the Prophet, but the period of walayat extends until the end of time. Walayat is the main pillar of both Shi'ism and Sufism. Accordingly, both of these refer to the same truth. In both Shi'ite and Sufi theory, the station of walayat cannot be filled by the choice of the people or of an elite. The Prophet chose 'Ali to be his successor in accordance with divine command. In the same manner, each succeeding wali must be appointed by the preceding one. This is why almost all Sufi orders trace their permission for guidance to Imam 'Ali.
Over the course of the centuries, Shi'ism became a set of theological and jurisprudential teachings coupled with a political movement, and walayat was confined to a political interpretation. On the other hand, there were Sufis who completely neglected the issue of walayat.
One of the main issues in the revival of Sufism is the revival of the idea of walayat in Sufi books, which is especially evident after the fall of the 'Abbasid dynasty and the weakening of the political power of the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Undoubtedly, the main problem addressed in works of Shah Ni'matullah Wali is walayat, the various aspects and views about which are discussed at length in many of his works. He raised the topic of walayat to such prominence that the Sufis would understand this to be the source of Sufism itself. On the other hand, he addresses the official Sunni and Shi'ite positions, asking what it really means to be a true Sunni or Shi'ite. He says that to be a Sunni is to follow the tradition (sunnah) of the Prophet, one of whose requisites is love for the Ahl al-Bayt. To the Shi'ites, who were infamous at the time as rafizi (those who were considered heterodox because of their refusal to accept the authority of the first caliphs), he says that to be Shi'ite does not mean cursing the first three caliphs, but it means following 'Ali. In one of his poems he says:
I am not a rafizite, but I am
a pure believer, and enemy of the Mu'tazilite.
I have the religion of my ancestor (the Prophet)
after him, I am the follower of 'Ali the wali.
He reminded the official Shi'ites that believing in the walayat of 'Ali is not merely a matter of words. It is impossible unless there is a heartfelt connection of discipleship. In a poem he says:
Although you do not have the walayat of that wali ('Ali), you boast of walayat.
You should know what you are boasting about.
We have raised the banner of his walayat.
Why should the drum be beaten while under the rug?
In the teachings and works of the martyr Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, the issue of walayat is renewed, with the difference that in the time of Shah Ni'matullah Wali, since the religion of the majority of the Iranian populace was Sunni, primarily he addressed them, while in the case of Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, since after the Safavid period the Iranian populace was mostly Shi'ite, his polemic was directed primarily at those who had inherited a nominally Shi'ite affiliation. In most of his books, including his Sufi commentary on the Qur'an, Bayan al-Sa'adah, his main topic is walayat and its different dimensions. His Persian book, Walayat Nameh, is an independent treatise specifically devoted to a Sufi/Shi'ite presentation of the topic of walayat. At the very beginning of the book, he says: "Many have erred, thinking that walayat is love, or the mere verbal claim of the Imamate or walayat of the Ahl al-Bayt." On another book, he says: "Those whose fathers were Shi'ite think that they are Shi'ite because they imagine this to be no more than the verbal claim of the walayat of 'Ali…. They didn't understand anything of Shi'ism except its name." Thus, his main intention is to show the Sufi dimension of Shi'ism, i.e., walayat, to the nominal Shi'ites who had confined it to a verbal claim or to jurisprudence and theology.
Among the important points that he made about walayat is the issue of having permission for authority in Sufism. This topic became especially highlighted after the competing claims to succession following the passing away of Hazrat Rahmat 'Alishah, and the failure of some to obey his authorized successor, Hazrat Sa'adat 'Alishah.
As it has been said, one of the main principles of walayat is that the master of the Order should have permission from his predecessor. These permissions for guidance should form an unbroken chain or series reaching back to Imam 'Ali. This is why the word silsilah (chain) is used for the Sufi orders. During the time of Hazrat Sultan 'Alishah, since there were numerous sectarian divisions of the orders, and there were many who claimed to be masters without having any permission, there was an intense need to deal with this issue. He refers to this problem in many of his works. For example, he says: "Know that the tree of the shaykhs of every Sufi order of the past has been recorded." He continues to explain that the explicit authorization (nass) of the shaykh is necessary to support the claim of being a shaykh, and is needed by the novice in order to understand under the direction of whom he could enter the tariqat. This is why the Sufi shaykhs sought to protect this authorization. In another place he says, "In every religious affair it is necessary to have the permission of the religious authority of the time."
Now in the Ni'matullahi Gunabadi Order, having explicit authorization has become the most important criterion for spiritual guidance.
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Declaration of 18 October 1992
# His Excellency Haj Ali Tabandeh Mahboub Ali Shah
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Hu
121
For the sake of the repose of the pure spirit of Hazrat Aqa Riza ‘Alishah[1], may his grave be radiant, the qutb[2] of the eminent Ni‘matullahi Sultan ‘Alishahi Order, this faqir, Hajj ‘Ali Tabandeh, who has been honored in tariqah with the title Mahbub ‘Alishah, hereby offers this reminder of fourteen points, in honor of the Fourteen Innocents (Ma‘sumin),[3] to the faith illumined hearts of the fuqara of the Ni‘matullahi Sultan ‘Alishahi Order. These fourteen points are taken from the book of the fruitful life of faqr, learning and virtue of that noble man, so that by according themselves with them, his triumphant spirit may be pleased, and the fuqara may be provided with grace and blessings in this world and in the next.
1. With the remembrance of God, make every moment count for all it is worth.
2. Place your life under the heading of kindness to God's creatures.
3. Strengthen the body, upon which the soul is mounted, with food, clothing and shelter that is the fruit of your own labor.
4. Keep the jewel of humanity radiant with the light of faith.
5. Secure the joy of the soul by love for the truth of gnosis (‘irfan).
6. Quicken the flight of the spirit through the sky of gnosis (ma‘rifah), with constant remembrance of God, dhikr, and perpetual contemplation of Him, fikr.
7. Illuminate the sky of the world of humanity with the light of the intellect.
8. Do not offend the voice of conscience, and be in fear of the moment it should abandon you in anger, rising beyond the heavens.
9. Keep before you the repeated recommendations of the qutbs of the eminent Ni‘matullahi Sultan ‘Alishahi Order, especially that which has been repeatedly emphasized by this faqir’s honorable father, to abide by the ordinances of the holy shari‘ah of Islam.
10. Reading the book, Salih's Advice, and the other books of ‘irfan, gnosis, prevents one from unconscious slipping, and by studying these books keep away from instability of the self.
11. Extinguish the spark of the appearance of strife instantly, for this kind of sobriety and wakefulness, in the view of the friends of God, the awliya, has unending rewards.
12. Recognize that unity and convergence around the flag of Islam is the sole bulwark of salvation in today’s world.
13. Protection of the family hearth, nourishing the family, attempting to bring stability to one's married life, and refraining from any kind of anger, jealousy or estrangement are all investments for one's tranquility and bring warmth to one’s life.
14. Do not forget that service to one another is worship and smoothes one's daily life.
This faqir, in performance of this momentous responsibility, which I have had no choice but to obey and carry out, desires of each of the Ni‘matullahi Sultan ‘Alishahi brethren the complete observance of these fourteen principles, for I see that even an instant of slipping in the application of any of them results in the loss of this world and the next.
And Peace be with you, and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings.
A.H.L. 20 Rabi` al-Than i 1413
A.H.S. 26 Mehr 1371
October 18, 1992
On the occasion of the fortieth day after the passing of the Great Master Hazrat Aqa Riza ‘Alishah, may Allah raise his high honorable station.
Faqir Hajj ‘Ali Tabandeh
Mahbub ‘Alishah
[signed and signeted]
Notes:
[1] Delivered by Hazrat Mahbub ‘Alishah on the occasion of the fortieth day after the passing of the Hazrat Riza ‘Alishah.
[2] The word qutb literally means “pole” and designates the leader of a Sufi order. [Tr.]
[3] They are ‘those preserved from sin’; innocents; this includes all the prophets, as well as, and especially in Shi‘i usage, the Fourteen Innocents: the Prophet, his daughter Fatimah, and the twelve Imams, Peace be with them all. [Tr.]
--
Declaration of 9 June 1995
# His Excellency Haj Ali Tabandeh Mahboub Ali Shah
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Hu
121
To my brethren in faith, the fuqara of the Ni‘matullahi Sultan Alishahi Order, may Allah grant them success: The points below, which are from the subtleties and implications of faqr and dervishhood, I offer once again as a reminder, so that in compliance with the noble order, (…and remind, the Reminder profits the believers,)[2] God willing, it may be of profit.
The spiritual expectations which the way of faqr and dervishhood has of its wayfarers are:
1. Be a guard over the trust of the faqr and dervishhood God has given you for safe keeping, and by excellent words, actions and thoughts, try to be worthy of the appellations of faqr and dervishhood, for each of your wrong deeds is an embarassment to this faqir.
2. Make the scale of your behavior the epitome of the instructions of faqr and dervishhood, which is service to God, kindness to people and ministry to the brethren, and make your deeds accord with this.
3. Do not sell the jewel of faqr and dervishhood for a small price so that you suffer loss. The jeweler knows the value of the jewel. If you are not a jeweler, know that the price of this jewel is joining the Friend.
4. The subtlety of faqr and dervishhood cannot be brought to the tongue, and speech is not the way to its truth. Do not break the sanctity of the heart by talk and do not say anything that may result in undermining the states (ahwal) of others.
5. The enemy of faqr and dervishhood is the devil of the self, which appears in various forms. Do not be taken in by the deceptive ploting of the self, for it is possible that it may take on the appearance of being pleasing to God.
6. What is expected by faqr and dervishhood from those who have found its way is nothing but the performance of the responsibilities of the faith. Every eye that looks for anything else in this way is due to a blind heart.
7. Do not trample the blessing of faqr and dervishhood with egotism and conceit, for the grief of this ingratitude brings pain to the hearts of the great men of religion.
8. The world of faqr and dervishhood is just giving the retreat of the heart to the Beloved. Those who pursue ease and who are alien to this suffering are not fellow travellers with this faqir.
9. Do not break the goblet of honor of faqr and dervishhood with the stone of greed and neglect, and do not purchase for yourself the black heart of breaking the covenant.
10. The success of service in the world of faqr and dervishhood is itself a spiritual reward. Seeking compensation is a poisonous neglect.
Do not be a servant for a wage like a beggar,
For the Friend has His own way of training servants.[3]
11. Do not take captive the freedom of faqr and dervishhood by envy of the world and yearning for the afterlife. Do not want anything from the Friend but Himself
There must be three partings in the clothing of faqr:
Parting from the world, parting from the other world, and parting from parting.[4]
12. The destination of faqr and dervishhood requires a firm will. Accept the difficulties of the way, even if it costs your life, by the mount of yearning for union,[5] and expect your heart to open, for dispair and hopelessness are infidelity.
I expect all the brothers and sisters in faith to meditate on these points and to look upon them with the eye of the heart, and to prepare their provisions for the way, and not to be negligent, so that
If anyone is home, even a single word will suffice.[6]
And Peace be with you, and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings.
‘Ashura Husayni A.H.L. 1416
Corresponding to A.H.S. 19 Khordad 1374
[9 June 1995]
Faqir Hajj ‘Ali Tabandeh
Mahbub Alishah
[signed and signeted]
Notes:
[1] The Prophet, his daughter Fitimah and the twelve Imams are the fourteen immaculates of Shi‘i Islam, divinely protected from error and sin.
[2] (51:55).
[3] A couplet from the Divin of Hifiz.
[4] A couplet attributed to Shih Ni‘matullih Wali.
[5] This alludes to a hadith according to which the Prophet (s) said, “…yearning is my mount…”.
[6] A famous Persian proverb originally part of a couplet by ‘Izz al-Din Mahmud Kishini.
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Declaration of 21 February 1995
# His Excellency Hajj Ali Tabandeh Mahboub Ali Shah
Hu
121
My brethren,
This is the third reminder of this faqir to the wayfarers of the Ni‘matullahi Sultan Alishahi Order. What does the repetition of words and advice in the world of faqr show? A blind heart or inattention to the advisor?
1. To continue negligence in the way of faqr is ingratitude for its blessing, which is irreplaceable, and to repeat negligence is an obstacle to mercy. Who does not know what will happen eventually to one who closes his eyes to the lamp of the leader of the caravan?
2. The instructors of faqr, like all gardeners, plant the sapling of faith, and care for it until its flowers can be picked. They think of nothing but this.
3. Gardeners water. By their ability to absorb through their roots the flowers also should pay heed to the sufferings of the gardener. Do our worldly desires not trample the sufferings of the gardener?
4. The gardener is commanded to garden, and insight and knowledge of this have been given to him. It is not fair to request something of him that is not his duty. How excellent the (Prophet) has said, “You are better aware of your worldly affairs than I.”
5. The seed of a plant that is not planted in the ground still has the capacity to be planted and nourished; however, if it is planted in the ground, but is not nourished, the earth will rot it and destroy it.
6. Who does not know what fate lies ahead for the corrupted seed and the withered tree. Can it be planted in another field? Seeds are not sown in planted ground. Unless the heart is purified of the love of the world, it will not become the place for the love of mawla.[1]
7. The world is the farm for the other world.[2] I wonder at those who, while they know that if they nourish the seed of faith with the water of love, and train it with righteous works, it will grow from the depths of the earth to the summit of the sky, and that one seed will produce between one hundred and seven hundred fruits,[3] yet fall short and prevent its growth with the brambles of negligence.
Finally, I hope that those who have come close to this order for the sake of wealth or position or a comfortable life will take a good look at their own selves and will not blacken their report cards any more, and that they may know that their sufferings are worthless and that they cause trouble for the gardener.
It is as plain as day from the seed We planted
That we are the damned, not the folk of heaven.[4]
‘Ayd Fitr A.H.L. 1416
Faqir Hajj ‘Ali Tabandeh Mahbub Alishah
[signed and signeted]
February 1996
Notes:
[1] The word mawli is derived from wali, meaning friend or guardian, and is used to designate the Lord, Master, and especially Imam ‘Ali.
[2] This is a hadith attributed to the Prophet (s).
[3] This refers to the following verse of the Qur’in: (The similitude of those who spend their wealth in the path of God is the similitude of a grain of corn that grows seven ears, in each ear of which are a hundred grains; and verily God gives manifold increase to whosoever He wills, and God is omniscient, all knowing.) (2:261).
[4] This is a couplet from Sa‘adi.
--
Declaration of 17 January 1997
# His Excellency Hajj Dr. Nour Ali Tabandeh Majzoub Ali Shah
Hu
121
7 Ramazan 1417
28 Day 1375
17 January 1997
In the Name of God, the Creator of the soul,
The Sage, Creator of speech in language.
Dear Brethren[1],
Upon the passing of our great Master (Mawla) Hazrat Mahbub ‘Alishah, we have all become saddened. May God grant us the success of being patient and bearing the pain of separation, and may the spirit of that great man find joy and be pleased with us. We beseech the Glorious God that this paltry speck may be successful in the performance of the duties which the great master has assigned to this humble man, and in order to comply with this request, I beg the prayers of you, my brethren, for help and intercession.
The practical instructions that have been written in the epistle, Salih’s Advice, and also the decrees of the past great masters, are to be read repeatedly, referred to constantly and put into practice. In this way, God will be pleased with you, and the success of this humble man will be secured. For the time being, I will repeat some points that have been mentioned.
(1) Be extremely careful with regard to the observance of Islamic hijab[2] for women, which is a necessary condition for individual and social chastity, and likewise the observance of taqwa (God-wariness) among the men.
(2) As you know, now more than one hundred years have passed since the use of illicit drugs was first prohibited by the Martyr Hazrat Sultan ‘Alishah, so that the initiation of addicts is not even allowed, and his successors have repeatedly emphasized and renewed this prohibition in the same manner. If, God forbid, a brother or sister has even the slightest addiction, he or she is to repent before God and beseech Him for resolution and will to quit. And since this sort of addiction impairs, and may destroy, one’s reason, until one’s repentance has been accepted and one has quit the addiction, one should not be present in the sessions of the fuqara, and before that one may be present only once in a while when one is sober minded, as is alluded to in the ayah of the Qur’an: (Do not approach the prayer while you are intoxicated) (4:43).
(3) The responsibilities appointed by the sacred religion have been implicitly divided into three kinds by the high ranking ‘urafa:
i. Precepts of the shari‘ah which must be obtained by taqlid (imitation) from a completely qualified mujtahid (expert in Islamic law); and the discernment of such a marja‘[3] is the duty of every responsible person himself.
ii. Precepts of the tariqah which are to be obtained from the current Master, and instruction in gnosis (‘irfan) is also to be found in the books of the great gnostics (‘urafa).
iii. Personal precepts to be discerned by the person himself, in the sense that God, the Exalted, wants the spiritual powers of His servants to be put into practice, and to be exalted, and since He, the Sublime, has bestowed them, it becomes a duty that aside from the two areas mentioned above one should personally discover one’s responsibilities by one’s own religious thinking and reasoning.
(4) Thus, interference in and expressing views about social affairs is outside the scope of tariqah and the fuqara should not expect instructions in such regards from the authorities of the Order. One’s works and intentions are to be made pure for the sake of Allah, and one’s own responsibilities are to be discovered. The authorities of the Order will not express views on such questions so that it is not imagined that these are duties of tariqah. This same manner and absence of interference in social questions, as in the past, will be maintained.
(5) We should learn the observation of social order and respect and obedience with regard to the law from Socrates in history. Observance of the laws of the community is respect for oneself and for others. Pay attention to this important issue.
Pray for me,
Nur ‘Ali Tabandeh Majdhub ‘Alishah
[signature]
Notes:
[1] This proclamation was written on the occasion of the passing away of Hazrat Mahbub ‘Alishah by his successor, Hazrat Majdhub ‘Alishah.
[2] The Arabic word hijab literally means ‘cover’; the requirement to observe modesty in dress according to Islamic Law, such that in the presence of those outside her immediate family, a woman’s body is to be entirely covered except for the face, hands and feet. [Tr.]
[3] The word marja‘ literally means “source” and is used for an expert (mujtahid) in matters pertaining to shari‘ah authorized to serve as a model of imitation (taqlid) for non-experts. [Tr.]
--
Declaration of 31 January 2006
# His Excellency Haj Dr. Nur Ali Tabandeh Majzoub Ali Shah
HŪ
121
"Hussein is my beloved, and I am a part of him"
said the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)
The sacred month of Muharram is the reminiscent of the up-rising of Imam Hussain, the Lord of the Martyrs (A). The Ashūrā of Imam Hussain (the day of his martyrdom) is just like a fullsize crystal-clear mirror, which by a careful look at it the luminous beauty of Qur’ān and beautiful features of Islam could be seen. Although there has been no mourning rituals in Islam, but the reason why our magnanimous Imams (A) have recommended their followers to arrange such a mourning rituals in commemoration of their noblest grandfathers is that the Shiites (true followers of Imam Ali (A)) by taking part in the mourning assemblies to be acquainted with the luminous teachings and divinely ideals of the said sacred movement, which is one a kind in the history of the mankind. The holy movement was continued by Zainab (A) the Grand Lady of Islam as well as other infallible Imams (A). Everybody should be aware of so many lives which have been perished for guarding and revival of Islam and Glorious Qur’ān. Let us take the opportunity of having the sparkling light of this sacred objective to be shined into every corner of our personnal and social life.
Having this sacred month ahead, and taking into consideration the special status and situation of the world of Islam in the present period of time, there are certain recommendations which seems necessary to be made to Fuqarā (the disciples, the needers of Allah, the members) of Ne’amatollahi Orders of Gonabadi (God may make them successful). The following remarks are originated from a heart whose beatings are just for exaltation of Islam and glorification of the pioneer of Shiism in the world, the beloved Iran, which from bottom of my heart I wish their material and spiritual progress and development. I hope my dear brethren accept and perform enthusiastically my advice which the good of this world and the Hereafter is in them and would be pleasing to God and His divine guardians.
1-The continuation of mankind’s guidance has been due to the Imam Hussain’s Ashūrā and burdensome efforts of other Imams (A). The dignity, material and spiritual progress of humankind, especially the Shiites, have been obtained under the auspices of bright light of behaviours and statements of infallible Imams. Therefore Fūqarā’ who have the love and devotion of the prophet’s Family in their hearts and are proud of following their creeds, statements and behaviours, should make every effort to gain virtues, love, theosophy and knowledge from the way of living of Imam Hussain, The Lord of the Martyrs(A), and his magnanimous Companions. According to this important message that "All and everyday is Ashūrā and all and every place is Karbala". We are bound to communicate the inviting voice of the movment’s leader to the people of the world who said:" Is there anybody to give aid to me? We should make them understand that if you sincerely regret of not being under his leadership, so hear this voice and respond him. The positive and practical response to this invitation is following and honouring his practice and way of living.
2-Numerous lessons and messages could be understood from the Ashūrā of Imam Hussain(A), whose spirit and inward meaning is the subject-matter of guardianship and leadership of divine guardians. This is one of the most important and fundamental pillar of the religion. This is a divine gift and heavenly deposit. So that it would be a shame and pity that by contradictory behaviours and statement to the said sacred objective to sell it in exchange for a paltry price and worthless coins, as a result to stand at the same level of those persons who were motivated by greed and avarice to gain the kingdom of Rey so that killed the child of Honourable prophet(PBUH) and his beloved companions and gained nothing but ignominy and disgrace.
3-The conducting mourning assemblies should be free from any improper admiration and everything, which would be direct cause of insult to sacred beings of prophet’s Family (A) and resulting to underestimation of holy things in the sight of strangers and enemies of Islam. On the contrary the true position of this sacred up-rising should be clarified and explained.
4-Among other rights and expectations that Imam Hussain(A) and all divine guardians are looking forward to take place is that their adherents follow their examples. Almighty God has also enjoined the same deeds in Glorious Qur’an that says:" There are good examples in Messenger of God for you to follow". Therefore the main objective in conducting mourning assemblies is to get better knowledge of their way of living. Consequently two seedlings of love and knowledge would gradually develop the immature status of their follower to the experienced and perfect one.
5-Love, shall take the man up to the highest peak of gnosis(knowledge, mysticism and theosophy). As a result, submission and obeying the guardians of religion which is divine manifestation of the said fruitful tree, would be fertilized unto the follower of the mystical path..
6-The cordial manners showing love and affection towards the grandees and dignitaries are an indication of the degree of purity of intention and truthfulness of those who claim to be the true followers of Shiim and mystic poverty. One of the manifestation of this love, is to respect and treat with courtesy the friends and lovers of Imam Hussain(A) and the prophet’s Family(A). and also to pay homage to the sacred places and Hussainiehs which are built in his Holiness’s name and especially for conducting mourning assemblies. Therefore any attempt to defame the friends and lovers of the aforementioned magnanimous and his related places is an indication of mendacity and hypocrisy.
7-There are numerous lessons such as altruism, self sacrifice, resistance and patience in up-rising of Imam Hussain to be learned which are theoretical and practical knowledges for his lovers to follow.
8-Having loyal and faithful and united companions who loved their leader and had common goal was the main secret and mystery of Imam Hussain’s victory, therefore everyone of Fuqarā’ are bound to avoid the conflicts and disputes with one another and stick together in all aspects of their social life to attain the victory.
9-Breaking the limits and passing through red lines is one of the most important harmful activities which shall threaten the culture of a school of thought as well as a society. Innovation in religious commandments, violation of prophet’s orders and ruling for insulting Imam Ali (A) are the bare examples of the said breaking the limits. If we are not supposed to share the same fate and destiny of the violators and wish to attain prosperity and salvation, we ought to refrain from breaking the limits of saints and divine guardians.
10-"Enjoin the right (good) and forbid the wrong (evil)" which means to feel responsibility towards the fate of society has been one of the Imam Hussain’s up-rising. So that we are, as far as possible, bound to follow this goal and do not forget our responsibilities towards our society. Let us remember that in every group or society which the personal interests are preferred to public interests and social exigencies then their decline and fall would be inevitable.
11-The up-rising of Imam Hussain(A) and his companions did occur in a period of time that some people were fascinated to the social status and high-ranking positions. They preferred the animal way of living to humanitarian life, and were under the influence of vulgarity and ignorance
Since the appearance of things
Were chosen by the idiots.
The subtleties of affairs
Were hidden from them.
Awareness and resistance are two lessons which we should learn, at all times, from incident in Karbala.
12. The magnificent up-rising and holy war of Imam Hussain(A) has a definitive and inseparable connection with the advent and up-rising of the Upholder of the Family of Muhammad (Mahdi, the rightly guided one), May God hasten his glad advent.
Although His Holiness is our guide and protector and he is watching and controlling our deeds but, it is our deeds and behaviors which is the real cause of our deprivation from his blessing presence. According to the following adage" All and everyday is Ashūrā and All and every piece of land is Karbala". We ought to, by all means, listen to the voice of invitation of magnanimous and grandees (of religion) who say" Who is going to help to the cause of Allah?". And then by and making improvement in our deeds and statements to prepare the grounds for the advent of His Holiness. Namely the one who shall revive the goals of his magnanimous grandfather.
There is a tradition narrated from Imam Sadiq (A) which says:" so that, revive our commands, and God bless him who revives our commands." The sacred religion of Islam and the true Shiite school, possesses a perfect and comprehensive set of rules and regulations which if the theologians and the mystics of the path of certitude, communicate them to the people and its luminous teachings being enforced, then surely it would be the cause of progress in every aspects of human life, whether material or spiritual, and the true religiousness and real civilization would come along. Islam possesses canon law (religious law) as well as Sufi path (mystical path), and under the bright light of Qur’an and Family of Muhammad, which are two souvenirs left by Honourable prophet (PBUH) amongst Muslim community, One would be able to overcome the inward darkness and outward obstacles. There has always been existed and there still exist, during the occultation of the Lord of the Age (May God hasten his glad advent), the said two different branches, namely, theologians (canonists) and mystics of the path of Sūfīsm. And as it has been mentioned in the mystical works, including the noble treatise of "Salih Advice" whose author is my physical and spiritual father which is the instructional manual for the Fuqarā of this Order, containing comprehensive rules, whether formal or spiritual, and a brief of all tasks and duties of those journeying towards Allah, the aforesaid two branches are just as two hands of a person and/or two branches of an office. The canonists (theologians) are introduced as the leaders of Muslims and representatives of grandees to describe the rules and regulations of Islam, and the mystics are introduced as authorized perspicacity and agents for reforming the souls and purification and refinement of Characters. This unity and solidarity would be the essential source of promotion and development of the true religion of Islam and strengthening the rules and regulations brought by the Lords of the creatures (Muhammad the Chosen One PBUH).And it would be also a barrier to the interference of the enemies and the secret plots against Islam and the nation. In accordance with the policies of magnanimous predecessors and spiritual-poles of this noble Order, I have been also, in the past and present time, in contact with the theologians and there has been always the utmost kind relationship between us.
At this period of time, the deceived enemies of Islam and Iran attempt to falsify the beautiful features of Islam and true Shiism. They introduce Islam as the religion of terror and violence and introduce beloved Iran as a lawless country. But they ignore this fact that in early Islam, Imam Ali (A) who was a divine guardian (the Friend of God) and immediate successor and executor of Messenger of Allah, the one who was the most compassionate and sympathetic to Islam and well-informed to the circumstances of the world, was against assassination of Ūthmān (the third Caliph) and he even appointed his magnanimous son, the reminiscent of Messenger of God to protect Ūthmān. He used to say "in case the incident takes place then the assassination of caliphs would be common between Muslims". And we saw that the subsequent caliphs, even Ali (A) himself and Imam Hassan Mudjtaba (A) were both assassinated. Nowadays compared to the circumstances in the past, the solidarity and unity of Muslims is the most important issue and the most important obligations. I am (this Faqir) well-informed and aware of the great responsibility of mine, and the worry of tragic consequences of this anti-Islamic and anti-Iranian occurrences have occupied my mind thoroughly. On the basis of noble tradition, narrated from Messenger of Allah:"There are two groups of people who have broken my back (hit me hard). The rude and foul-mouthed scholars, and the ignoramus devotees." As it is observed, according to the realistic view of His Reverend, the said two groups, during the history of Islam and especially at present period of time, have been more than every other factors a constant threat against Islam and religious sanctuaries and Iranian nation. Therefore following my magnanimous predecessors and with regard to the responsibility of rendering service to Faqre (mystic poverty) and Fūqarā, I am interested to be in contact with jurisconsults and theologians negotiate the most important religious problems and national issues. But due to being occupied with the affairs of Fūqarā, and the more time—consuming jobs and dealing with a lot of correspondence, and sometimes because of physical weakness and being ill as well as being short in time especially for the issues pertaining to places other than Tehran, this responsibility could not be performed as I wish. Therefore I have appointed the dignified brother Mr. Hossain-Ali Kashani Beydokhti (may his successes be enhanced) as my representative to render this important task. Mr.Kashani is respectful to the scholars and theologians, and has special authorizations, whether written or verbal, from grand jurisconsults and is always in contact with them. He shall meet and send my greetings to those scholars and clergymen who are an exemplar of the sound tradition which reads as followers: "One who is in control of his "self", a guardian and protector of his religion, objector and against his carnal desires and obedient to the will and commands of his master, the Divine guardian". He will communicate to the divine clergymen who are considerate and sympathetic towards Islam and beloved people of Iran, that, although the acts of the human-like devils correspond with the following noble verse: "Their deeds are like a mirage in the desert".(Al-Nūr XXIV, 39) and Almighty God according to the following verse: "And they plotted and Allah also devised a plot and Allah is the supreme-Deviser". (Al-e-Imran III, 54) shall frustrate their sinister plots, and on the basis of the following verse:"Verily, we have sent down the protector of it" (AL-Hijr XV, 9). He has guaranteed the support and protection of Holy Qur’an and His divine guardians. However it does not mean that our tasks and responsibilities are cancelled. And according to the text of following saying:" All of you are considered as leaders and guides and all of you are responsible towards the folks." We are bound to make other people aware and alert of the situation. Since some misunderstandings and doubts have been propounded by several ignoramus or self-interested malevolent persons and those who are hostile and antagonist to the truth, about true Sūfism(mysticism) which is the real Shiism and straight path for love, loyalty and allegiance to the prophet’s Family(AS), so that Mr. Kashani while meeting the scholars and clergymen and researchers and those persons who are seeking the truth, shall try to remove all these doubts. And if some questions arises then he is authorized, as before, to answer the questions and explain the religious and mystical subject-matters. By virtue of the noble verse: "Invite mankind to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching and argue with them in the best manner." (Al-Nahl XVI, 125).
Mr.Kashani should through soft words and clear reasoning remove all doubts and guide them. He should do his utmost effort to establish unity among people and add to their enlightenment and render service to the God’s servants as far as possible. I ask humbly Almighty God for enhancement of his successes.
Praise and thanks be to God that almost all Fūqarā and brethren do perform their canonical and mystical duties and apparently show their affection and love towards exaltation of Faqre standard. Thus I convey my best greetings and thanks to all of them. And I do request you to pray for me.
Faqir, Hajj Doctor Nūr Ali Tābandeh Madjdhub Alishah
First of Muharram 1427 (Lunar Year A.H)
(January 31, 2006)
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Declaration of 21 March 2007
# His Excellency Hajj Dr. Nour Ali Tabandeh Majzoub Ali Shah
HŪ
121
Oh you, who change the state and conditions, transfer our state to the best conditions.
Eid Norouz (Iranian New Year Feast) the ancient remembrance of Prophet Zoroaster (peace be upon him) and the eternal heritage of the great and noble people of Iran, begins by the commencement of the spring season and re-birth of nature with all its flourishing greenery and beauty. All the eastern nations particularly the Iranians go towards welcoming this feast (Eid) and strive to celebrate it with pomp. In reality it is considered as a manifest symbol of the revival of social justice and this spring of nature is the spring of love, to the mettle of mankind and truth and has roots in the ancient customs of this land and for this very reason, in the length of history, foreign powers or aliens (strangers) who invaded into this holy land and however hard they endeavored to abolish this national and religious custom and instead impose their culture and civilization on the people of Iran. In front of the powerful forces and resistance of the brave and honorable people of Iran they became powerless, on the contrary, they were attracted and accepted our customs and in reality, Nourouz and the customs of this auspicious feast is a symbol of perseverance and cultural stability against the political oppression of aliens and anti-Iranian people, and carries this message that we should with firmness and our national identity and independence which is peace and friendship and unity and happiness support and defend it continuously.
