• Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, 12/10/1926 - 10/10/2008
• Nimatullahi Sufi Order

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, Master of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order, passed away on Friday, October 10th 2008....

Through his tireless energy Dr. Nurbakhsh initiated the greatest renaissance of the Nimatullahi Sufi order since the work of the founder, Shah Nimatullah Vali in the 15th century. His teachings have attracted a massive following from every race, ethos, creed and national origin, inspiring a way of loving-kindness and service to humankind according to the tenets of Sufism.

• Javad Nurbakhsh
• Wikipedia

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh (10 December 1926 - 10 October 2008) was the Master (pir) of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order from 1953 until his death. He was also a psychiatrist and a successful writer in the fields of both psychiatry and Sufi mysticism....

Dr. Nurbakhsh was born in the city of Kerman, Iran on the 10th of December 1926. He was initiated into the Nimatullahi sufi order at the age of sixteen and appointed its sheikh at twenty. Nurbakhsh studied at University of Tehran's medical school, receiving his doctorate in psychiatry in 1952,[1] from the Sorbonne. He began his professional career as a medical doctor at the age of 26 when he became head of a local hospital in the southeastern town of Bam, Iran. In the following year he succeeded his master, Mo'nes 'Ali Shah Zo'r-Riyasateyn, as master of the Nimatullahi, taking the Sufi sobriquet of Nur 'Ali Shah.

As well as his revival of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order and his many written works, Dr. Nurbakhsh became one of Iran's foremost psychiatrists. Dr. Nurbakhsh believed that all are equal in love. According to his obituary in Payvan's Iran news, he “promoted the creed of fraternity and equality of all human beings, regardless of gender, race, nationality and religion.”...

“The basis of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you hurt someone’s heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this.” [quotation by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh]

“Sufism is a path towards the Truth where there are no provisions except Love. Its method is to look solely in one direction, and its objective is God.” [quotation by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh]

“True lovers prefer the Beloved’s desires to their own, being content with whatever the Beloved desires - ‘be it cure or pain, union or separation.’” [quotation by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh]

“...if you encounter a human being who claims to be a Sufi and behaves contrary to the human code of ethics, do not ask, ‘What kind of Sufi is this?’ Rather, it would be better to ask, ‘What kind of person would this have been had he not been a Sufi?’” [quotation by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh]

“The capital of the Path is, in truth, nothing other than sincerity. Sincerity has been defined as ‘showing yourself as you really are’ and `being inwardly what you show yourself to be’.” [quotation by Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh]