Abu Saeed Muhammad Omar Ali
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Abu Saeed Muhammad Omar Ali (; 1 October 1945 — 14 August 2010) was a Bangladeshi
Islamic scholar In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
, author, teacher and translator. As a member of the Islamic Foundation's encyclopaedia project's board of directors and editing board, his most notable works are '' Islami Bishwakosh'' (25 volumes), ''Sirat Bishwakosh'' (14 volumes) and ''Al-Quran Bishwakosh.'' He was also the editor of the ''Hakkatha'' and ''Islamic Foundation Magazine.'' Ali became acquainted with
Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi (also known as Ali Miyan; 5 December 1913 – 31 December 1999) was a leading Islamic scholar, thinker, writer, preacher, reformer and a Muslim public intellectual of 20th century India and the author of numerous boo ...
after translating his books, and later become among his senior disciples and his principal
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
commentator.


Early life and education

Ali was born on 1 October 1945 to a
Bengali Muslim Bengali Muslims ( bn, বাঙালি মুসলমান; ) are adherents of Islam who ethnically, linguistically and genealogically identify as Bengalis. Comprising about two-thirds of the global Bengali population, they are the sec ...
family of
Mandals A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
in the village of Qabilnagar in
Chuadanga Chuadanga ( bn, চুয়াডাঙ্গা) is a prosperous city in the western part of Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous cou ...
, then under the
Nadia district Nadia () is a district in the state of West Bengal, India. It borders Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west, and Murshidabad to the north. Nadia district is highly influenti ...
of
British Bengal The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...
. His mother, Nekjan Nesa, was housewife. Ali's father, Mufazzal Husayn Mandal, was enthusiastic about Islamic education and enrolled him at the local Qabilnagar Nasrul Uloom Madrasa after spending some years at the Taluqkarra Primary School. Ali then became a student at the Quwwatul Islam Alia Madrasa of Kushtia where he passed his ''fazil'' certificate in 1965. He then proceeded to study at the Pabna Alia Madrasa where he graduated with a ''kamil'' in
Hadith studies Hadith studies ( ar, علم الحديث ''ʻilm al-ḥadīth'' "science of hadith", also science of hadith, or science of hadith criticism or hadith criticism) consists of several religious scholarly disciplines used by Muslim scholars in th ...
in 1967. He then completed a BA in political science in 1974 and MA in 1975 from the
University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
. During his student life, he was associated with the
Tamaddun Majlish The Tamaddun Majlish ( bn, তমদ্দুন মজলিশ), formerly Pakistan Tamaddun Majlish, is an Islamic cultural organization in Bangladesh, established in 1947 by Principal Abul Kashem in the former East Pakistan. It was one of the ...
.


Career

After completing his Islamic education in 1967, Ali began his career as a teacher at the Barishkhali High School and Pardakhalpur K. B. Academy in Harinakunda,
Jhenaidah Jhenaidah ( bn, ঝিনাইদহ) is a city in the Khulna Division of south-western Bangladesh. Jhenaidah is the headquarters of Jhenaidah Sadar Upazila and Jhenaidah District. The city has a population of about 252 thousand, making it the ...
for two and a half years. He then joined the Abudharr Ghifari College in
Malibagh Malibagh is the name of a neighborhood in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It is under Shahjahanpur Thana. The word 'mali' means gardener and the word 'bagh' means garden. Thus, the literal meaning of 'Malibagh' is gardener's garden or neighborho ...
serving under
Dewan Mohammad Azraf Dewan Mohammad Azraf ( bn, দেওয়ান মোহাম্মদ আজরফ; 1908–1999) was a Bengali philosopher, teacher, author, politician, journalist and activist. In 1993, he was honoured as a National Professor in Bangladesh. H ...
for 10 months. After that, he returned to his former school, the Qabilnagar Madrasa, where he served as principal for a short while. Following his graduation from Dhaka University in 1975, Ali joined the Islamic Foundation. After that, he served as a professor at
Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani (12 December 1880 – 17 November 1976), often shortened as Maulana Bhashani, was a Bengali politician. His political tenure spanned the British colonial India, Pakistan and Bangladesh periods. Maulana Bhashani was pop ...
's Santosh Islamic University in
Tangail Tangail ( bn, টাঙ্গাইল, ), is a major city within the Dhaka Division in central Bangladesh. It sits on the bank of the Louhajang River, north-west of Dhaka, the nation's capital. It is considered to be the main urban area of ...
. During that time, he was also the editor of the ''Hakkatha'' magazine in 1978. After that, Ali returned to Dhaka and continued to work at the Islamic Foundation and be the
khatib In Islam, a khatib, khateeb or hatib ( ar, خطيب ''khaṭīb'') is a person who delivers the sermon (''khuṭbah'') (literally "narration"), during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers. The ''khateeb'' is usually the prayer leader (''imam''), ...
of Abudharr Ghifari Complex Jame Mosque. He has also led
Eid prayers Eid prayers, also referred to as Salat al-Eid ( ar, صلاة العيد), are holy holiday prayers in the Islamic tradition. The literal translation of the word "Eid" in Arabic is "festival" or "feast" and is a time when Muslims congregate with ...
at the
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, also spelled as Baytul Mukarrom ( ar, بيت المكرّم, bn, বায়তুল মোকাররম; ), is the National Mosque of Bangladesh. Located at the center of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, the mosque was comple ...
and established numerous mosques and madrasas in the country. Ali used to regularly give
dawah Dawah ( ar, دعوة, lit=invitation, ) is the act of inviting or calling people to embrace Islam. The plural is ''da‘wāt'' (دَعْوات) or ''da‘awāt'' (دَعَوات). Etymology The English term ''Dawah'' derives from the Arabic ...
to Islam and appear on radio and television since 1990.


