Mawlana Muhammad Ishaq ( bn, মুহাম্মদ ইসহাক) was an
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 reli ...
and
Sufi
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
from
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
.
Biography
Ishaq was born in the year 1883 CE, in Feni. He received his primary religious education from the local religious institution. Then he got admitted into an
'alim
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 ...
course in Comilla. Later, he travelled to Makkah where he got admitted into the
Madrasah as-Sawlatiyah
Madrasah as-Sawlatiyah ( ar, مدرسة الصولتية , ''Madrasah aṣ-Ṣawlatīyah;'' or abbreviation: "al-Sawlatiyya") is an Islamic school in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the oldest continuing school in Saudi Arabia.
History
Al-Sawlatiyy ...
. He studied
Islamic studies
Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...
and
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, 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 ...
for eleven years in that institution, under Shaykhu'd-Dal'ail Abdul Haqq Muhajir Makki who treated him like his adopted son. Later, he was appointed as a teacher of that madrasa. He got
khilafat
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
from his teacher and returned to his own country.
After returning to Bengal, Ishaq also involved in sufistic practices. It is said that he had karamat. People began to approach him for spiritual guidance. He travelled to Comilla,
Noakhali
Noakhali ( bn, নোয়াখালী, , New canal), historically known as Bhulua ( bn, ভুলুয়া), is a district in southeastern Bangladesh, located in the Chittagong Division. It was established as district in 1821, and officia ...
,
Barisal
Barisal ( or ; bn, বরিশাল, ), officially known as Barishal, is a major city that lies on the banks of the Kirtankhola river in south-central Bangladesh. It is the largest city and the administrative headquarter of both Barisal Dist ...
, Hatiya and Sandwip. In these places many people became his
murids
In Sufism, a ''murīd'' (Arabic مُرِيد 'one who seeks') is a novice committed to spiritual enlightenment by ''sulūk'' (traversing a path) under a spiritual guide, who may take the title murshid, '' pir'' or ''shaykh''. A ''sālik'' or Suf ...
. Later, he renewed his
bay'at
''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 ...
at the hands of Abdur Rabb Jaunpuri who was the grandson of
Karamat Ali Jaunpuri
Karāmat ʿAlī Jaunpūrī ( ur, , bn, কারামত আলী জৌনপুরী; 12 June 1800 – 30 May 1873), born as Muḥammad ʿAlī Jaunpūrī, was a nineteenth-century Indian Muslim social reformer and founder of the Taiyuni ...
. After that he began to be influenced by Jaunpuris.
Ishaq established an orphanage in 1936. He donated all of his immovable properties for this orphanage. The orphanage is called "Ishaqiya Yatimkhana". It is situated in Daganbhuiyan, Feni. He also gave financial help to establish
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s,
eidgah
Eidgah or Idgah, also Eid Gah or Id Gah ( fa, "site of Eid bservances; bn, ঈদগাহ; pnb, ; ur, ; hi, ईदगाह) is a term used in South Asian Islamic culture for the open-air enclosure usually outside the city (or at th ...
s and
madrasas
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
zikr and mediation. He kept himself away from active politics but supported the independence movement of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Ishaq died on 18 November 1938.