Majzub ‘Ali Shah

Biography

Majdhub ‘Ali Shah Hamadani, Mulla Muhammad Ja’far (d. 1823), son of Safar Khan ibn ‘Abd Allah Beyg. A religious scholar, jurist, mystic, Sufi, and poet with the nom de plume Majdhub, bearing the title Majdhub ‘Ali Shah, and well known as Kabudarahangi. Hailing from the tribe of Qaraguzlu of Hamadan, he studied jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence under Mulla Muhammad Mahdi Naraqi and Mirza-yi Qummi and was authorized by the latter to issue religious judgments, though he never practiced. He also studied the works of distinguished scholars, like Ibn Tawus, Khwaja Nasir al-Din Tusi, Ibn Fahd Hilli, Shaykh Baha’i, Ibn Maytham Bahrani, Mir Damad, Mir Findiriski, and Fayz Kashani, and engaged himself in devotions and ascetic practices. He was called by the appellation ‘Salman of the Time’ (viz. proverbial for his asceticism) by his notable contemporaries and was tremendously extolled by Mulla Husaynquli Hamadani, the chief mystic of his times. He died in Tabriz and was laid to rest beside the tomb of Sayyid Hamza. His works include Ithbat al-Nubuwat al-Khassa, in Persian; Mir’at al-Haqq, a study of Sufism, metempsychosis, union [with God], and reincarnation; Marahil al-Salikin; a commentary on Du’a’ al-Amir; al-I’tiqadat; annotations on Kifaya by Muhaqqiq Sabziwari, Madarik, Sharh-i Lum’a (viz. a supercommentary on al-Lum’at al-Dimashqiyya by Shahid al-Awwal); Divan of poetry.

Asar-afarinan (5/ 134).