SayyidAbd al-Saleh Abd al-Husayn al-Killdar Tumah (Arabic: عبد الصالح عبد الحسين الكليدار آل طعمه; 1911–October 30, 2005) was an Iraqi nobleman that served as the 38th custodian of the Imam Husayn shrine from 1931 until 1981.[1][2][3]
Biography
al-Killidar was born in 1911 to Abdul Husayn al-Killidar.[4] He is from the Tumah branch of the Al Faiz family. His grandfather Jawad took on the name al-Killidar (Arabic: الكليدار) which roots from kileet (Persian: كليت) dar (Persian: دار), which translates to key holder in Persian, a name often given to those that take on the role of tending to holy shrines.[5] His mother is the daughter of renowned merchant, Abd al-Hadi al-Astarabadi. His maternal uncle, Mahmoud al-Astarabadi, was a member of the senate in the royal era for the city of Kadhimiya.[6][7]
He grew up and completed his high school studies in Karbala, and in 1928, his father passed down the sidana as he was going to become a member of the Iraqi senate in Baghdad. He took responsibility of the sidana in 1928, was officially assigned in 1931.[8]
al-Killidar helped rebuild his fathers library, after it was burnt in the Hamza Bey incident of 1915.[9][10]
In 1966, al-Killidar renewed the clock of the shrine, that was gifted by Naser al-Din Shah in 1891. al-Killidar imported the clock from Germany, and it remained in the shrine until the 1991 uprising, where it was destroyed during one of the Baathisthelicopter gunship attacks.[11]
al-Killidar retired on June 7, 1981, after serving for just under 50 years, and passed down the custodianship to his son, Adel.[12]
Personal life
al-Killidar was married to his second cousin, Iftikhar al-Astarabadi. She was the daughter of Khalil al-Astarabadi (1877–1970), the last mayor of Karbala under the Hashemite monarchy.[13] He had three sons, Ali (d. 2018; dean of engineering at University of Baghdad), Adel (who became the saden after him) and Abdelilah and two daughters Afaf and Awatif. al-Killidar was fluent in English and Persian.[8]
Death
al-Killidar died on Sunday October 30, 2005, in his home in London. His body was transferred to Karbala to be buried.
^Ṭuʻmah, Salmān Hādī (1998). Asha'er Karbala Wa 'Usariha [Tribes and Families of Karbala] (in Arabic). Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Mahaja al-Baydha'. p. 144.
^al-Jibouri, Kaamil Salman (2003). Mu'jam al-'Udaba' Min 'Asr al-Jahili Hata Sanat 2002 [Glossary of Scholars: From the Jahiliyyah to 2002 AD] (in Arabic). Vol. 3. Beirut, Lebanon: Daar al-Kitab al-'Ilmiya. p. 335.
^al-Karbassi, Ayatullah Sheikh Sadiq (1 February 2014). Tarikh al-Sidana al-Hussainiya [The History of the Custodianship of Imam Hussain's Shrine] (in Arabic). Hussaini Charitable Trust. p. 31. ISBN978-1-908286-99-4.
^ abTumah, Salman Hadi (1996). Tarikh Marqad al-Husayn wal-Abbas alayhima al-salam [History of the shrines of Husayn and Abbas peace be upon them] (in Arabic). Beirut, Lebanon: Mu'asasat al-A'lami Lil Matboo'at. p. 213.
^al-Karbassi, Ayatullah Sheikh Sadiq (1 February 2014). Tarikh al-Sidana al-Hussainiya [The History of the Custodianship of Imam Hussain's Shrine] (in Arabic). Hussaini Charitable Trust. p. 127. ISBN978-1-908286-99-4.
