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Nur Ali Elahi(var. Nūr ʻAlī Ilāhī, aka Ostad Elahi)(Template:PerB) (September 11, 1895 - October 19, 1974) was born in Jeyhounabad, a small Kurdish village near Kermanshah and lived a life devoted to the perfection of the human spirit. He was a religious leader , musician, philosopher, jurist, author, and believed to be "the last manifestation of the Divine Essence" by his followers. His father, Hajj Nematollah (1871-1919), was a charismatic mystic and prolific poet who was widely revered as a saint.

The Early Years

From early childhood, Nur Ali Elahi led an ascetic, secluded life of rigorous discipline from early childhood under his father’s attentive supervision with a special focus on mysticism, music, and ethics. Aside from extensive religious and moral instruction, he also received the classical education of the time. It was during his youth, entirely devoted to study and contemplation, that he established the basis of his philosophical and spiritual reflections.

Transforming a tradition

By the time his father Hajj Nemat died in 1919, Elahi had already reached the pinnacle of mysticism. Although revered by a large number of adherents, he concluded that the time for classical spirituality had come to an end, and that the quest for spiritual development could no longer take place in the tranquility of ascetic seclusion. Instead, Elahi believed that spirituality had to be practiced within the context of an active and productive life in the midst of society. Thus, at the age of twenty-four he left behind his prominent spiritual and social status to test his ethical principles in the crucible of society, parting with an age-old tradition that would have destined him to an entirely contemplative life. Eventually settling in the capital city of Tehran, he entered the civil service, cutting his long hair, shaving his beard, and replacing his mystical robes with a western-style suit in the process.

Judicial career

By his own will, the “Mystic of Mystics” was now an all but anonymous government employee starting out at the bottom of a vast bureaucracy. A few years later, as the country was undergoing extensive governmental reforms that included the establishment of an entirely new judicial system, Elahi enrolled in the newly formed National School of Jurisprudence. With only six months remaining in the three-year curriculum, he was able to finish his coursework through extraordinary effort and graduate with distinction in 1934. The remarkable transition from mystic to judge had been completed, and Elahi was ready to embark on a judicial career that would span the course of some twenty-three years.

Despite constant pressure from the influential families who played the role of lords in the quasi-feudal structure of the country and an environment rampant with corruption, it was not long before Elahi’s profound insight and judicious verdicts became apparent to others. Appointed to positions of increasing responsibility throughout the country, he culminated his distinguished career as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals for the province of Mazandaran. Throughout his tenure as a judge, he continued to devote a great deal of time to his personal studies and research, especially in the areas of philosophy and theology. Although little is known about the unfolding course of his thought during those years, it is clear that this period was filled with experiences that nourished his metaphysical investigations and helped him to formulate his later works.

Philosophy & works

It was not until 1957 when he retired from the judiciary that Elahi really began to reveal his system of thought. He wrote two scholarly works, both authoritative treatises in the fields of religious science and authentic spirituality, as well as an extensive commentary on his father’s writings. The practical aspect of his thought, on the other hand, was conveyed mostly in the form of oral teachings and instruction that he relayed to close friends and acquaintances who considered themselves adherents of his philosophy. Two extensive volumes of his sayings have been published to date on the basis of notes transcribed by these students. Revealing a profound knowledge of human beings, these inspired sayings demonstrate great erudition in the service of an innovative thought.

His philosophy addresses the eternal questions about our origin and nature as human beings, our role and responsibilities in the world, and our ultimate destination. His work highlights the duality of man as both a material and spiritual being, and reasserts the fundamental importance of our spiritual dimension. He believed that self-realization requires more than mere reflection, and that spirituality, like any science, must necessarily be grounded in verifiable experiences. What Nur Ali Elahi has passed on in his written and oral teachings is thus the direct result of his personal experiences and not just philosophical reflections.

Books by Nur Ali Elahi

Nur Ali Elahi wrote and published 3 books during his lifetime, although many unpublished manuscripts remain. His first book was published in 1963 in the Farsi language and is titled Burhan al-Haqq. Burhan al-Haqq is a theological and spiritual work, dedicated to showing the inner spiritual aims shared by the Quran, Shia Islam and the Ahl-e Haqq order. His other two published works are Hashie bar Haqq ol-haqayeq (1966) and Marifat Al-Ruh (1969). In 1978, four years after his death, his son published Asar ol-haqq which compiles Elahi's teachings.

