The Pole (Qutb) of the Gnostic and virtuous of the faithful, the trusted master, His Holiness Hajj Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Salih Ali Shah.

The Pole (Qutb) of the Gnostic and virtuous of the faithful, the trusted master, His Holiness Hajj Sheikh Mohammad Hassan Salih Ali Shah.His Holiness is the son and vicegerent of His Holiness Hajj Molla Ali Nour Ali Shah the second, and the grandson of His Holiness Sultan Ali Shah (may his grave be fragrant). He was born on the 8th Dhu’l-hajjah 1308 A.H.L. corresponding to the 24th Tir 1270 A.H.S. (1891 A.D.) in the village of Baydukht Gonabad, which was the birthplace and residence of his honorable father and grandfather, till the beginning of the year 1328 A.H. L. when his honorable grandfather was still alive he was under the training of his own father and grandfather in Baydukht and was engaged in studying sciences and after the martyrdom of his esteemed grandfather, not so much time had passed that, with the enticement of foreign and guidance of internal enemies of Sufism (Faqr and dervishi) a rebellious insurgent bandit by the name of Salarkhan Baluch came to Gonabad, unexpectedly, Bayducht which was the center of mysticism was plundered and looted and the honorable Nour Ali Shah, the father of Salih Ali Shah was jailed along with all the people.

His Holiness Salih Ali Shah during this time, was not within the reach of the enemies and bandits and on the orders of his honorable father was in hiding and during the night in disguised clothes escaped towards Tehran. As a result of his actions and endeavor of the rest of the fugara and friends, the honorable Nour Ali Shah was set free from the clutches of the enemies and came to Teheran. Father and son on seeing each other were delighted. Then, His Holiness along with his gracious father traveled to Isfahan, and on the orders of his father along with the writer of this book (Hajj Mirza Mohammad Bagher Sultani Gonabadi) was engaged in studying science in the Sadr School of Isfahan, for sometime, in the presence of great teachers such as Akhund Molla Mohammad Kashani and Jahangir Khan Qashqaie and other teacher was engaged in studying traditional and contemplative sciences till his esteemed father summoned him to Tehran and in the month of Shaban 1328 A.H. L. authorized him to lead the Congregational ritual prayers and instruct the lingual litanies. After that in the month of Rabi’ath-thani 1329, he was honored with the title of Salih Ali Shah to initiate and guide the seekers of the truth. In the month of Ramadan 1330 A.H.L. he was appointed as the successor and vicegerent of his gracious father and in the same year His Holiness traveled to Mecca for pilgrimage.

Two years after this journey, the First World War forced the world towards disorder and confusion. In Gonabad also where for sometime one could have security and calmness, now was changed to revolt, restlessness and insecurity hence, His Holiness Nour Ali Shah the second, came to Tehran and left his worthy son for the sake of looking after the affairs. And from Tehran for seeing the fuqara set out for Kashan and in Kashan was poisoned by the hands of the enemies and on the 15th Rabi-al-awwal 1337 A.H.L. died, and as thus said, passed on the throne of guidance and the affairs of the Faithful (fuqara) to his son His Holiness Salih Ali Shah.

His Holiness Salih Ali Shah, in the year 1337 A.H.L. visited the Holy Shrines and after returned back to his home in Bayducht, then in the year 1342 A.H.L. again he went to Teheran and after 40 days returned back to his home in Baydukht.. Till, in the year 1373 A.H.L. owing to a serious illness, he was compelled to travel to Tehran and from Tehran to Geneva for treatment. In the Geneva Hospital he was confined to bed and after 3 months of treatment, when he had relatively recovered he returned back to his homeland. Baydukht was overwhelmed and rejoiced his return back. Although, the original illness was cured, but traces of the illness remained, such as leg pain known as Phlebitis and was troublesome to His Holiness till the rest of his life.

However, he again made a journey to the Holy Shrines in the year 1375 A.H.L. and in the month of Rajab 1380 A.H.L. for performing the ordained lesser pilgrimage and for visiting the radiant tomb of Hazrat Rasul (S) he made a journey to the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina. After that, most frequently he was subject to weak conditions of health and gradual and successive illness, till the night of Thursday 9th Rabi-u-thani 1386 A.H.L. corresponding to the 6th Mordad 1345 A.H.S., three and a half hours after midnight in time of the commencement of the call to the morning ritual prayers, his holy spirit flew to the Holy World and the community of fuqara, became mournful.

