New Facts about Rasulzade's Birth Date

Nazim Nasraddin,

Honored teacher of the Azerbaijan Republic,

Member of the scientific-methodological department of the Council of the Ministry of Education,

Supervisor of the Department of European Azerbaijan School 

Fund Number 290 of the State Archive of the Republic of Azerbaijan contains historical material of the Shiite Spiritual Office of the Transcaucasia. For many years this fund in some way remained in the shadows, and it was used very rarely. Unfortunately, thousands of archival materials are still waiting attention, able to appeal to the facts and with deep analytical capabilities of researchers to study particular aspects of the socio-political, artistic and philosophical aspects of our history in the XIX and XX centuries.

Working in the archives of the materials in the field of education and language, and studying the life and work of prominent religious figures of the Enlightenment, I came across the name Rasulzade. Rasul is a native name for me: so is the name of my grandfather and son. I have reviewed this document that attracted my attention. It became clear that it deals about the father of one of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic Mammad Rasulzade. To study the document I gave a request to the archive: Fund number 290, Account 2266 . The document is only 10 sheets. However, information contained in them is priceless for our history. Translation from Russian of the collection of the documents is as follows:

Member of the Shia Council of the Baku province Akhund Haji Agha Mola (he is also Akhund Haji Mullah Ali Akbar); Rasulzade; formulary list

Compiled March 17, 1901.

From official lists it becomes clear that Mola Haji Agha (Akhund Haji Mola Ali Akbar) Rasulzade, member of the Shia Council of the Baku province, 54 years old, belongs to the Shiite trend. He has no insignia. His annual salary of 300 rubles.

The formulary list also contains information that Akhund Haji Agha Mola was a spiritual person , as well as on the property on the basis inherited from father to son, had a joint right with his brothers to property - house and yard located in Baku, 155 Spasskaya Street. Akhund also had a separate house and yard in Baku, 29 Goja Hasan Street. In Baku he received home care and education (i.e. not graduated from a special school - author). Order Number 7088 by the Governor Baku from May 7, 1888 appointed him to the parish of the Haji Mullah Pirverdi Mosque. Order № 1692 of November 2, 1892 of the same governor made him a member of the Council of Shia of the province of Baku.

The formulary list also reports the marital status of Akhund Haji Agha Mola - his wife was a Baku resident Zinyat Khanim Meshedi Zal Gyzy.

Their son Mammad Emin was born February 29, 1884 , and the daughter Shehrebanu was born on September 9, 1888.

It is interesting that in all sources Rasulzade's birth date is listed as January 31, 1884. The newly found documents, i.e., the birth paper of Mammad Emin Rasulzade on February 29, 1884, exactly one month rejuvenate the Chairman of the National Council of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Mammad Emin Rasulzade was born February 29, 1884 in the Baku village Novkhani, and died March 6, 1955 in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Rasulzade's father was a teacher of teachers. We have every reason to say so. In order to improve his life a 48-year-old resident of Shamakhy, Sarytorpag Street, Mirza Alekper Meshedi Zeynal Oglu on February 12, 1908 decided to take the Magisterium. In order to obtain the teacher's certificate (not a diploma - the author) he passed the exam in the Management Board of the Shia Spiritual Office of the Baku province. One of the three examiners of Mirza Alekper Meshedi Zeynal oglu, known in the national history of literature and the history of forming the public opinion not for the names of his father and grandfather, but as Sabir, was the father of M.E. Rasulzade, Akhund Haji Agha Mola. Remember his other name: Akhund Haji Mola Ali Akbar.

ANN.Az