Shams al-Ḥaqq ibn Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Chirāgh ʿAlī al-Farīdfūrī ( ar, شمس الحق بن محمد عبد الله بن تشراغ علي الفريدفوري), or simply known as Shamsul Haque Faridpuri ( bn, শামসুল হক ফরিদপুরী; 189621 January 1969) 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 ...

, educationist, and social reformer. He was the founder-principal of

Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh Al-Jāmiʿah al-Qurʼāniyyah al-ʿArabiyyah Lālbāgh ( ar, الجامعة القرآنية العربية لالباغ), better known simply as Lalbagh Madrasah ( bn, লালবাগ মাদ্রাসা), is a Qawmi madrasa providing hi ...

. He also founded many other

madrasa 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 '' ...

s and mosques. Organisations which he initiated include; ''Khademul Islam Jamat'' and ''Anjuman-e-Tabligh-al-Quran''.

Early life and education

Faridpuri was born on a Friday in the year 1896, 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 in the village of Ghoperdanga (later Gawhardanga) in erstwhile

Faridpur District Faridpur District ( bn, ফরিদপুর জেলা) is a district in south-central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division. It is bounded by the Padma River to its northeast. The district was named after Farīd-ud-Dīn Masʿūd, ...

Bengal Presidency 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 ...

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

(now in

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 ...

). His mother's name was Amena Khatun. His father,

Munshi Munshi is a Persian word, originally used for a contractor, writer, or secretary, and later used in the Mughal Empire and India for native language teachers, teachers of various subjects, especially administrative principles, religious texts, ...

Muhammad Abdullah, was noted to have been a participant of the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

. Faridpuri's grandfather Chiragh Ali was a disciple of Syed Ahmad Shaheed and took part in the Battle of Balakot against the

Sikhs Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...

. Faridpuri first began his preschool education under the local

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

pandit A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...

of Patgati. He then studied in Tungipara and Sutiakathi School where he completed his primary education. In 1915, he was the best performer for class 6 in the annual exams at the Baghariya High School in Noapara. He then joined for class 7 at the Calcutta Alia Madrasa and in 1919 he passed the

entrance exam In education, an entrance examination or admission examination is an examination that educational institutions conduct to select prospective students. It may be held at any stage of education, from primary to tertiary, even though it is typicall ...

for the Anglo-Persian department. With a scholarship, Faridpuri enrolled at the

Presidency College Calcutta Presidency University, Kolkata (formerly known as Presidency College, Kolkata) is a second major public state aided research university located in College Street, Kolkata. Considered as one of best colleges when Presidency College was affili ...

for a few days before being interrupted by

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

non-cooperation movement The Non-cooperation movement was a political campaign launched on 4 September 1920, by Mahatma Gandhi to have Indians revoke their cooperation from the British government, with the aim of persuading them to grant self-governance.

. As a result, Faridpuri left the college and set off for

Thana Bhawan Thana Bhawan is a small town in Shamli district (formerly part of Muzaffarnagar district) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. District Shamli is a newly constructed district. Before becoming a new district, it came under district Muzaffarnag ...

where he met

Ashraf Ali Thanwi Ashraf Ali Thanwi (often referred as Hakim al-Ummat and Mujaddid e Millet; 19 September 1863 – 20 July 1943) was a late-nineteenth and twentieth-century Sunni Islam, Sunni scholar, jurist, thinker, Mujaddid, reformist and the revival of classic ...

. Under Thanwi's advice, Faridpuri enrolled at the

Mazahir Uloom Mazahir Uloom ( ur, ) is an Islamic seminary located in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Started in November 1866 by Sa'ādat Ali Faqīh, and developed further by Mazhar Nanautawi and Ahmad Ali Saharanpuri; it is regarded as the second most influen ...

seminary in

Saharanpur Saharanpur is a city and a municipal corporation in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is also the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur district. Saharanpur city's name was given after the Saint Shah Haroon Chishti. Saharanpur is declared as on ...

where he completed

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 ...

up to a bachelors level. He then moved on to study at

Darul Uloom Deoband The Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic seminary (darul uloom) in India at which the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement began. It is located in Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The seminary was established by Muhammad Qasim ...

where he studied

tasawwuf 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, r ...

under Thanwi and

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 approval ...

under

Anwar Shah Kashmiri Anwar Shah Kashmiri (known with honorifics as ''Sayyid Muḥammad Anwar Shāh ibn Mu‘aẓẓam Shāh al-Kashmīrī''; 16 November 1875 – 28 May 1933) was a Kashmiri Muslim scholar and jurist who served as the first principal of Madrasa Ami ...

