Saleh Husayniyya of Shiraz

Saleh Husayniyya of Shiraz
The Sufi Order of the Nematollahi Sultan Ali Shahi Gonabadi Dervishes

The late Mr. Haj Mohammad Sadeq Salehi Shirazi, together with his elder brother the late Karbala’i Mohammad Salehi, in the year 1363 SH (1984 CE), respectfully requested from His Holiness Hazrat Reza Ali Shah, Ṭāb Tharāh, to dedicate a plot of land for building a Husayniyya for the fuqara of Shiraz. His Eminence kindly accepted and the next day, an account for the Husayniyya was opened and a sum of 30,000 tomans was granted, with instructions from His Holiness to deposit the amount into the Husayniyya's account. Mr. Haj Salehi donated a fully planted orchard covering 2,576 square meters for the purpose of founding the Husayniyya, as detailed in the deed of endowment. At the donor’s request, the esteemed master Hazrat Reza Ali Shah, peace be upon him, accepted the custodianship. During the same journey in 1363 SH, and in response to the donor’s and several fuqara’s request, His Holiness symbolically struck the ground to begin construction and named the building “Husayniyya-ye Saleh.” While striking the ground, he remarked, “We are striking the earth now, but this will take time.”

After completing the legal procedures for endowing and registering the land, some individuals opposed the initiative. As a result, Mr. Haj Mohammad Sadeq faced numerous internal challenges and some external issues. These difficulties compelled him to confidentially obtain legal construction permits, including a building license and other approvals.

In Muharram of 1377 SH (1998 CE), the first mourning ceremony for the Master of Martyrs, Hazrat Khāmis Āl-i ‘Abā (peace be upon him), was held in Husayniyya-ye Saleh Shiraz. Following this, weekly fuqara gatherings on Friday and Monday nights began. (The late Mr. Haj Mohammad Sadeq, the donor of the Husayniyya, used to recount: “A few nights before the opening, I had a dream in which a large group of fuqara, led by Mr. Naser Aqa Maleki, entered the Husayniyya beating their chests and chanting ‘Ya Abbas.’ I was standing at the entrance, both hands raised, constantly imploring ‘Ya Abbas!’ and weeping.”)

On 1377/11/3 SH (January 23, 1999), following the blessed command and will of the Qutb of the Gnostics, our Master and Guide, His Excellency Haj Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh, Majzoob Ali Shah—may our souls be sacrificed for him—the respected authorized representative Mr. Hossein Ali Kashani Bīdokhti was sent to Shiraz to organize and manage the affairs of the Husayniyya and ensure coordinated oversight of the construction process. On 1377/11/5 SH (January 25, 1999), a board of trustees was selected from among the veteran fuqara and submitted for approval. His Holiness approved the board and authorized them to continue the work. The board quickly and earnestly organized all Husayniyya affairs. Eventually, on Eid al-Ghadir in 1384 SH (2005 CE), the upper hall construction was completed in a very refined, elegant, and dignified manner and inaugurated in the presence of the esteemed Sheikh Mr. Naser Aqa Maleki Mehr Ali.

Different Sections of the Husayniyya Building and Their Area

The building consists of two levels: the basement and the ground floor.

1- Basement

This level includes a men’s hall, women’s hall, library, a room currently used as a doctor’s clinic where patients—both fuqara and non-fuqara—are examined free of charge, a corridor, a staircase, and another room. The area for each is as follows:

2- Upper Floor or Ground Level

This level includes a large hall, entry area and shoe rack space, kitchenette, and male and female restrooms with the following dimensions:

Inscriptions: Verses and Hadiths Engraved

1. On the large main entrance gate from the street to the Husayniyya courtyard, the right side features a tile inscription: «قال رسول‌الله صلی‌الله علیه و آله و سلم» (“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said”), and the left side bears: «حسین منی و انا من حسین علیه‌السلام» (“Husayn is from me, and I am from Husayn, peace be upon him”). The center reads:
   Hu
   121
   فادخلوها «حسینیه صالح» بسلام آمنین (“Enter it—the Husayniyya-ye Saleh—in peace and safety.”)

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2. On the entrance from the courtyard to the shoe rack and corridor, the inscription reads: «قال رسول‌الله: مثل اهل بیتی کمثل سفینة نوح من رکبها نجی و من تخلف عنها غرق» (“The Messenger of Allah said: The likeness of my family is that of Noah’s Ark; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever turns away from it is drowned.”).
3. On the wall opposite the ground floor corridor entrance is inscribed the verse of victory: «رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ وَاجْعَل لِّي مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلْطَانًا نَّصِيرًا» (“My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority.” - Quran, 17:80).
4. Inside the main hall, on the wall of the mihrab is «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم» (“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”), to the right is «محمد رسول‌الله» (“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”), and to the left is «علیا ولی‌الله» (“Ali is the chosen guardian (Wali) of Allah”).
5. Above the mihrab wall is a complete tiled inscription of the noble verse of Light (Quran, 24:35).
6. On the upper walls to the right, left, and back of the hall, the full text of Ziyarat Ashura is inscribed in tiles.
7. On 14 columns, the biographical details of the fourteen infallibles—peace and blessings upon them all—are tiled. Each begins with the name and title of the Prophet (peace be upon him), his birth and death dates, and the names of his parents. This continues until the last column, which holds the information of the Qutb of the Circle of Existence, Imam al-Mahdi—may Allah hasten his reappearance and may all souls be his ransom.
8. On the eastern wall at the end of the hall, the names of the Sufi masters of the Ahl al-Bayt lineage are inscribed, from Ma’ruf al-Karkhi to the Qutb of the Gnostics, His Excellency Haj Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh, Majzoob Ali Shah—may our souls be sacrificed for him.

Expansion Plan

At present, following the construction mentioned above, 1,100 square meters of the Husayniyya land remain adjacent to the current structure. The board of trustees plans to obtain a permit to construct 600 square meters as follows:

1. Basement level to serve as a parking garage
2. Semi-ground level as a medical clinic
3. First floor, level with the men’s main hall (dimensions previously stated), to serve as a women’s main hall
4. Second floor to include a library, reading room, and guest accommodations consisting of five fully equipped suites with one or two rooms

As of the year 1385 SH (2006 CE), the supervision and custodianship of the Husayniyya-ye Saleh Shiraz endowment remain with the Qutb of the Gnostics, our Master, His Excellency Haj Dr. Noor Ali Tabandeh, Majzoob Ali Shah—may our souls be his ransom.