Elahi wrote an introduction to the 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 The work was later partially translated and published in the Encyclopaedia of Islam and Vladimir Minorsky's 1964 Iranica.

Elahi states that he has left "nothing unsaid", in the books he wrote. "Even if you read Burhan al-Haqq a thousand times, you will find something new in it each time. He also states "know that Burhan al-Haqq cannot be abridged. There are many secrets in my book... It is only after me that people will understand what Burhan Al-haqq is." He states that "The higher the level of knowledge rises, the better one will comprehend the scope; the more centuries pass, the more their value will increase. I alone know how much research I have done."

Music

For Nur Ali Elahi, music was first and foremost a means of contemplation and prayer, a beautiful and universal language through which one can establish an intimate dialogue with the Beloved. He thus never performed in public and did not make any recordings of his music in a professional setting.

Elahi's music is rooted in a longstanding tradition that has been conveyed from one generation to the next throughout the centuries. Integral to this tradition is the rhythmic recital and invocation of sacred texts in devotional gatherings, accompanied by various instruments such as the tanbour (an ancient lute), the ney (reed flute) and the daf (frame drum).

A musical prodigy who began playing the tanbour at the age of six, Elahi would in time revive this ancient art and thoroughly transcend its simple and elementary repertoire through the composition of over 100 original pieces, which he would use as the basis for his creative improvisations. His skillful ornamentation and complex playing technique, which for the first time involved the use of all five fingers of both hands, as well as his physical modifications to the instrument itself—namely, the doubling of the higher string so as to dramatically increase its expressiveness—rendered him a true innovator of this art form and an unparalleled master of the tanbour.

Since the commemoration of his centennial in 1995, eight CDs of his music have gradually been restored and digitized.

Legacy

During the latter part of his life, Elahi was always surrounded by individuals from all walks of life with diverse backgrounds and interests: the atheist who came for a debate, the musician who sought advice on some technical point, the scholar who wished to broaden the scope of his research, the simple villager or seeker who sought spiritual guidance—he welcomed them all with the same warmth and simplicity, always taking time to patiently and compassionately address each of their concerns.

Nur Ali Elahi passed away on October 19, 1974 at the age of seventy-nine. A memorial, which continues to be visited by thousands each year, was erected in his memory in Hashtgerd, a rural town located on the outskirts of Tehran. Many years after Nur Ali Elahi died in 1974, his followers and son Bahram Elahi gave him the honorific title of Ostad Elahi, which means "Master Elahi" in the Farsi (Persian) language.

Centennial commemoration

Nur Ali Elahi dedicated the greater part of his life and work to the pursuit of self-knowledge and mysticism. To celebrate the centennial of his birth in 1995, several symposia were convened at some of the largest universities in the world in Paris, London, Los Angeles, and New York, where prominent authorities in science, jurisprudence, literature, and music gathered to reflect on the theme of "Spirituality: Plurality and Unity." Numerous lectures and roundtables were presented on a variety of topics, including the unity of religions, ethics and jurisprudence, science and spirituality, and the relevance of contemporary mysticism.

Under the patronage of UNESCO and the French Ministry of Culture, and in collaboration with the Academy of Paris, a two-month exhibition was concurrently organized on “The Life and Work of Ostad Elahi” at the Chapelle de la Sorbonne in Paris from September 6 to October 31, 1995. The exhibition was divided into three distinct sections that traced the chronology of his life: Dawn (1895-1920), Rising Sun (1920-1957), and Full Sun (1957-1974). Each of these periods was illustrated by a set of texts, photographs, autobiographical anecdotes, and personal objects that allowed one to become gradually acquainted with Ostad and the different periods of his life.

The exhibition also featured a special music chamber filled with sounds of sacred melodies composed and played by Elahi. This music, previously reserved for devotional settings, was being revealed to the public for the first time on this auspicious occasion. An extensive collection of traditional instruments belonging to Elahi and his father, including tanbours, setars, and dafs, were also on display in the chamber.

