Shah Ahmad Shafi ( bn, শাহ আহমদ শফী) (1916 – 18 September 2020) was a Bangladeshi
Sunni Islamic
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
scholar, the chief of
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Rector of
Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari and also the chairman of
.
He was born in 1916 (1334-35 AH) in
Rangunia,
Chittagong and was educated at Hathazari Madrasah and
Darul Uloom Deoband.
Early life
He was born in 1916 (1334-35 AH) in
Rangunia,
Chittagong. He received his primary education from his family. Then he joined Al-Jamiatul Arabiatul Islamiah. He was admitted to
Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam
Al-Jāmiʿah al-Ahliyyah Dār al-ʿUlūm Muʿīn al-Islām ( ar, الجامعة الأهلية دار العلوم معين الإسلام), popularly known as the Hāṭhazārī Madrasa ( bn, হাটহাজারী মাদ্রাসা) ...
in 1926 (1344-45 AH) at the age of 10. In Hathazari Madrasah he studied for 10 years. Then Shafi went to
Darul Uloom Deoband for higher studies in the field of
Hadith
Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
and
Tafsir
Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
.
He was a renowned Islamic scholar in Bangladesh.He studied there for four years before returning to his homeland Bangladesh. During his study time at Darul Uloom Deoband he became close to
Hussain Ahmed Madani
Hussain Ahmad Madani (6 October 1879 – 5 December 1957) was an Indian Islamic scholar, serving as the principal of Darul Uloom Deoband. He was among the first recipients of the civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 1954. and later he became his youngest official successor from Indian subcontinent. Ahmad Shafi was the leader of Hifazat-E-Islam Bangladesh, (a non-political Islamic organization).
Career
Ahmad Shafi commenced his career as a teacher at
Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari, Chittagong (''Hathazari Madrasah''). In 1986/1987 (1407 AH), he was elected rector (Head of the University Madrasah) of ''Hathazari Madrasah''. Shafi was also the chairman of
.
Shah Ahmad Shafi was to continue to serve as the director general of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam, also known as Hathazari Madrasa, as decided by Majlis-e-Shura. "No one will be appointed as the acting rector of the madrasa as long as Shafi is alive," Press Secretary of the Hefazat chief, Munir Ahmed said.
Views
In 2009 (1430 AH), Ahmad Shafi,
Azizul Haque, and other
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 ...
scholars, in a joint statement to the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Sheikh Hasina Wazed
Sheikh Hasina Wazed ('' née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January ...
, condemned terrorism and militancy committed in the name of
Islam.
Controversy
2013 comments
In 2013, a speech given by Ahmad Shafi at
Hathazari
Hathazari ( bn, হাটহাজারী) is an upazila of Chattogram District in Chattogram Division, Bangladesh.
Geography
Hathazari is located at . It has 52,594 households and a total area of 251.28 km2. The main river is Halda River ...
,
Chittagong was described as highly misogynistic.
He reportedly said: "Why are you sending your daughters to work in garment factories?... She goes to work after Fajr at 7/8:00am and does not come back even at 8/10/12 at night... You do not know which man she is hanging out with. You do not know how much zina (
fornication) she is getting involved in."
The comments caused outrage among
women's rights activists
This article is a list of notable women's rights activists, arranged alphabetically by modern country names and by the names of the persons listed.
Afghanistan
* Amina Azimi – disabled women's rights advocate
* Hasina Jalal – women's empowerm ...
who demanded his imprisonment.
Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina Wazed (''née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh since January 2 ...
, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh termed the statement "disgusting" and "distasteful".
A Political Party Demand that a Relationship with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
Although the Awami League described him as a frontman for
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami ( bn, বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী, Bānglādēsh Jāmāyatē Islāmī, Bangladesh Islamic Assembly), previously known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, or Jamaat for short, was ...
, analysts say this is highly unlikely as Ahmad Shafi belonged to a band of Islamists that unlike Jamaat, did not oppose the
independence of Bangladesh, and supported a united India and rejected the
creation of Pakistan
The Pakistan Movement ( ur, , translit=Teḥrīk-e-Pākistān) was a List of historical separatist movements, political movement in the first half of the 20th century that aimed for the creation of Pakistan from the Muslims, Muslim-majority a ...
in 1947.
Death
He was suffering from various complex diseases of old age including Diabetes and heart disease for years. On 17 September 2020 midnight, Shafi was brought by ambulance from
Hathazari Madrasah to
Chittagong Medical College Hospital
Chittagong Medical College (CMC) is situated in the port city of Chattogram, Bangladesh and is the oldest medical college in the south-eastern part of the country. It is affiliated with a tertiary level hospital where clinical students are tra ...
(CMCH) as his physical condition deteriorated. He was later admitted to the 6th bed of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the 3rd floor of the hospital as his pressure and pulse rate decreased.
A medical board was formed on the morning of 18 September 2020, who suggested he should be moved to Dhaka for better treatment. On the advice of doctors, the family members took him to Asgar Ali Hospital in Dhaka by air ambulance at 4.30 pm for better treatment.
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh leader Mufti Mohammad Faizullah confirmed that he died at 6pm on Friday.
He was 103–104 years old at the time of his death.
Works
Urdu
* ''Faizu-l-Jaari'' (Explanation of Bukhari)
* ''Al-Bayaanu-l-Fasil Baina-l-Haqqi wa-l-Baatil''
* ''Al-Hujaju-l-Qaatiah Li-daf-yin Nahjil Khatiah''
* ''Al-Khairu-l-Katheer Fee Usuli-t-Tafseer''
* ''Islam o Siyaasat''
* ''Izhar-e-Haqeeqat''
* ''Takfeer-e-Muslim''
* ''Chand Raoyejna''
* ''Fuyoozat-e-Ahmadiyah''
Bengali
* ''Haq O Batiler Chiranton Dondo''
* ''Islami Ortho Bebostha''
* ''Islam O Rajniti''
* ''Sotter Dikhe Korun Ahoban''
* ''Sunnat O Bid'ater Sothik Porichoy''
* ''Mukhosh Ummochon''
* ''Qur'aan o Sunnat er Alokay Apnar Namaaj''
See also
*
Fazlul Hoque Amini
Faḍl al-Ḥaqq ibn Wājid ad-Dīn al-Amīnī ( ar, فضل الحق بن واجد الدين الأميني; 194512 December 2012), or simply Fazlul Hoque Amini ( bn, ফজলুল হক আমিনী) was an Islamic scholar and politician ...
- student of Ahmad Shafi
*
Mufti Izharul Islam
Izharul Islam Chowdhury ( bn, মুফতি ইজহারুল ইসলাম) is the founder of Jamiatul Uloom Al-Islamia Lalkhan Bazar. He is the present executive president of Nizam-e-Islam Party and Nayeb-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bang ...
*
Allama Junaid Babunagari
*
Allama Nurul Islam Ulipuri
*
Maulana Muhiuddin Khan
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shafi, Ahmad
Bangladeshi Islamic religious leaders
1916 births
2020 deaths
Deobandis
20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam
Sunni Islamic movements
Bangladeshi centenarians
Men centenarians
People from Chittagong District
Bangladeshi Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam
Darul Uloom Deoband alumni
Darul Uloom Hathazari Alumni
20th-century Bengalis
21st-century Bengalis
Director general of Darul Uloom Hathazari
Shaikhul Hadith of Darul Uloom Hathazari
Disciples of Hussain Ahmad Madani
Bengali Muslim scholars of Islam
21st-century Urdu-language writers
20th-century Urdu-language writers
Bengali writers