Iranian Genealogy

This is another installment of this blog’s “Iranian Genealogies” series, which highlights Iranian family trees and genealogies. The goal is to bring attention to these all-too-rare examples of Iranian family history preservation. If you have a family tree/genealogy book that you would like to be featured, please use the contact form to let me know!

This post highlights three sources on the genealogy of the famous Tabataba’i family, which has been ubiquitous in Iranian religion and politics for centuries. The first source is a beautiful example of a hand-drawn Iranian family tree, which depicts the genealogy of the Vakili Tabātabā’i family. The second source is an article entitled “Sādāt-e Abdolvahābieh” (سادات عبدالوهابیه) by Seyyed Ahmad Bāgherzādeh Arjomandi (سید احمد باقرزاده ارجمندی), which was published in 2014 (1393). The third source is a book entitled “Nesbnāme-ye khāndān-e Tabātabā’i” by Ayatollāh Mohammad Hosein Tabātabā’i.

Vakili Tabātabā’i Family Tree

This stunning family tree was drawn by Mirzā Ali Akbar Khān, the son of Hāji Seyyed Abdoljalil Chāpārbāshi in Rajab 1311 (January/February 1894). It records the descendants of Mirzā Ebrāhim Vakil al-Ro’ayā, who make up the Tabātabā’i Vakili family, and traces their genealogy back to the Prophet Mohammad. The family tree names 117 males and shows 106 females (indicated by leaves). Wives are denoted by double underlines.

Notably, this tree provides a connection between the Tabātabā’i family and the Donboli tribe. A daughter of Abdolrazzaq Beg Donboli (عبدالرزاق بیگ دنبلی) is shown as the wife of Mirza Reza Vakil (میرزا رضا وکیل).

Sādāt-e Abdolvahābieh

This article, authored by Seyyed Ahmad Bāgherzādeh Arjomandi (سید احمد باقرزاده ارجمندی), was published in the Fall/Winter 1394 SH (Fall 2015, Winter 2015/2016) issue of Payām Bahārestān. It records the descendants of Amir Sarāj al-Din Abdolvahāb Tabātabā’i, who is the 22nd name up from the Prophet Mohammad’s on the Vakili Tabātabā’i Family Tree above.

Importantly, the article shows how various branches of the Tabātabā’i family are related. It organizes each branch using a system akin to the d’Aboville genealogical numbering system. Helpfully, it also lists the surnames associated with each branch.

If you or someone you know is from the following families, you will find this source helpful:

• Tabātabā’i (طباطبایی)
• Tabātabā’i Dibā (طباطبایی دیبا)
• Dibā (دیبا)
• Ghāzi Tabātabā’i (قاضی طباطبایی)
• Emāmi (امامی)
• Tabātabā’i Adnān (طباطبایی عدنان)
• Tabātabā’i Razmi (طباطبایی رزمی)
• Torābi Tabātabā’i (ترابی طباطبایی)
• Mahdavi FarrahZād (مهدوی فرحزاد)
• Tabātabā’i Ra’isi (طباطبایی رییسی)
• NaghibZādeh Mashāyekh (نقیبزاده مشایخ)
• Vakili (وکیلی)
• Vakili Tabātabā’i (وکیلی طباطبایی)
• Tabātabā’i Vakili (طباطبایی وکیلی)
• SarājMir (سراج میر)
• Shahāb al-Din (شهاب الدین)
• BāgherZādeh Arjomandi (باقرزاده ارجمندی)
• BāgherZādeh Khayāt (باقرزاده خیاط)
• Tabātabā’i Amini (طباطبایی امینی)
• Mo’tamani Tabātabā’i (مؤتمنی طباطبایی)
• Tabātabā’i Adl (طباطبایی عدل)
• Adl (عدل)
• Mahdavi Tabātabā’i Fard (مهدوی طباطبایی فرد)
• Tabātabā’i Malāzi (طباطبایی ملاذی)
• Tabātabā’i KhātamBakhsh (طباطبایی خاتمبخش)
• Tabātabā’i Shahir (طباطبایی شهیر)
• Tabātabā’i Majd (طباطبایی مجد)
• Mofidi Tabātabā’i (مفیدی طباطبایی)
• Tabātabā’i Razzāghi (طباطبایی رزاقی)
• Tabātabā’i Sadrā’i (طباطبایی صدرایی)
• Tabātabā’i Aghdam Vāyeghān (طباطبایی اقدم وایقان)
• Tabātabā’i Asl (طباطبایی اصل)
• Fard Tabātabā’i (فرد طباطبایی)

Nesbnāme-ye khāndān-e Tabātabā’i

Famed Islamic cleric and scholar Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Tabātabā’i (a.k.a. Seyyed Mohammad Hosein Ghāzi Tabātabā’i Tabrizi, Allāmeh Tabātabā’i) (1903-1981) authored this book, which was republished in 1391 SH (2011/2). Like the previous source, it records the descendants of Amir Sarāj al-Din Abdolvahāb Tabātabā’i. It can accessed for free here (but only 3 pages per day without an account).