Izaz Ali Amrohi Izaz Ali Amrohi ( ur, ; November 1882 – 1955) was an Indian Islamic scholar who served as the second and ninth Grand Mufti of the Darul Uloom Deoband. His book ''Nafahtul Arab'' is taught in madrassas including the Darul Uloom Deoband. Biogr ...

and

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.

until 1927. Faridpuri also gained khilafat from

Zafar Ahmad Usmani ) , office1 = Ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam , term_start1 = 1949 , term_end1 = Unknown , predecessor1 = Shabbir Ahmad Usmani , successor1 = Abdullah Darkhawasti , title = , religion = Islam , ...

and Abdul Ghani.

Career

After completing his education, Faridpuri returned to his homeland in Bengal where he became a prominent teacher of

. He became the principal of

Jamia Islamia Yunusia Al-Jāmiʿah al-Islāmiyyah al-Yūnusiyyah ( ar, الجامعة الإسلامية اليونسية), also known as ''Jamia Islamia Yunusia'' ( bn, জামেয়া ইসলামিয়া ইউনুছিয়া), is one of the Qawmi ...

Brahmanbaria Brahmanbaria ( bn, ব্রাহ্মণবাড়িয়া, Brāhmaṇabāṛiẏā) is a city of Bangladesh and the capital of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila as well as Brahmanbaria District. It is the second largest city after Cumilla ...

in 1928 until 1935 when he founded the Gazalia Madrasa in

Bagerhat Bagerhat Sadar ( bn, বাগেরহাট সদর) is an upazila of Bagerhat District in the Division of Khulna, Bangladesh. The municipality was established in 1958. It consists of 9 wards and 31 mahallas. History Khan Jahan Ali established ...

. He then moved on to Ashraful Uloom in Bara Katara,

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

from 1936 until 1950. He founded the Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Khademul Islam in his home village of Gawhardanga in 1937. In 1940, he founded ''Khademul Islam Jamat'' (Congregation of the Guardians of Islam), an organisation which promoted the implementation of Islamic ideals. He also founded the ''Anjuman-e-Tabligh-al-Quran'' (Association of Quranic Preaching) to challenge the activities of

Christian Missionaries A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...

that were actively propagating to Muslims in the region. Faridpuri was an advocate of campaigns such as the

Pakistan Movement The Pakistan Movement ( ur, , translit=Teḥrīk-e-Pākistān) was a political movement in the first half of the 20th century that aimed for the creation of Pakistan from the Muslim-majority areas of British India. It was connected to the pe ...

and the

Tablighi Jamaat Tablighi Jamaat (, also translated as "propagation party" or "preaching party") is a transnational Deobandi Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting Muslims to be more religiously observant and encouraging fellow members t ...

. The ''Idaratul Ma`arif'' was a centre for Islamic research that was established by Faridpuri. From 1951 up until his death, he taught hadith classes in

. He also founded the capital's Jamia Arabia Imdadul Uloom in Faridabad in 1956.

Bibliography

Writings

* ''Shotru Theke Hushiar Thako''(); English translations: ''Beware of the enemy'' * ''Choritro Gothon'' (); English translations: ''Character Development'' * ''Potito Pabon'' (); ''Fallen wind'' * ''Ma-Bap O Shontaner Hoq'' (); English translations: ''Rights of the parents and children'' * ''Tafsire Sura Fateha'' (); English translations: ''Exegesis of Surah

al-Fatiha Al-Fatiha (alternatively transliterated Al-Fātiḥa or Al-Fātiḥah; ar, ألْفَاتِحَة, ; ), is the first ''surah'' (chapter) of the Quran. It consists of 7 '' ayah'' (verses) which are a prayer for guidance and mercy. Al-Fatiha i ...

