Mahammadali Huseinzadeh


Akhund Mahammadali Huseinzadeh — first shia Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus from 1823 to 1852. Maternal grandfather of Ali bey Huseynzade.

Early life

Mahammadali Huseinzadeh was born in Salyan, in 1760 during reign of Fatali Khan. He got his primary religious education in Salyan and Ganja. He travelled to Baghdad in 1796 and came to Tbilisi in 1802 where he was appointed as akhund of Shah Abbas Mosque.

Sheikh ul-Islam

He was appointed as first Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus in 1823. His influence was not wider and only accepted around Tbilisi and Ganja. This influence was mainly decreased after appointment of Mir-Fatah-Agha as head of Caucasian Spiritual Assembly in 1828. His main accomplishment was imperial legalization of sharia courts and feudal rights of beys on 6 December 1846 by Nicholas I just days before his resignation. He was succeeded by Fazil Iravani in 1846. He died in 1852.