Ataullah Hafezzi (; 10 January 1948 – 4 April 2025) was a

Deobandi The Deobandi movement or Deobandism is a revivalist movement within Sunni Islam that adheres to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. It was formed in the late 19th century around the Darul Uloom Madrassa in Deoband, India, from which the nam ...

Islamist leader and politician who served as the

Ameer Amir is a title of rulers or military leaders in many Muslim countries, alternatively written as ''Emir''. Amir or Ameer may also refer to: People * Amir (name), people with the given name and surname Amir or Ameer * Amir (singer) (born 1984), ...

(Head) of the

Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan () is an Islamist political party in Bangladesh, founded by Hafezzi Huzur after the 1981 Bangladeshi presidential election. Hafezzi Huzur had been a presidential candidate in 1981. He came third, scoring 387,215 vote ...

, Naeeb-e-Ameer (vice-head) of the

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh () is a Deobandi Islamist advocacy group consisting mostly of religious teachers (''Ulama'') and students in Bangladesh. The group is mainly based on qawmi madrasas in Bangladesh. In 2013, they submitted a 13-point ch ...

, director of Jamia Nooria Islamia, and the chief

Khatib In Islam, a khatib or khateeb ( ''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''), but the two roles can ...

of Ambarshah Shahi Jam'a Mosque.

Biography

His political career started with the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, a party founded by his father. He served as one of the central leaders of

Islami Oikya Jote The Islami Oikya Jote (, ''Islami Oikko Joţ'', "Islamic Unity Front") is a political party in Bangladesh and allied with the former Four Party Alliance. History During the legislative elections of 1 October 2001, the party won 2 out of 30 ...

and led the

Islamic Law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...

Implementation Committee. In 2014, he was nominated as the Ameer of Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan and elected in 2023. In 2015, he was appointed Muhtamim of Jamia Nuria Islamia. Hafezzi led several notable protests, including those against the

demolition of the Babri Masjid The Babri Masjid, a 16th-century mosque in the Indian city of Ayodhya, was destroyed on 6 December 1992 by a large group of activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and allied organisations. The mosque had been the subject of a lengthy socio ...

in 1992,

Taslima Nasreen Taslima Nasrin (born 25 August 1962) is a Bangladeshi- Swedish writer, physician, feminist, secular humanist, and activist. She is known for her writings on the oppression of women and criticism of Islam; some of her books are banned in Bangl ...

in 1994, and the publication of cartoons deemed offensive in 2007. He was involved in movements opposing secularism, leading protests under both Khilafat Andolan and Hefazat-e-Islam. He also led it under the banner of Hefazat. He died on 4 April 2025, at the age of 77.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hafezzi, Ataullah 1948 births 2025 deaths 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Hanafi fiqh scholars Bangladeshi Muslims Hanafis Maturidis Deobandis Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan politicians Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Vice-Presidents Standing Committee member of Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh

Biography

See also

References