As a result of continued pressure by the government on Dervishes of Gonabadi order, they will begin to protest in front of the Supreme leader’s house. Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh the master of Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi Order in Iran has been summoned to a revolutionary court in Tehran.

The pressure by the government on Gonabadi order is to such extent that the government has even wiped name of town “Gonabad” off the map of Iran. After the court summon, more than 5000 dervishes gathered in Soltani Shrine in Beidokh. In an interview by Jaras, Dr. Azmayesh the representative of Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi Order outside Iran warned that in the event the government continues to put pressure on Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh, the dervishes of Gonabadi order both inside and outside Iran will rise in protest.

Jaras: How and when was Dr Noor Ali Tabandeh chosen as a master for dervishes of Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufi Order?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: twelve years ago, after the very suspicious death of the previous master Mahboob Ali Shah at the age 52, in his will asked that his uncle Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh to take over the responsibility of Gonabadi Sufi Order.

Jaras: why do they call Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh “Majzoob Ali Shah”?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: this is a Sufi title and because Sufis are students of substantial evolution path, the light of god enters to their heart that are related to different names of God and based on this they are given a title. This is a practice in Sufism.

Jaras: Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh was a political and social activist in the past. Do you think the pressures on dervishes from the government have got anything to do with his personality and his point of view for freedom of human rights?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: No. This government does not tolerate any other belief and other religions other than their own ideology; therefore this has got nothing to do with Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh.

Jaras: dervishes have always stayed away from politics, why is does the Iranian regime puts so much political pressure and limitation on dervishes?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: dervishes believe in separation of religion from politics as you mentioned. However, this does not mean that they are passive and don’t care about the condition of their society they live in. They participate in elections and defend their own and other citizens’ basic human rights. In Iran when you defend your basic human rights you are labeled as a political activist working against the government!

Jaras: recently the revolutionary court has summoned Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh. Is this the first time? Or any other officers have ever been investigating or interrogating?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: unfortunately the Intelligence and Security agents have taken the maximum advantage from the judiciary system in order to silence the people and spread terror. In 2007 Intelligence and Security agents kidnapped Dr. Tabandeh from his home in Beidokh, Gonabad. However, this time they used a different method by summoning him to appear at court. This summon was not even send to his home, but to a library that belongs to him.

Dr. Tabandeh could not attend the court due to his sickness and old age, and his lawyer took the medical report to the court to testify to his illness condition. However, if the pressures on Dr. Tabandeh continues there is no doubt that all the followers of Nematollahi Gonabadi Order in Iran and rest of the world will rise together to protest against this pressure.

Jaras: we have found out that more than 5000 dervishes have gathered in Soltani Shrine in Beidokh in order protest to the revolutionary court order against Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh. Are the protesters still there? And will they continue?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: yes. Dervishes are there and the protest will continue. They are prepared to take immediate action if there is an even smallest insult to their master. This is something that has been demonstrated in past when they had been able to gather and form a united front in a short time.

Jaras: tell us how the dervishes have been able to gather together in a short time?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: dervishes use the Internet facilities, weblogs, and websites to inform each other. As it was demonstrated, it took two hours for more than five thousand dervishes to gather together in front of Isfahan prison in order to release Mr. Mahjoobi.

Dervishes have two red lines that will not allow others pass: first, insulting their masters, and second, insulting and breaking into Soltani Shrine in Beidokh. If the government passes these two red lines, dervishes inside and outside Iran will demonstrate. As Dr. Tabandeh says “Dervishes in kindness are as clear and calm as water and in defence are as hard as granite rock.”

Jaras: what is your opinion about the fake mysticism which has been common in our society and perhaps has copied the way and form of Sufism but does not have the same value?

Dr. Mostafa Azmayesh: in general the matter of freethinking and dissenting is part of human rights and every human being is naturally born to think, and no one can take away the right of freethinking or restricting a man’s thoughts in a particular frame work. Therefore, the discussion on what a fake mysticism is, is not true. After all who has the right to define what is fake or not? This is not the type of conversation to have in a democratic society and those who talk about fake mysticism don’t have any expertise in this field.

In conclusion I like to say a few words: dervishes are against war and violence. However, if there is injustice against them they will defend their human and social rights as wells as their fellow citizens rights. They are strongly united and willing to die for their rights.