Hajj Nematollah

Infobox Writer
name = Hajj Nematollah
nationality = Kurdish


order = Author and Mystic
successor = Nur Ali Elahi
birthdate = 1871
birthplace =Jeyhounabad, Persia
deathdate = death date and age|1919|2|28|1871|7|15
deathplace =Jeyhounabad, Persia
spouse = Sakina Khanoom
children = Nur Ali Elahi, Yar Ali, Bahram, Malek Jan Nemati, Javaher, and Mariam
occupation =Author
religion = Ahl-e Haqq

Hajj Nematollah (1871 - February 28, 1919)(PerB|حاجی نعمت‌الله) was born in Jeyhounabad, Persia and is considered one of the greatest leaders and mystics in Kurdish and Ahl-e Haqq history. [Minorsky, Dr. Vladimir. "Notes sur la secte des Ahl-I Haqq", (Deuxieme partie), in "Revue du Monde Musulman", Volumes XLIV-XLV, 1921, 205-302.] Two of his most famous works of poetry and history are "Forqan ol-Akhbar" (aka Firqan Al-Akhbar, The Firkan, Furqan al-Akhbar) and "Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat" (Haqq ol-Haqayeq) which was published in 1966, by Bibliotheque Iranienne, Librairie D’Amerique Et D’Orient Adrien - Maisonneuve. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "The chief source of information about the Ahl-e Haqq is the "Firqan al-Akhbar", written in... early 20th century by (Hajj Nemat)…" [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-208035/Firqan-al-Akhbar Firqān al-Akhbār -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia ] at www.britannica.com]

He is also known by the names of, Hajj Nemat, Hajj Ne'mat, Saint Nemat, Hazrat-e Hajji, Hajj Ne'matullah.

Early life

Hajj Nematollah was born in 1871 (1288 Hijri calendar) in the small village of Kurdish Jeyhounabad. His father Bayan named him Nematollah (Nemat=Grace / ollah=of God). He was named "The Grace of God" because on the day of his birth, Iran finally received the rain (water supply) it so desperately needed. Before his birth, Persia was going through one of the worst droughts in history. Hajj Nemat's great grandfather Bayan Beg accompanied Aga Abbas (one of the successors of Shah Hayas) to Jeyhounabad in the late 1700s. Bayan Beg's son, Esmail Beg, was Hajj Nemat’s grandfather. [Elahi, Nur Ali. Asar ol-haqq, Vol 1, #1849]

In 1893 he married Sakinea Khanoom, and they had there first child Nur Ali Elahi in 1895. He claimed that he went on a journey to the beyond during a grave illness at the age of thirty. He was appointed by God to announce the imminent return of the divine and thousands of people flocked around him, and on his command ceased to take tea, tobacco and opium. He “believed the time had come to reveal the Real Truth”, he thus “by God’s command abandoned the world and became the messenger of the Lord of the Hour”. After the advent was postponed twice, he went silent and waited for the Great Essence to appear. [Stead, F.D. The Ali Ilahi Sect in Persia, in: The Moslem World, April 1932, Vol XXII, No. 2, page 188]

His Family

Hajj Nemat was only married once, and that was to Sakina Khanoom with whom he had 7 children. They had 3 sons, and four daughter. The names of his sons were Nur Ali Elahi, Yar Ali, Bahram, and his daughters were Malek Jan Nemati, Javaher, and Mariam. In the last few days of his life, Hajj Nemat had predicted his own death. Within 48 hours of his death, his first grandchild Hajj Amin Elahi was born.

"Forqan ol-Akhbar"

The original manuscript of "Forqan ol-Akhbar" was completed in 1910 by Hajj Nemat and is written in four parts. [Minorsky, Dr. Vladimir. "Etudes sur les Ahl-I Haqq, I. Toumari=Ahl-I Haqq", "Revue de L’Histoire des Religions", volume XCVII, No. 1, January 1928, pp. 90-105.] His son Nur Ali Elahi wrote an introduction to "Forqan ol-Akhbar" and the biography of his father under the title of "Kashf Al-Haqa’iq" (which is approximately the first 14 pages of the manuscript, and features Nur Ali Elahi's calligraphy). "Forqan ol-Akhbar" is the only manuscript entirely handwritten by Hajj Nemat and is considered a historical masterpiece. Hajj Nemat gave the manuscript to Dr. Saeed Khan Kordestani in order for him to transport it to France to have it translated by Dr. Vladimir Minorsky. Unfortunately Dr. Minorsky died in 1966 before the manuscript was fully translated and published. After Minorsky’s death the manuscript became misplaced and remains unpublished as of this date.