Fortunately, the holy religion of Islam and its great Prophet as well as the guiding Imams (peace be upon them), also considered whatever was among the common laws and customs of every tribe and people and were not in opposition with divine teachings and the human nature, not only did not disapprove but confirmed it, just as Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadegh (peace be upon him) according to whatever has been narrated in the books of traditions and supplications, has instructed to take ablution and wear new clothes and even to hold special fast and prayers and supplicate during the transition of the year to the new year. In this way, Nourouz was a national tradition and also a religious feast, particularly according to some narrations and past histories, the opinion of investigators is that, the important event of Ghadir Khom which is an honor for the Shias and a historical Shias chronicle and from the point of view of the solar calendar coincided with the Iranian New Year (Nouroz). Therefore, whenever religion and customs do not permit aliens and enemies to destroy firm traditions, undoubtedly, Sufism and Gnosticism which has roots in the divine nature of mankind and which originated from the soul and spirit of mankind, especially the spirit of Islamic religious laws and the interior of the glorious Koran remains protected from the treason of enemies.
Sufism has associated as such with the liking of the honorable people of Iran, that its valuable Iranians prose and poems without the taste of Gnosticism and the savory of Islamic mysticism would be like a dead body without soul and incongruent meal, and has dedicated great Sages of mysticism and Gnosticism such as Maulawi, Hafez, Saadi and Jami and Attar and Sanaie, whose masterpieces are the best and the most valuable cultural heritage of Iran and Islam and cannot be wiped out from the page of the soul of the infatuated of the school of love to spirituality. Therefore, according to the noble verse “what is with you passes away and what is with Allah is enduring”[i] whatever has the tincture and roots related to God has connection with eternity and cannot be annihilated, and in continuation of this verse that, God says to those who increase their endurance and faith and patience and stability against those who strive without results to blow out the light of the truth of the sun by their poof, and says: “We reward those who had patience with what the best they have done”, historical events and occurrences has shown that in contrary to what appears to be, the hostility of the enemies with the truth is one of the factors for development of truth and confirmation of the oppressiveness of its followers and causes the wronged to be destroyed, as further said:
Thus, we have verily experienced in this belated retribution,
whoever was against Ali and his followers was abolished.
For strengthening the foundation of the way of Sufism and Gnosticism, which is the same truth of Shiism and acceptance of the invitation “who will help me to God”, that God promised the reward of this in the verse of “if you assist God, you will be assisted and your footsteps will be stabilized”. In the vanguard of the new year I would like to mention a few points, which may have been repeated before, but would like to remind once again for the faithful and , I request, all the faithful that to oblige themselves to follow them and review this message occasionally and to read them in Sufism sessions in and outside of Iran and all consider its articles as a summary of the faithful’s commitments and teachings of the school of Sufism.
1) The canon laws (Shariat) and the inner path (Tariqat) are a unique truth and are the two sides of a divine coin and cannot be separated from each other. The Fughara (faithful) are obliged likewise to observe the commandments of the holy canon laws and also rules of Sufism and Tariqat; which are the spirit of shariat’s practices. Following (Imitation) is not only permissible but, it is necessary to do research based upon thoughts and reasoning.
2) Participation in Sufi sessions that its inferring authorization has been issued by the Messenger of Allah and the Immaculate Imams (peace be upon them) and is a session for the remembrance of God (zekr) and to learn the religious rules, and cultivation of morals, and meeting the faithful and purifying the soul and emptying the self from carnal resentment and worldly interests, particularly in this age is of the most important duties of the Fughara and causes uniting of the hearts and weakens the hostility of the enemies.
3) Keeping awake at dawn, prolonged continuity in maintaining cleanliness, reciting the Koran and pondering and contemplation in its noble verses and implementing the teachings of this heavenly book and intimate supplication with God and seeking help from the interior of God’s Saints and holding fast to the two remembrance of the great Prophet (Peace be upon him) that is the Koran and the chain of divine leaders, which cause luminosity and purity of the heart, and which attract of favors and descent of blessings and repel of calamities, and pouring of the divine mercy; the Fughara should not deprive themselves from this proximity and intersession “If the inhabitants of the towns believe and keep piety, we will open blessings for them from the sky and earth”[ii].
4) All, even the foolish and obstinate, expect kindness and forgiveness and generosity from the school of Sufism and from every single Fughara and this is one of the reasons for the righteousness of Gnosticism and Sufism. Thus, with the decree of this noble verse “let them forgive and show indulgence. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? Allah is forgiving, merciful”[iii] since, we all, expect pardon and forgiveness for our sins and mistakes from the Beloved; we must then increase upon love, sincerity and kindness and forgiveness in relation to each other. In commencement of the New Year, it is expected, that in case, even if there was any resentment, by Musafeheh[iv] with each other and heartfelt forgiveness, be changed to serenity and sincerity in the way of pleasing Maula (Master); be united, “as solid structures” and in case of resentment between two Faghirs, other have duty as far as possible to take steps to remove such differences, that “make peace between your brotheren”.
5) Education in sciences and raising the level of scientific information of the Fughara, reading religious and Gnostic books and strengthening the foundations of thought are of important factors for the removal of doubts and repelling cultural aggression against the school of Gnosticism and fortifying the opinions of the Fughara themselves, because the trickery of the enemies is that they want the people to remain continuously in ignorance, however much, the progress of science and technology in the world increases, the righteousness of Gnosticism will become clearer.
6) Respect and politeness in regards to the public and to the forerunners in faith, particularly the respected authorized Sheikhs of the Order and those who are authorized are necessary for the Fughara. Of course, they too in relation to the Fughara particularly the young and novices in Gnosticism, train them in Gnostic manners with the upmost level of love and kindness
7) As the Sheikhs and authorized of the Order have the highest love for this Faghir and in fulfillment of entrusted duties to them endeavor, and pay attention to the direction of command, I am thankful and grateful and expect that in relation to each other also, observe the requisite of this love and respect increasingly and in this matter be a model for the Fughara.
8) Strengthening the foundation of the family and love between the members of the family always result in the pleasure of God and His Saints and has a very effective role in training of children who are the future-makers of the society, because the responsibility of tomorrow too will be on us.
9) Although from the first announcement, it has been reminded and the practice of the Masters of the Order had always been this, and on those of understanding and foresight is not hidden, but once again it is stressed that the ordinance of Tarighat and Sufism and Sufi sessions, has never been adherent to any politics and party, and in other words, Sufism will not interfere in politics, because it is a commandment of the heart and spirit, but individual Fughara are free to choose any political policy which should be in the confines of the school of Islam and with the motive of service to the bondsmen of God with their own contemplation; this matter should not be mistaken by means of performing social services and lawful activities, which is a common duty.
