His Holiness Hàjj Sultàn Husayn Tàbandah, entitled Rizà Ali Shàh, a recent leader of the order of the Ni‘matullàhi Sultàn Ali shàhi, was born on Dhu’l-hijjah 28th, 1332 A.H.L., Àbàn 25th, 1293 A.H.S. (1914 A.D.). He is the honorable son of His Holiness Hàjj Shaykh Muhammad Hasan, Sàlih Ali Shàh.
During his childhood, he started acquiring literacy; later, he learned the rudiments of Arabic and Persian literature. Then, he studied literary and transmitted (naqli) sciences under his honorable father and other local teachers. In 1350 A.H.L., by order of his father, he left for Isfahan to complete his education. There, for five years, he studied jurisprudence (fiqh) and its principles (us?l), philosophy (hikmat), and other Islamic intellectual (‘aqli) and transmitted (naqli) sciences and obtained the ijàzah (a written authorization) for narrating the Traditions (Ahàdith). Meanwhile, he obtained comprehensive knowledge of other sciences such as ethics, logic, mathematics, astronomy, traditional medicine, history, and the occult sciences. Afterward, he returned to Tehran and entered the “College of Intellectual and Transmitted Sciences,” where he received his B.A. in 1358 A.H.L. He returned to Gunàbàd in the same year and, under the proper and supportive supervision of his gracious father, began to exercise self-discipline, spiritual struggle (mujàhadah) with the lower soul (nafs), purification of the soul, and refinement of the spirit.
In sha‘bàn, 1369 (1950 A.D.), after completion of “the seven spiritual journeys of the path”, he was honored with the authorization for leading the “congregational ritual prayer” and inspiring (talqin) the lingual litanies (awràd) and invocation (adkhàr). On Dhual-qa‘da 11th in the same year, he was honored with the spiritual title of “Rizà ‘Ali” to guide the seekers (tàlibàn) and assist and direct the qualified novices. In Dhul- qa‘da 1379 A.H.L (1960 A.D), he was appointed as the successor and vicegerent (khalifa) of his gracious father with the spiritual title of “Rizà ‘Ali Shàh”.
His holiness made several journeys to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Arab countries and made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. In 1374 A.H.L (1954 A.D.), he accompanied his father on his travel to Europe for medical treatment and visited some European countries. He also made several journeys to visit Ka‘ba, the tomb of Holy Prophet as well as the tombs of the Imàms.
In all of his journeys, he was deeply interested in visiting the jurisprudents (‘ulamà) and religious authorities. On one of his journeys to Najaf, after long and in-depth discussions about some complicated issues of jurisprudence, he obtained a formal authorization (ijtihàd) for practicing it.
He was living in Tehran temporally, and his main place of residence was Bayducht in the city of Gunàbàd. There he was usually involved in dealing with affairs of fuqarà and completing the construction of the illuminated tombs of his honorable grandfather and his gracious father.
Afternoons, he, like his father, would usually teach ‘Bayàn Assa‘àda’, the famous Sufi commentary of Qur’an, in clear and comprehensible language and with necessary explanations of Sufi truths, spiritual instructions and advice.
Mornings, he would spend a few hours meeting fuqarà, receiving visitors, and handling his own and others’ affairs.
He earned his livelihood by farming and raising domestic animals and would strictly forbid others from begging, being idle, and being a burden to society. He was extremely disgusted with those who were addicted to forbidden (Haràm) habits and would dislike having contact with them.
On Rabi al_Awwal 1st, 1413, shahrivar 18th, 1371, September 9th, 1992, he passed away and left the corporeal world to be united with his Beloved. His body was buried in Bayducht beside his esteemed father’s; may they rest in peace. He was succeeded by his son, Mawlànà Hàjj ‘Ali Tàbandah, Mahb?b ‘Ali Shàh.
His Holiness wrote many books some of which have been reprinted several times. They are as follows:
1. A Theophany of the Truth: On the Mysteries of the Tragedy of Karbalà.
2. A Treatise on Hypnotism.
3. A Biography of Khajih ‘Abdullàh Ansàri.
4. Niyàz-I Tajalli: A Translation of Ab? Hamza Thumàli’s Supplication.
5. The Philosophy of Plotinus.
6. The Genius of Knowledge and Gnosis in the Fourteenth Century (A.H.L.): A Biography of the Late Hàjj Mullà Sultàn Muhammad Gunàbàdi, Sultàn ‘Ali Shàh.
7. Memories of a Pilgrimage to Mecca.
8. Treatise on the Removal of Doubts.
9. A Guide to Happiness.
10. A Religious Commentary on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (translated into English under the title of A Muslim Commentary on the Human Rights).
11. From Gunàbàd to Geneva.
12. The History and Geography of Gunàbàd.
13. Notes from visits to Arabic Countries.
14. A Visit to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
15. The Holy Qur’an and the Three Mysterious Sufi Stories.
16. Ten Lectures.
17. A Short History of the Fourteen Innocents.
18. The Three Radiant Gems of the Most Blessed Sea of the Divine Word.
19. Progression and Tran substantial Motion (unpublished).
20. The Philosophy of Averroes (unpublished).