References

1. The Tehran Journal (english newspaper). October 23, 1974 "Last saturday, the world lost one of its great spiritual leaders when Nur Ali Elahi passed away at his home in Kermanshah.
2. Life of Ostad Elahi: Chronology
3. Elahi, Bahram. The path of perfection, the spiritual teachings of MASTER Nur Ali Elahi. ISBN 0712602003. (1987)
4. Kehl-Bodrogi, Krisztina. Syncretistic Religious Communities in the Near East, ISBN 9004086552, page 191 (1997)
5. Minorsky, Vladimir. Encyclopaedia of Islam, CD-ROM ed., Leiden: Brill, 2001.
6. ^ Elahi, Nur Ali. Asar-ol Haqq , ed. B. Elahi, Volume I (Jeyhoun, 1978); Volume II. (Jeyhoun 1991).
7. ^ Morris, James W. Knowing the Spirit , Translator’s Introduction and Notes, (State University of New York Press, 2007).
8. ^ During, Jean. The Spirit of Sounds: The Unique Art of Ostad Elahi (Cornwall Books, 2003).
9. Morris, James. Orientations: Islamic Thought in a World Civilization (Archetype, 2004).
10. Elahi, Nur Ali. Borhan-ol Haqq , 1st ed. (Tahuri, 1963).
11. Elahi, Nur Ali. Ma’refat-ol Ruh , 1st edition (Tahuri, 1969).
12. Elahi, Nur Ali. Haqq-ol Haqaiq (Commentary on Shahnameh Haqiqat ) (Husseini, 1967).
13. Elahi, Bahram. The Path of Perfection (Paraview Inc, 2005); Medicine of the Soul: Foundations of Natural Spirituality (Cornwall Books, 2001); Spirituality is a Science: Foundations of Natural Spirituality (Cornwall Books, 1999); Foundations of Natural Spirituality: A Scientific Approach to the Nature of the Spiritual Self (Element Books, 1998); The Way of Light (Element, 1993).
14. Morris, James W. “L’éveil de l’intelligence spirituelle et les dimensions du processus éthique selon Ostad Elahi.” In Dieu a-t-il sa place dans la ethique?, ed. E. During, 86-99. (L’Harmattan, 2002); “La Pensée d’Ostad Elahi.” In Le Spirituel: pluralité et unité, actes du symposium (Cahiers d’Anthropologie Religieuse, ed. M. Meslin, volume 5), 137-147 (Presses de l’Univesité, 1996).
15. Minorsky, Vladimir. Iranica, 1964, page 310
16. Elahi, Nur Ali. Asar ol-Haqq (Words of Truth), #588, ed. B. Elahi, Volume II. (Jeyhoun 1991)
17. Elahi, Nur Ali. Asar ol-Haqq , ed. B. Elahi, Volume I, #2076 (Jeyhoun, 1978).
18. During, Jean. Music and Mysticism in the Traditions of Iran (The French Institute of Research in Iran, 1989).
19. Khaleghi, Ruhollah. The History of Iranian Music (Tehran, 1955).
20. Elahi, Ostad. Celestial Danses (Harmonia Mundi, 2005); Cascade (Harmonia Mundi, 2002); Mystical Orison (Harmonia Mundi, 2000); Celestial Harmonies (Harmonia Mundi, 1999); A Spiritual Epic (Harmonia Mundi, 1998); Dialogue with the Beloved (Harmonia Mundi, 1997); The Paths of Divine Love (Harmonia Mundi, 1997); The Celestial Music of Ostad Elahi (Harmonia Mundi, 1996).
21. Elahi, Ostad. 100 Maxims of Guidance, Introduction (selections from Asar-ol Haqq) (Robert Laffont, 1995).
22. Le Spirituel: pluralité et unité, actes du symposium (Cahiers d’Anthropologie Religieuse, ed. M. Meslin, volume 5) (Presses de l’Université, 1996).
23. “Symposium on Spirituality Celebrates the Centennial of Ostad Elahi.” In UNESCO News, Vol. 2, No. 6, (November 10, 1995).
24. Unicity (Centennial Commemoration Volume) (Robert Laffont, 1995)
25. Words of Faith: Prayers of Ostad Elahi (selections from Asar-ol Haqq) (Robert Laffont, 1995).
26. 100 Maxims of Guidance (selections from Asar-ol Haqq) (Robert Laffont, 1995).
27. Sarraut, Marion. The Life and Work of Ostad Elahi (video published on the occasion of his centenary in 1995).

External links

• Official Site of Ostad Elahi
• OstadExpo.com
• Ostad Radio: 24/7 radio station playing Ostad Elahi’s music
• A Conversation with Ostad Elahi

• Persian philosophers
• Iranian judges
• Iranian musicians
• Iranian religious leaders
• Kurdish people
• Spiritual teachers
• 1895 births
• 1974 deaths