- History of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi
- Hazrat Jalaleddin Ali Mir Abolfazl Angha
- Hazrat Mir Ghotbeddin Mohammad Angha
- Molana Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha
- Present Sufi Master
Hazrat Salaheddin Ali Nader Angha
Present Sufi Master of M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi®
Molana Salaheddin Ali Nader Angha, known as Hazrat Pir, is the 42nd Sufi in a continuous succession of Sufi Masters dating back 1400 years to the time of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him). Esoteric knowledge was transmitted by the Holy Prophet of Islam to Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Oveys Gharani (Uways al-Qarani), and Salman Farsi and then handed down through this unbroken chain of Sufi Masters to the present time.
Hazrat Pir was born in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday noon, the 30th of September 1945. His spiritual journey began in childhood, when special signs were seen in him. For eleven years, he was under the tutelage of his grandfather, who was the 40th Sufi Master of the Oveyssi School. He then pursued his studies under the direct guidance of his father, Molana-al-Moazam Hazrat Shah Maghsoud Sadegh Angha, known as Professor Angha.
On September 4, 1970, his father confirmed Nader Angha’s spiritual leadership with the Cloak of Faghr* (*Faghr - poverty: reaching a state of abundant knowledge.)
Professor Angha’s love, trust, and respect for his son was so great that he spoke of him with unbounded tenderness in his numerous books, including, Serr-ol Hajar, Hamase-ye Hayat, Masnavi Shahed va Mashhood, Seyr-al Sa’er va Teyr al-Nader, Al-Rasa’el, and Principles of Faghr and Sufism.
In his book Ghazaliat, he writes:
Absolute, devastating submission of the hearts, is it?
Or, the soul’s sweet suscitation, temptation exquisite?
Or narcissus, starry bloom: day’s
Glory, or the beloved’s glance at the night’s summit?
Or, is it the abundant, bountiful harvest:
Flowing fields of lily-buds, bed of flowers? Or, beautifully manifest
The beloved’s attributes, or none
But the serene setting sun?
Or, the elegant symmetry, majestic stature of cypress root through crest?
Is it a jar of sugar, or, really, the mouth carrying
Sweet words? ‘ Water of life? Rows of teeth, or set string of pearls within oyster
Shells lustrous; or better
Still, the celebrated gems of which the legends sing?
Each night, from the deep, penetrating, melancholy, desolation,
From the plaintive, forlorn state of my heart-a sublimation
Takes place, and my blood
Makes musk from mere mud;
And then, there is a tearful deluge in my eyes
Or is it the surging ocean?
It is Molana’s soul, at home
With his words, most spellbinding
When he said: it is the heavenly dome,
Of Nader- Tis Nader Angha of whom I speak.
In the above verse, when mentioning "Molana," Professor Angha alludes to a poem that Rumi wrote about Hazrat Pir. In the Sufi tradition, Sufi Masters are known to have the spiritual expansiveness to behold future events even though they may be many centuries ahead. The following are a few verses from Rumi’s poem about Hazrat Pir written in his Divan-e Shams-e Tabriz1:
The most exquisite fragrance of paradise’s garden and of spring,
The love of the beloved, creativity of creation, and enlivener of the soul.
This fragrance from which all this planet become intoxicated,
Issued not from the earth, but from the highest heavens.
The stars above question, "what is this brilliant sun?"
The fish in the sea say, "what cataclysmic event is this?"
This shining sun has illuminated all faces as radiant orbs,
The lustrous moon’s envy is this brilliant sun’s light.
His beauteous face was longingly awaited since Joseph’s time,2
What greatness! What goodness! The angels are in awe!
What divine guide is this? Bearer of wine from the fountain of life is he,
The mysterious Mount’s summit and most precious, and Nader Angha is he.
Inflamed in quest of him are both the East and the West,
This light of vision is the light of Molana’s soul.
What hides you? Speak the truth, hide not the evident,
The might of God and our king, his warrior is he.
Peace of both spheres, protector of both worlds is he,
Bearer of woes, guardian of tomorrows is he.
This inflamed world now turns, whirling in awe,
God! What love is this? What grace is this?
What song is this that beckons all hearts?
I tell you then, the jewel of God’s sea is he.
From the date of his appointment by the hand of his beloved father, Hazrat Pir assumed his responsibilities in carrying on the duties entrusted to him, which included the design and supervision of the construction of the magnificent Sufi Center in Sufi-Abad of Karaj (close to Tehran). Dr. Ronald Grisell, who traveled to Iran, sought and was granted permission to visit the Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi Shahmaghsoudi Oveyssi School at Sufi-Abad of Karaj. He has provided a detailed description of the magnificent center, and devoted a chapter of his book entitled Sufism to "The Oveyssi School of Sufism at Karaj."3
In the late 1950’s a respected Egyptian scholar, Seyed Mohammad Abul-Majd visited Professor Angha in Tehran. Moved by the presence of the young child (Hazrat Pir), he wrote:
O’ Angha, there are flowers in your blessed home; Among them, there is a cleansed branch, Nader.
His father’s lineage goes back to the prophet’s family; He is the core of an expansive light.
O’ Nader, to you, here comes a bearer of news; [Saying] that to find someone like you is indeed rare.
In 1979, when Hazrat Pir moved to the United States with his father, he began to execute his father’s wish to expand the sacred teachings to a wider audience. In a short period of time and under his direct guidance and supervision, the teaching sessions started in many states of the USA. In fact, after the passing away of Hazrat Shah Maghsoud, the duty of propagating the true message of Islam across the world rests on his shoulder. Such a mission he has taken with such love and dedication and ceaselessly endeavor to guide, help and teach and reveal the true features of Islam to mankind, whatever their school of thought, creed or religions and upbringing.
Hazrat Pir’s knowledge is not limited to the esoteric disciplines and sacred sciences (science of letters and numbers, alchemy, etc.), but expands to other disciplines, including: physics, mathematics, astronomy, astrophysics, quantum mechanics, biophysics, philosophy, poetry, and architecture. He has invented a device which produces Muon Rays to be used in Muontherapy to heal nerves and other systems in the human body.
Hazrat Pir’s insight, receptivity, and meticulous mind have won the respect of scholars and scientists around the world. Hazrat Pir has delivered lectures at many of the leading universities in the West, and at other scientific and educational institutions. His discourses focus on presenting the depth of the spirituality in Islam, its scientific richness, and its relevance for contemporary life. It is his conviction that unless each person’s inherent goodness, talents, and abilities are developed, one cannot know the meaning of stability, security, freedom, and human dignity.
Hazrat Pir has written more than 50 books of poetry and prose. They include Peace, The Secret Word, The Approaching Promise, Masnavi Ravayeh, Whispering Moments, The Fragrance of Sufism, Sufism, Sufism and Peace, Sufism and Knowledge, Sufism and Wisdom, Sufism and Islam, Sufism the Reality of Religion, Sufism the Bridge between Religions, Sufism and Faith, Theory I :The Unlimited Vision of Leadership, and Expansion & Contraction Within Being (Dahm.)
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Islamic Sufism Geneology Tehran University Publications |