10) Pilgrimage to the House of God and fulfillment of the Hajj rites for all able individuals is compulsory and attention to its Gnostic mysteries is beneficial for all and all desire that, even if this state of grace has been honored to us before, as a religious duty, again be favored. Likewise visit to the graves of the pure Imams and the Saints of religion (peace be upon them), among them visit to the graves of the gracious Masters of the Order are encourageable as an act of righteousness and the visit to the dignified Shrine of Baydukht where it is the place for the decent of divine illumination and the burial place of the perfumed bodies, who spent their years in the way of guiding and training the bondsmen of God, and many of the Fughara have comprehended the presence of some of them, bringing about the pleasure of the spirit of the gracious Masters and acquired their blessings. At the time of visiting Mecca the Reverend, Madineh the radiant, and sacred places of martyrdom, to visit (supplicate) on behalf of this Faghir and pray (supplicate) for all the bondsmen of God, and during the journey to Baydukht and while resident there, carry out all the points and pay attention to the announcement issued to visiting devotees and which has also been posted in the courtyard and all the rooms, and apply them and from the blessings of staying awake at dawn and during supplication and prayers not to neglect the congregational prayers.
11) The policy of the enemies of Gnosticism and Velayat (Sainthood) in the course of the great history of Sufism and Shiaism is not concealed from anyone, but the duty of the Fughara is the very same, to offer flowers against stones and consider it to be divine examination and test and to have patience and endurance and resistance and supplicating to the palace of truth and paying attention and endurance of the remembrance of God and continuous thinking (meditation) and to cleanse the heart of whatever other than Maula (Master) and to increase kindness and to supplicate for the guidance of them and to await for improvements.
12) The performance of charitable affairs and helping the bondsmen of God in any field is an example of services and having compassion on the creation of God, which are of commitments of faith and a duty of all the Fughara in any period and does not need a specific name and title. Brothers in faith with co-operation of each other and with love and unity, perform all their services in harmony and in a well ordered manner since, the numerous titles is a manifest sign of scattering and differences, particularly in the sight of public and enemies. Emphasis which has been made about maintaining order in lines during the congregational prayers, that I have repeatedly reminded of and should be observed, also with this very purpose is very much effective, in the training and unity of the heart and solidarity.
13) The observation of law is essential for all the individuals of the society, Fughara are also obedient to the laws and this method by itself is the best practical answer to the law breakers and an attempt in the direction of making a society lawful.
14) The fugara who have the honor of being the twelve Imams Shias and are awaiting for the appearance of the luminous light of the Ghaim (resurrector) successor of Mohammad may God hasten his appearance; it is necessary during the awaiting period which is a period of great duty and crucial responsibility, take steps by repentance from our sins and performance of good deeds and good disposition, and all such that, pleases the blessed heart of the chivalrous Imam and make available the foreground of appearance. It is hoped that we be among the followers of the victorious stride of His Excellency.
Fortunately, the 1st day of Farvardin this year coincides with the 1st of Rabi-ul-Awal and the month of birth of the reverend Prophet (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadegh (peace be upon him) and that to be taken as a good omen and has accompanied the glad tidings of welfare and happiness and affection and brotherhood and mercy and favor and success, from this aspect I render my congratulations and felicitations to all the Muslims and Iranians and the Fughara and ask for health and success for all from the heavenly court of God and desire “conquest comes from God and victory is near”.
Beseech for your prayers:
Faghir Hajj Dr. Nourali Tabandeh Majzoub Ali Shah
1st of Farvardin 1386 Shamsi (Solar calendar)
Notes:
[i]-The Bee, verse 96.
[ii] -Araf, verse 96.
[iii] -Nour, verse 22.
[iv]- Musafeheh takes place between two believers with their right hands by joining thumbs and fastening their other fingers and consecutively kissing each other’s hands.
--
Summary of Salih's Advice:
[For full text see blog post SUFI MASTER.]
Thinking and Verification
Man’s privilege over other animals is his reason and far-seeing thought. A child from the very first day of his birth is similar to other animals but with the growth of the body, his power of thought also develops and his foresight increases.
He finds out from what is known to him or from what he has seen and heard that which was formerly unknown to him as well as discovering the works and influences of other beings.
He engages in embellishing and grooming his corporeal body and attends to its requisites both internal and external. The more he employs his mind, the better requirements that are provided, the better he will progress.
It is evident that gradually he begins to find out the effects and the mysteries of the world of creation, and makes inventions and creates arts and techniques for the benefit of his fellow-creatures.
He should not, however, limit himself to this alone; nor devote all his thought to the outer life; nor use up all his endeavors for his body and its requirements which is mortal; rather, he should awaken and ponder on this:
Where have I come from and for what purpose?
Where am I to go, and where shall my home be?
Proofs of the Immortality of the Spirit,
Incorporeality of the Soul, and the Next World
And from the limitation of the body and material things and their transformations, from the gradual and complete annihilation of the body, from the unceasing burning of the innate search and passion for worldly desires, from the pursuit of wishes and the longing for that which he has lost, he will be brought to realize that this unending agitation of thought is not restricted to the world and that human reality is something other than this body. Rather, that which controls the [human] faculties and organs and remains unchanged throughout all the transformations of the body and is single despite the plurality of its faculties and is strange to all despite its familiarity with them and is the knowing, the seeing, and the powerful in the body and is enduring and single in spite of the unawareness of the body and the heedlessness of imagination and throughout childhood, youth, and old age as well as during happiness and unhappiness, corpulence and leanness, illness and health and to which are attributed thought and reason is called “soul” or “spirit”, it is the reality and the personality of man and is neither corporeal nor perceptible. The heart and the center of thinking are the intermediaries between spirit and body and spirit dominates over the heart and the heart dominates over the body.
We should, therefore, not entangle the spirit constantly in the well and prison of the body with illusion (wahima); rather, the body should be illuminated through the heart with the light of spirit.
And one’s truth should not be sacrificed to the world, but one should attend somewhat to one’s own self and discover that the effects, words, thoughts, and deeds which are with us throughout life and even unto death are perceptible, but are not found in the body. Therefore, as they are kept on the tablet of the spirit, they remain non perished and stay with the spirit forever, even after natural death and complete annihilation of the body, which during lifetime is also in the process of perishing.
As man lives without the body when asleep, and becomes happy or sad after waking up due to the states and the occurrences that he has undergone [during his sleep], and if he has had a good or a bad dream, whether he wants to or not, he will feel the happiness or unhappiness arising from it after waking up and later on he will see the effects or [the realization of] the dream itself; in the same way, our deeds will accompany us and will bring about ease or torture after death. We should, therefore, give thought to the comfort of the hereafter.
