|
Masters
of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order
A sub-branch of the Qadiri order, the Nimatullahi Order was
established by Shah Nimatullah Wali Kirmani by the end of
the fourteenth century. It was mainly an order based in Persia
with the majority of followers being Persian until it attained
a global following, particularly through the efforts of master
Javad Nurbakhsh. It is now one of the largest Sufi Shi'i
orders, with numerous khaniqas present in North America, Europe,
Africa, and Australia. The order transferred to India
in the fifteenth century and remained there for the next 350
years until it was reintroduced in Persia by Ma'sum
'Ali Shah
in the eighteenth century. After the death of the
master (qutb) Majdhub ‘Ali Shah,
the
Kawthariyya and Shamsiyya branches split off from the main
order. Another split occurred after the
death of master Rahmat
‘Ali Shah in 1861 where the order divided into three
chains: the
Gonabadi-Ni'matullahi (the main and largest), the Safi 'Ali
Shahi-Ni'matullahi, and the Munawar 'Ali Shahi.
|
| Qutbs
of the Nimatullahi Order
|
|
# |
Name |
Tenure |
 |
|
1 |
Shah
Nimatullah Wali Kirmani |
–1430† |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
|
2 |
Shah
Khalilullah I |
1430–55† |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
|
3 |
Shah
Habib al-Din Muhibbullah I |
1455–1508† |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
|
4 |
Shah
Kamal al-Din Atiyyatullah |
1502–? |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
|
5 |
Mir
Shah Burhan al-Din Khalilullah II |
?–1518† |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
|
6 |
Mir Shah Shams al-Din Muhammad I |
1518-?
|
Nimatullah
(4992) |
| 7
|
Shah
Habib al-Din Muhibbullah II |
? |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
| 8
|
Mir
Shah Shams al-Din Muhammad II |
? |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
| 9
|
Mir
Kamal al-Din Atiyyatullah II |
? |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
| 10
|
Mir
Shah Shams al-Din Muhammad III |
? |
Nimatullah
(4992) |
| 11
|
Mir
Mahmud Dakani (Deccani) |
?–1689† |
Dakani
(4978) |
| 12
|
Shams
al-Din Dakani |
1689–1748†
|
Dakani
(4978) |
| 13
|
Shah
'Ali Rida Dakani |
1748–1801† |
Dakani
(4978) |
| 14 |
Sayyid
Ma'sum 'Ali Shah Dakani |
–1797† |
•••• |
| 15 |
Nur
'Ali Shah |
–1797†
|
•••• |
| 16
|
Husayn
‘Ali Shah¹ |
1799–1817/18† |
•••• |
| 17 |
Majdhub
‘Ali Shah |
1817/18–1823† |
•••• |
| 18
|
Mast
‘Ali Shah (Zayn al-'Abidin Shirvani)¹ |
1823–1853† |
•••• |
| 19 |
Rahmat
‘Ali Shah |
1853–1861† |
•••• |
| 20
|
Munawwar
‘Ali Shah (Hajj Muhammad) (Hajji Aqa Muhammad) |
1861–1884†
|
•••• |
| 21
|
Wafa
‘Ali Shah (Hajji 'Ali Aqa Dhu 'l-Riyasatayn) |
1884–1918†
|
•••• |
| 22
|
Sadiq
‘Ali Shah (Sayyid Isma'il Ujaq) |
1918–1922†
|
•••• |
| 23
|
Munis
‘Ali Shah (Hajji Mirza 'Abd al-Husayn Dhu 'l-Riyasatayn) |
1922–1953†
|
•••• |
| 24
|
Nur
‘Ali Shah II (Javad Nurbakhsh) |
1953–2008 |
•••• |
| 25
|
Reza
‘Ali Shah (Alireza Nurbakhsh) |
2008– |
•••• |
|
Notes
1. Right to succession disputed |
Families | Lands
| Islam
|
Religion |