Part one

The first part of "Forqan ol-Akhbar" deals with the fundamental principles of the "haqiqat" established in pre-eternity by the Divinity who in the stage of "ya-yi ghaybat" became externalized in the garment of Khawandagar. The law remained concealed till the coming of Sultan Sahak. Then the "daftardars" recorded these doctrines, but each in his own way and according to the sources which were accessible to him. As a result the Ahl-e Haqq community has no single sacred book, and its divisions are distinguished by different views. The Ahl-e Haqq required a "kutb-I kull" which would be unique. So after 1324/1906 Ne’matollah, by God’s command, abandoned the world and became the "messenger of the Lord of the hour", of Pir Benyamin (explained as bin + ya + amin "faithful son of Ya"). Then comes the explanation of metempsychosis ("gardish-e dun be-dun", "going from one garment to another"). The creatures of the world are divided into two distinct categories according to their original element ("zarda-gil" or "khak-i siyah"). To the first belong the saved and luminous beings, whose receptive "sardars" are Benyamin and Sayyid Muhammad (in his avatar of Buzurg-sawar). To the other category belong beings of fire and darkness whose respective sardars are Iblis and Khannas, with whom are associated the first three caliphs, Mu’awiya, Aisha, etc. The intermixture of the two categories of beings produces combinations which may be externally recognized.

Part two

The second part of the treatise is mainly concerned with the correspondence of the avatars through the ages. Thus manifestations of Benyamin are Noah, Jesus and provisionally ("mihman") Rustam of the Persian epic; those of Razbar: Bilkis, the Queen of Saba; Mary, the mother of Jesus, etc.; those of Sayyid Muhammad: Zoroaster, Muhammad, etc. Next we are given the history of Sultan Sahak (Ishak) and of his successors.

Part three

The third part relates the personal experiences of Hajj Ne’matollah and the commandments which he received from God during his journey to the beyond ("safar-I ukba"), notably his mission to unite the 12 Ahl-e Haqq khanadans, to give absolution from sins ("az khiyanat pak namudan") and to intercede ("shifa’at") with the Lord of Time.

Part four

The fourth part is a full description of rites and customs ("amr wa-nahy"), with the Gurani text of the formulae recited on each occasion.

hah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat (Haqq ol-Haqayeq)

The style of Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat is very poetic and smooth. There is an entire chapter about Ali, "The beginning was Ali and the end is Ali. Both worlds are luminous from the light of Ali. Ali is the manifestation of the pure essence of God, He is the King and Lord of both worlds. A sparkle of His essence, like the sun appeared at my time. I became so illuminated by him, that I knew of no God, other than Him." [Hajj Nematollah, Shah-Nama-Ye Haqiqat, page 394 (1982)]

Other works

Hajj Nemat wrote about 20 books and essays. Among them is Edalat Nameh (The book of Justice) which is concerning government. Forqan ol-Akhbar, Shah-Nama, and Kuch-e Kurdi (in Kurdish verse) are all about the same subject. He also has a "Masnavi" in Persian and there is a book of his predictions. In this book, the duration of the Pahlavi dynasty and their destiny in World War II can be found and there are also predictions about World War III and other subjects.

References

* Corbin, Henry. "Spiritual Body and Celestial Earth", translated from French by Nancy Pearson, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1977 (Paris 1960).
* Ivanow, Wladimir. "The Truthworshippers of Kurdistan", Leiden: The Ismaili Society, 1953.
* Klippel, Ernst. "Unter Drusen, Kurden und Teufelsanbetern", Berlin: Ullstein, 1926.
* M. Reza Hamzeh’ee, "The Yaresan" Berlin:Klaus Schwarz, 1990.
* Minorsky, Dr. Vladimir. "Ahl-I Hakk", "Encyclopaedia of Islam".
* Minorsky, Dr. Vladimir. "The Guran", "Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies", Volume, XI, 1943-1946, pp. 75-103.
* Nur Ali Elahi, Burhan al-Haqq, Edited by Taqi Tafazoli, Tehran: Amir Kabir, 1342 H.G. (1964).