His Holiness, during his entire lifetime was engaged in the affairs of farming and cultivation, and he used to endeavor and work hard towards the improvement and development of housing and construction, farming and excavation of subterranean canals and reservoirs and to establish horticulture. Particularly, towards the development and expansion of the building and courtyard of the tomb of his esteemed grandfather Hazrat Sultan Ali Shah, who used to make serious, sincere and devoted efforts for establishing water in the aforementioned tomb, which was without water and engaged in the excavation of subterranean canals and for many years successively was serious in this endeavor, till at last finally the canals were filled with wholesome water and the water was made to enter the courtyard of the tomb and which is now currently flowing and named as the Canal of Salihabad and by the grace of God with enough plentiful water, the manifestation of which one can see around the holy tomb, and in the vast courtyard he built numerous rooms which has beautiful gardens of planted flowers and edible vegetables for the fuqara to eat during their stay at the esteemed tomb. He used to spend his esteemed time before noon in attending to agricultural affairs and meeting the Fuqara (faithful) and visitors, and in the evenings in teaching “Bayan-o-Sa’adah” (exegeses of the Koran) compiled by His Holiness Sultan Ali Shah.

His Holiness Salih Ali Shah, in Dhul-qadah 1379 AHL, appointed his distinguished son, His Holiness, Hajj Sultan Hussain Tabandeh as his successor and vicegerent (Khalifa) with the spiritual title (Reza Ali Shah), who after him in the place of his trusted father was engaged in guiding the devoted seekers.

The children of His Holiness Salih Ali Shah :

His Holiness during his death had seven sons and one daughter.

1) His Holiness, Hajj Sultan Hussain Tabandeh (Reza Ali Shah)

2) Dr. Mohebullah Azadeh

3) His Holiness, Dr. Nour Ali Tabandeh

4) Dr. Nematullah Tabandeh

5) Engineer Nasrullah Tabandeh

6) Engineer Shokrullah Tabandeh

7) Engineer Mahmood Tabandeh

Authorized Sheikhs and persons on behalf of His Holiness:

1) Hajj Sheikh Abdullah Hayeri (Rahmat Ali Shah) who during the time of Sultan Ali Shah and Nour Ali Shah was also an authorized Sheikh.

2) Hajj Sheikh Abbas Ali Kayvan Ghazvini (Mansour Ali) who, too was an authorized Sheikh of His Holiness Nour Ali Shah and in the beginning was in the services of His Holiness Salih Ali Shah and had renewed his covenant and was an authorized Sheikh, but towards the end was subject to the devils temptations and was removed from his position and his way towards arrogance.

3) Mr. Mirza Abu Talib Semnani (Mahboob Ali)

4) Hajj Sheikh Emad-e-din Sabzevari (Hedayat Ali) that these two persons were also authorized Sheikhs of His Holiness Nour Ali Shah

5) Hajj Mirza Yusef Hayeri (Ershad Ali)

6) Sheikh Assadullah Izad Goshasb Golpayegani (Darvish Naser Ali)

7) Sheikh Mohammad Estahbanati (Fayz Ali)

8) Hajj Mohammad Khan Rastin Araki (Darvish Rounaq Ali)

9) Sheikh Mohammad Fani Semnani (Darvish Zafar Ali)

10) Sheikh Mehdi Mojtahed Soleymani Tonekaboni (Vafa Ali)

11) Sheikh Abdullah Sufi Amleshi (Darvish Ezzat Ali)

12) Mr. Seyed Hebatullah Jazbee (Sabet Ali)

13) Mr. Seyed Mohammad Shariat Ghomi (Darvish Hemmat Ali)

Contemporaries of His Holiness Salih Ali Shah from the learned:

1) The late Mr. Seyed Mohammad Kazem Yazdi

2) The late Mr. Seyed Abol Hassan Isfahani

3) The late Hajj Sheikh Abdul Karim Yazdi

4) The late Mr. Hussain Burujerdi

5) Mr. Seyed Mohsen Hakim

6) Mr. Seyed Mahmood Shahroudi

From Gnostics and those attributed to mysticism :

1) Mr. Hajj Mirza Abdul Hussain Zooriyasatain

2) Mr. Mash’hadi Mohammad Hasan Maraghaie known as Mahboob Ali Shah

3) Mr. Mirza Ahmad Abdul’hay Mortazavi and Mr. Hobbe Hayder (Zahabiyeh’s leaders)

4) Sheikh Baha-e-din, leader of the Naqshbandiyeh

5) Sheikh Osman Seraj-e-din, another leader of the Naqshbandiyeh

6) Shams-ol-Orafa

7) Hajj Bahar Ali Shah and Hajj Motahar Ali Shah, leaders of the Khaksariyeh

From Kings:

1) Ahmad Shah Qajar

2) Reza Shah

3) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

Source : Sufism.ir