After the Prophet, the Imams and their authorized Sheikhs spread Sufism. The chains of authorization may be traced through the Sheikhs to the Imams, and then through Imam ‘Ali to the Prophet. For the most part, the Sufi saints practiced dissimulation (taqiyyah) with respect to the Islamic religious law and apparently followed the school of jurisprudence that was dominant in their areas of residence. During the sixth and seventh centuries of the Islamic era (the twelfth and thirteenth centuries C.E.) the way of Sufism, or faqr (spiritual poverty), reached the height of its popularity and Sufi saints like Ibn ‘Arabi, Attar and Rumi wrote important books about the mysteries of gnosis (‘irfan) and the ‘journey toward God’ (Suluk).
The Ni’matullahi Order of Sufism
One of the most famous saints in the history of Sufism was Sayyid Shah Ni’matullah Wali (A.H. 731-831/1338-1428 C.E.), and all Shi’ia orders of Sufism trace their ancestry to the his Order, which has subsequently become known as the Ni’matullahi Order. The uninterrupted record of the chain of authorization of this Order can be traced to Ma’ruf Karkhi, who was the authorized sheikh of Imam Reza (A.H. 148-202/765-818 C.E.). Shah Ni’matullah Wali is the author of more than three hundred works about the mysteries of Sufism according to a Shi’ia interpretation. He was the renewer of this Order, and most of the Sufis of his day in the other orders submitted to him. Most of
The Shi’ia Sufis after him have followed his way and have even followed his style and method in their writings. In more recent centuries, one of the vicegerents of Shah Ni’matullah Wali is Hajj Mullah Sultan Muhammad Gonabadi, whose spiritual title is Sultan ‘Alishah (A.H. 1251-1327/1835-1909 C.E.). He was one of the most famous Gnostics (‘Urafa) and ‘Ulama in Iran. His chain of authorization has been recorded from Shah Ni’matullah Wali. During his time, the Ni’matullahi Order became more famous and popular. He is also the author of many books on Islamic, especially Sufi, topics, including an exegesis (tafsir) of the Qur’an called Bayan al-Sa’adah (four volumes, in Arabic). His successor was Hazrat Hajj Mullah Nor ‘Alishah (d. A.H. 1337/1918 C.E.), who in turn was succeeded by Hazrat Hajj Muhammad Hassan Saleh ‘Alishah (d. A.H. 1386/1966 C.E.), author of Salehi’s Advice,[2] followed by Hazrat Hajj Sultan Hussein Tabandeh Gonabadi, whose spiritual title is Reza ‘Alishah. He is the great grandson of Hazrat Sultan ‘Alishah, and is also one of the famous Islamic Gnostics and ‘Ulama. He has written many books, including commentaries on parts of the Qur’an. He passed away on the eleventh of Rabi’ al-Awwal, A.H. 1413, the ninth of September 1992, may he rest in Peace. He was succeeded by his son, Hazrat Hajj ‘Ali Tabandeh, whose title in Tariqaht is Mahboub ‘Alishah. He is the author of Khorsid-e Tabandeh, a detailed biography of his father along with a detailed introduction to Sufism, as well as several other unpublished works. He passed away on the sixth of Ramadan 1417, the sixteenth of January 1997, may he rest in Peace.[The present Qutb of the Order is Hazrat Hajj Dr. Nor’Ali Tabandeh, whose title in Tariqaht is Majzoub ‘Alishah. He is the son of Hazrat Saleh ‘Alishah]
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On this occasion Majzooban Noor, Nematollahi Gonabadi Order News website, would like to express its deepest condolences to the presence of the Holy great Qutb of Nematollahi Gonabadi Order, Haj Dr.Noor Ali Tabandeh, “MajzoobAli Shah”, all Gonabadi Dervishes and all the Muslims around the globe.