'' * ''Taubanama O Jiboner Pon'' (); English: ''The story of repentance and the stake of life'' * ''Allahr Porichoy O Manusher Porichoy'' (); English translations: ''God's background and mankind's background '' * ''Matri Jatir Morjada'' (); English translations: ''The dignity of matriarchs'' * ''Mosjid O Jibonto Mosjid'' (); English translations: ''Mosque and living mosques'' * ''Hoqqani Tafsir'' (); (completed but not fully published yet) - only the first and last Juz were published but the author completed the manuscript of the Tafseer in approximately 16000 pages and urged his students to published it but no one has taken up the task of the continuation of the publication yet) * ''Dhormer Ashol Uddeshyo Ki?'' (); English translations: ''What is the main goal of religion?'' * ''Oshot Alem O Peer Ebong Shotorko Bani'' (); English: ''The dishonest

alim Alim (''ʿAlīm'' , also anglicized as ''Aleem'') is one of the Names of God in Islam, meaning "''All-knowing one''". It is also used as a personal name, as a short form of Abdul Alim, "''Servant of the All-Knowing''": Given name * Alim ad-Din A ...

and pir and words of warning'' * ''Tasauof Totto'' (); English translations: ''Inquiry of Mysticism'' * ''Bhul Shongshodhon'' (); English translations: ''Emendation of Mistakes'' * ''Quraner Upor Hostokhep Bordasht Kora Jabe Na'' (); English: ''Interference against the Quran will not be tolerated'' * ''Shongkkhepe Islam'' (); English translations: ''Islam in short'' * ''Namazer Ortho'' (); English translations: ''The meaning of prayer'' * ''Hajjer Masail'' (); English: ''The topic of

Hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...

'' * ''Halal-Haram O Bidat-Ijtihad'' (); English: ''

Halal ''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...

haram ''Haram'' (; ar, حَرَام, , ) is an Arabic term meaning 'Forbidden'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowle ...

and

bid'ah In Islam, bid'ah ( ar, بدعة; en, innovation) refers to innovation in religious matters. Linguistically, the term means "innovation, novelty, heretical doctrine, heresy". In classical Arabic literature ('' adab''), it has been used as a fo ...

ijtihad ''Ijtihad'' ( ; ar, اجتهاد ', ; lit. physical or mental ''effort'') is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a le ...

* ''Proloyongkari Ghurnijhorer Karon Ki?'' (); English translations: ''What is the reason behind catastrophic cyclones?'' * ''Tabligh O Islami Zindegi'' (); English: ''

Tabligh Tablighi Jamaat (, also translated as "propagation party" or "preaching party") is a transnational Deobandi Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting Muslims to be more religiously observant and encouraging fellow members ...

and Islamic life'' * ''Votarer Dayitto O Vote Shomporke Shorioter Nirdesh'' (); English translations: ''Responsibilities of the voter and instructions for voting from the

Sharia Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the H ...

'' * ''Adorsho Muslim Poribar O Shushthu Porikolpona'' (); English: ''Ideal Muslim family and elegant plans'' * ''Rozar Fazilat'' (); English: ''Virtue of Fasting'' * ''Islahe Nafs'' (); English: ''Soul reformation'' * ''Jibon Patheyo'' (); English ''Viaticum of life'' * ''Dhormo O Rajneeti'' (); English: ''Religion and politics'' * ''Hadiser Rotno-Bhandar Ba Shashon Poddhoti'' (); English: ''The gem-stores of Hadith or ruling method'' * ''Jihader Gurutto O Fazilat'' (); English: ''Importance and virtue of Jihad''

Translations

* Sahih Al Bukhari * Bahishti Zewar

References

External links

Bhul Shongshodhon [Correction of Mistakes of Allama Maududi] by Maulana Shamsul Haque Faridpuri
{{DEFAULTSORT:Faridpuri, Shamsul Haque 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Deobandis 1896 births 1969 deaths Burials at Azimpur Graveyard People from Gopalganj District, Bangladesh Bengali Muslim scholars of Islam Bangladeshi Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam