The Baha’i physician who was the second Pahlavi’s teacher

Bahaismiran:

It is undeniable that the Pahlavi dynasty was beholden to Baha’ism and preferred Baha’is as its counsellors. If you pay attention to government arrangement of the first and second Pahlavi, you will basically understand that the high ranking officers (Saniee and Ayadi were two important counsellors of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi. Here is an introduction of one of the second Pahlavi’s teachers who was Baha’i.

Qasem Qani, Mirza Seyyed Abdul Qani’s offspring was born in 1310  A.H. in God Anbar locality in Sabzevar city. Her mother was Roqayyeh. He started her education in the then primary school bin God Anbar parish in Sabzevar city. A female teacher taught him in modern style for several years, too.[1]

When he was 12 his father died due to Cholera. His maternal uncle became his guardian. During the minor despotism, he came to Tehran city and studied in Tarbiyat and Darul Fonoun schools.[2]next, he went to Beiryt city to continue his education and studied cancelled due to war, he entered into the American college and continued learning medicine by 1919 and graduated.[3]

In 1299, he came back Iran and stayed in Tehran city for two month[4]; but he selected Sabzevar city for living. He settled in Sabzevar city for 3 years and established Heshmatiyeh hospital invested by Salar heshmat [5]. After 3 years, he decided to continue his education. He went to Paris and befriended with the great scholar Muhammad Qazvini. In 1307, he came back Sabzevar and decided to join the politicians and made himself ready for the seventh period of parliament. However, his rivals had long services Hashem Mirza Sheikh al-Raees, Mirza Hassan Alavi Sabzevari. His maternal family and relatives were Baha’i; so this issue caused him to be removed. Hajj Mirza Hussein Alavi Mojtahed issued his excommunication verdict[6]. His mother Roqayyeh Khanom was Mulla Ali Koushk Baqi’s daughter. After her daughter got married with Mirza Seyyed Abdul Qani, Mulla Ali became Baha’i and called himself Khazraee. He was one of Baha’i activities who escaped from Sabzevar to Yazd. He was killed along with 6 other Babi ordered by Yazd ruler[7]. Qasem Khan Qani got married with Hajj Mulla Hadi Sabzevari’s great great granddaughter. In 1309, Reza Khan familiarized with Qani in a trip to Sabzevar and was influenced by his hospitality [8]. Qani left Sabzevar in 1309 to live and practice medicine in Mashhad city. As a proficient physician, many high ranking officials familiarized with him and it became easy for him to enter into parliament. In the tenth period of parliament in 1314, he entered into parliament from Mashhad for four period. In 1314, he came back Tehran city and taught as a master in medical university[9] He wrote the book “Ma’refatul Nafs” in psychology.

After a while, Dr. Qasem Qani became Muhammad Reza’s teacher having good relationships with Reza Kahn [10]. In 1317, he, as a parliament representative headed off towards Egypt to ask for the hand of Malik Farouq’s sister, Fouzieh along with a high ranking board headed by Mahmoud Jam and Saeed Nafisi [11]. In 1318, He was commissioned to participate in the Fouzieh and prince’s contract ceremony along with Hassan Isfandiyari, the parliament head and Ahmad Matin Daftari, minister of justice and several other people.

He was one of the permanent members of academy. He became the minister of public health in Ali Soheyli government in 1322. In 1323, he became the minister of education in Muhammad Ali Saed Maraqee’s government. Next, he was to become Iran’s ambassador in Egypt; but he preferred to say no to the Suggestion because the then ambassador, Mahmoud Jam was his friend [12]. In this year, he participated in San Francisco conference as the Iranian delegation.

After returning to Iran, he became the Iranian ambassador in Turkey. In Mehr, 1328, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi was invited to America by the American president, Trueman. Qasem Qani joined the board.

During the trip, he was tested to be suffered from cancer. He stayed in America to be treated. In 102th of Farvardin, 1313 he died in Los Angeles [13]. He was one of great scholar Qazvini’s intimate friends. He cooperated with Qazvini to correct “Hafiz” collection of poems and with Iqbal to publish Yadegar magazine. His other works are as follows: The correction of Beyhaqi history cooperated with Fayyaz, the Sufism history, Avicenna, Hafiz era history. His notes consist of 12 volumes including his daily memoirs and views which were published after his death.