But thought cannot find its way there by itself: hence we have to seek for a path and a guide in order to arrive there. As the prophets and the Saints have already passed along the Path, have experienced its troubles, have gained a knowledge of the provisions for the Path, have been commissioned to awaken [people], and have indicated the right and the wrong way, we should, therefore, seek to comply with their orders. The birth of such far-sightedness is the beginning of journeying towards God.
If this search and desire intensifies, if the believer resolves to correct himself, and he realizes that he will not attain his Goal by mere outward religiousness or by merely professing to be religious by enacting the outward appearance of religion and that he cannot travel along the Path simply by the writings and the instructions of the Guide and that a Path with endless dangers and innumerable highwaymen should be traveled with a guide and a weapon, he will begin to do research or to investigate in order that he might find out the explicit decree (nass) of the Predecessors, who have been clear-sighted and well-informed and whose words he considers to be the truth. This decree is the only means by which the Guide can be recognized and is also conjoined with the [divine] effect.
He should, then adhere [to the Guide] with insight and with good belief, and surrender himself like Moses in his following of Khidr. Such adherence is called, in Gnostic usage and terminology, the “beginning of the journey”.
He should, afterwards, in accordance with the orders that he has received, pass along the Path with the steps of an aspirant. And without any objection or doubt, he should maintain his steadfastness in his inspirations (halat-I warida), removing himself from temptations by using the remembrance (dhikr) [of God] as a weapon, and be always in the state of meditation (fikr).
He should take thought of the end, not cling only to outward appearance, and as long as he lives, should not take the grip of his heart from the skirt of the Pir (i.e. should cling to him). He should also turn his face in the direction (wijha) of the Divine Order and consider showing reverence to him likewise as that paid to God and comply with what pleases him. Doing so is praiseworthy, though blind imitation (taqlid) founded on an unstable basis is blameworthy.
And he should for the attainment of [spiritual] luminosity and insight -- which brings about a state of powerlessness and indigence – increase his recourses (tawassul) [to the Pir], regarding them as coming from the beams of the Pir’s [spiritual] attention, lest he should fall into the abyss of boastfulness. For the dangers of self-conceit, obstinacy, and pride are the great dangers of the Path.
A summary of the Faithful’s Attributes
In conclusion, in order that the attention of the reader may be increased, I shall write, as a summary of what has been written so far, the attributes and morals of a true believer – who is more rare than the “red sulphur” (Kibrit –i ahmar) – all of which are taken from the words of God, the Prophet, His Eminence Master of Masters (peace be upon them). In this case repetition is desirable both for emphasizing and for reminding.
A believer wishes for God and seeks God. He has pure intention, a humble heart, and a submissive body. He does not stretch his foot away from the Path, nor does he slip from it. His friendship is immaculate and his deeds are free from deceit. He attends to himself, not to others. He fears only his own self, and others are safe from him. His observance is out of knowledge, his only benefit is to receive a lesson; his silence is that of wisdom; and his words are those of truth. He has knowledge coupled with patience, wisdom with steadfastness, forgiveness with power, and bravery with kindness and mildness. He feels happy when he does well to others, feels remorse for his wrongdoing, and fears his own self. He weighs up the consequences of an action, withstands hardships, and seeks assistance, in any state and act, in patience and prayer.
He is ready for death and prepares himself and makes provision for it. He does not waste his precious life but spends it in doing good, and advises others to do well. His modesty overcomes lust; his forgiveness overcomes anger; his friendliness overcomes enmity; and his contentment overcomes greed.
He dresses as people do, and lives among them but does not attach his heart to them. He hastens to render servitude to God and does not put off until tomorrow what he can do today. He is moderate in worldly affairs, and keeps himself away from sin. He does not harm anybody, does well to anyone who has done him wrong, re-embraces anyone who has broken off relations with him, and forgives anyone who has deprived him [of his rights].
He does not beg for anything from others and does not reject their requests. He does not supplicate anyone for anything except He who is free from want, and fulfils the need of the needy. He does not ask for justice but he himself exercises it. He keeps himself from making errors, always admits himself guilty, and forgives other’s errors. He is an enemy of oppression and a friend to the oppressed. He is not offended by the coldness of others.
He does not find fault with others, accepts people’s excuses, and conceals their faults. He does not rejoice at other people’s flattering him and does not grieve over their slandering him. He sympathizes with the Faithful, that is to say, he feels glad about their happiness and sad about their troubles, and tries to find, if he can, a way to help them and to make their hearts happy; otherwise, he asks God for help. He wishes for others whatever he wishes for himself and considers good for them whatever he considers good for himself. He does not get impatient with a believer but gives advice to him in private, and wishes him well both secretly and openly.
He does not become happy when the world favors him, nor does he become sad when the favor is withdrawn. He strengthens his resolution, does not adopt bad habits, does not repeat his mistakes, does not answer unless he is asked; and, when speaking, he speaks briefly and weighs up his words, and his deeds bear witness to his words.
He does not fail in the management of his life. He refrains from deceit, hypocrisy, and telling lies. He does not think highly of himself and does not look down on others. He does not upbraid others, nor does he dispute with them. He does not spend too much of his time with women, but is kind to them and pleases them. He tries to give satisfaction to his neighbors, and does not raise his voice. He does not gossip with other people, and tries to bring about reconciliation among them. He is fair in judgement and does not treat with anyone unjustly. He does not laugh shamelessly. He does not make [undue] haste in achieving his affairs. He does not speak ill of people, honors the memory of the absent, and does not swear at anybody.
He chooses wise friends and keeps away from bad companions. He is a friend to the oppressed, vagrants, and the weak. He keeps company with the dervishes and does not prefer people’s satisfaction to God’s. He does not fail to aid others with his possessions, life, and body.
He accepts when invited and greets his friends when meeting them. He consults others about his affairs and is not disloyal to people in consultation. He does not take bribes, although it is not inadmissible to receive remuneration and get reward for his work.
Although paying attention to the contents of this summary and contrasting them with ourselves and our deeds makes us disappointed, God’s generosity is infinite and His Grace is boundless; so we should not cease from searching for these attributes, and that which cannot be totally gained, should not be totally discarded.
Although you cannot attain His union through your efforts,
Yet, strive as much as you can to search for Him.
We should endeavor to use these attributes as criteria, and judge our deeds by them. And we should consider ourselves sinful and our lives spoilt and beg most humbly for forgiveness from the One Who is free from want.
It is best that a servant for his transgressions,
Offers apologies before the Throne of God,
Although what is worthy of His dignity,
No one is able to accomplish.
I hope He may bestow upon all Friends the state of servitude and supplication, and make them successful in accomplishing that which pleases Mawla.
--
[Source: sufi.ir]
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