As Nadwi's Bengali commentator

Ali became acquainted with Indian Islamic scholar
Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi (also known as Ali Miyan; 5 December 1913 – 31 December 1999) was a leading Islamic scholar, thinker, writer, preacher, reformer and a Muslim public intellectual of 20th century India and the author of numerous boo ...
through his translation of Nadwi's work into Bengali with the title ''Iman Jokhon Jaglo.'' The book's sophisticated language and lofty thinking had an effect on him. After publishing it, Ali translated another book of Nadwi's, ''
Saviours of Islamic Spirit ''Saviours of Islamic Spirit'' ( ur, تاریخ دعوت و عزیمت, translit=Tarikh-i Dawat Wa Azimat) is a series book on History of Islam originally written in Urdu by Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi. The first volume was published in 1955 and ...
'', which was published by the Islamic Foundation as ''Islami Renesãr Ogropothik.'' In 1984, Nadwi visited
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
and Ali pledged
bay'ah ''Bayʿah'' ( ar, بَيْعَة, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. ''Bayʿah'' is sometimes taken under a written pact gi ...
to him. He also spent
iʿtikāf Iʿtikāf ( ar, اعتكاف, also ''i'tikaaf'' or ''e'tikaaf'') is an Islamic practice consisting of a period of staying in a mosque for a certain number of days, devoting oneself to ibadah during these days and staying away from worldly affairs. ...
with Nadwi during Ramadan. This is how Ali became one of the senior disciples of Nadwi and his principal Bengali commentator. Along with '' Islam and the World'', he translated many of Nadwi's books whilst preserving the original essence and accurate expressions of Nadwi's emotions.


Works

Ali was the editor of the ''Hakkata'' and ''Islamic Foundation Magazine.'' Although he has many of his own books, he is best known as a translator due to his proficiency in
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
,
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
and Urdu. His literary career began with the translation of
Mushahid Ahmad Bayampuri Mushāhid Aḥmad Bāyampūrī ( bn, মুশাহিদ আহমদ বায়মপুরী, ar, مشاهد أحمد البايمفوري; 1907–1971) was a Pakistani Bengali Muslim theologian, teacher, writer and politician. He was a ...
's ''‘al-Fatḥ al-Karīm fī Siyāsah an-Nabī al-Amīn'' from
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Islami Bishwakosh, 14-volume Sirat Bishwakosh and Al-Quran Bishwakosh which were published by the
Islamic Foundation Bangladesh Islamic Foundation Bangladesh ( bn, ইসলামিক ফাউন্ডেশন বাংলাদেশ) is a government organization under the '' Ministry of Religious Affairs'' in Bangladesh working to disseminate values and ideals of Is ...
. He has translated 15 books and written two children's books. Some of his translated works are: # ''Musôlmander Pôtône Biśśô Kī Haralo?'' (What did the world lose in the fall of
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
?) # ''Īman Jôkhôn Jaglo'' (When
Faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people ofte ...
Awakened) # ''Nôbīye Rôhmôt'' ( Prophet of Mercy) # ''Sôngramī Sadhôker Itihas'' (History of Struggling Saints) # '' Islamer Raśṭrīyô O Ôrthônoitik Uttôradhikar'' (Islam's political and economic inheritance) # ''Môhanôbī (S.) Er Prôtirôkkha Koushôl'' (Self-Defence Technique of the Great Prophet Sw) # ''Khālid bin Walīd'' ( Khalid ibn al-Walid) # ''Muḥammad bin Qāsim'' (
Muhammad ibn al-Qasim Muḥammad ibn al-Qāsim al-Thaqāfī ( ar, محمد بن القاسم الثقفي; –) was an Arab military commander in service of the Umayyad Caliphate who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh (part of modern Pakistan), inaugurating the Umayy ...
) # ''Amar Amma'' (My Mother) # ''Sīrate Rasūle Akram'' (Biography of the Noble Prophet) # '' Sīrate Soiyôd Ahmôd Shôhīd'' (Biography of Sayyid Ahmad Shahid) # ''Praccer Upôhar'' (Gift of the Orient) # ''Islam Dhôrmô Sômaj Sôngskriti'' (Religion of Islam is Reformation of Society) # ''Hôzrôt Abu Bôkôr Siddīq (Ra.) Jībôn O Sôngram'' (Life and Struggles of Hazrat
Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honor ...
Siddiq Ra)


Death and legacy

Ali died on 14 August 2010 during the month of Ramadan. His
janaza Funerals and funeral prayers in Islam ( ar, جنازة, Janazah) follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to regional interpretation and variation in custom. In all cases, however, sharia (Islamic religious law) calls for burial o ...
was performed the next day, and he was buried next to the Qabilnagar Mosque which he had established. Ali was married to Begum Zaibunnesa, with whom he had four daughters and one son.


References

{{Hanafi scholars University of Dhaka alumni Disciples of Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Hanafi fiqh scholars Bangladeshi Muslims Hanafis Maturidis Deobandis 2010 deaths 1945 births People from Chuadanga District Bengali Muslim scholars of Islam Bangladeshi Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam 20th-century Bengalis 21st-century Bengalis