Shaykh al-Kul Abdul Wahid Bengali | |
|---|---|
| Title | Munazer-e-Islam, Mujahid-e-Azam, Olikul Shiromoni |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1850 Kharandwip,Boalkhali,Chittagong District |
| Died | 1905 (aged 54–55) |
| Resting place | Munshipara, Kharandwip,Boalkhali |
| Main interest(s) | Hadith,fiqh,tasawwuf |
| Notable work(s) | Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam |
| Alma mater | Darul Uloom Deoband |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
| Movement | Deobandi |
| Muslim leader | |
Students | |
Influenced | |
| Part ofa series on the |
| Deobandi movement |
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| Ideology and influences |
| Founders and key figures |
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| Notable institutions |
| Centres (markaz) of Tablighi Jamaat |
| Associated organizations |
| Deobandi jihadism |
| Deobandi jihadism: |
Abdul Wahid Bengali (Bengali:আব্দুল ওয়াহেদ বাঙ্গালী; c. 1850–1905) was a 19th-century Muslim theologian, teacher and social reformer. He was one of the initiators of theDeobandi movement intoBengal, and co-foundedAl-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam in 1896.
Abdul Wahid was born in 1268Hijri (1851—1852 CE), to aBengali Muslim family in the village of Haola in Kharandwip,Boalkhali,Chittagong District,Bengal Presidency. His father,ShaykhMoulvi Zinat Ali, was amunsef (local judge) at a court in Kaukhali,Rangunia.[2][3] Ali was fluent in Bengali, English,Arabic,Persian andUrdu.[4]
Abdul Wahid initially studied with his father, Zinat Ali, before joining the Sarwatali High School. In addition to Bengali, he became proficient in Urdu too. He stayed in this school until class 8, when he realised the importance of studying theQuran,Hadith and the Arabic language after reading a book in Urdu. Instead of proceeding with the colonial education system that taught English, Abdul Wahid turned towards Arabic. In response, people close to him began to mock him. However, he was certain in his goals and left his village forCalcutta, where his father's friend lived. He expressed his desire of learning Arabic to his father's friend. The man then wrote a letter to Zinat Ali of his son's situation and desire and Abdul Wahid was subsequently enrolled at theMuhsinia Madrasa inChittagong.[2]
His neighbours continued to criticise the fact that the son of a judge was studying Arabic. Eventually, Abdul Wahid set off forNorth India without telling anyone and joined theDarul Uloom Deoband. In Deoband, he dedicated his time to religious studies to such a level that he would often not reply to letters that he received from home.[citation needed]
He had enrolled at the prestigious seminary only 5–6 years after its establishment. He was one of the only two students ofQasim Nanautavi andYaqub Nanautawi that were from eastern Bengal at the time.[5] The other student was Ubaydul Hakim, who also belonged to the village of Kharandwip. After 14 years at Deoband, Abdul Wahid graduated from the Faculty of Hadith (Masters).[6][7]
After both of them completed their formal education at Deoband, the two expressed their desire to studytasawwuf under Qasim Nanautavi. Nanautavi instead directed them towardsImdadullah Muhajir Makki. However, after he migrated toMecca, they pledgedbay'ah toFazlur Rahman Ganj-e-Muradabadi. They spent an additional two years under him, eventually gainingkhilafah (spiritual succession). At that time Abdul Wahid received a letter from his mother mentioning that his father had died. His mother urged him to return home, thus Abdul Wahid returned to Bengal after 16 years.[8]
His mother arranged for a marriage fearing that Abdul Wahid might move abroad again. He was engaged to a noblewoman from Kadalpur inRaozan. In this marriage, Abdul Wahid had one daughter, Shakirah Khatun, and two sons, Sulayman and Ayyub. However, Abdul Wahid felt that his wife was not religiously devoted. After he failed in repeatedly trying to persuade her to become more practicing, he returned her to her parents' home. From there, he did not return to his home but rather set off to the home of his close friendSufi Azizur Rahman in Babunagar,Fatikchhari.[9]
Abdul Wahid's second marriage occurred through the assistance of Sufi Azizur Rahman. He married a woman fromNazirhat and temporary leased some land from a man to the west of the Dhurang canal in Babunagar. He had a daughter with this wife.[8]
After returning to Bengal, Abdul Wahid started atupi business inChittagong.[5] He also began teachingIslamic studies in the village ofBabunagar along withSufi Azizur Rahman. In 1896, the two co-foundedAl-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam inHathazari along withHabibullah Qurayshi andAbdul Hamid Madarshahi. Abdul Wahid became a teacher oftajwid at the madrasa. In 1908, he began teachingKutub al-Sittah at the madrasa.[8]
He died in 1905, at the age of 55. Hisjanaza was performed by Habibullah Qurayshi and he was buried in his paternal graveyard (now known as al-Maqbarah al-Wahidiyyah) in Munshipara, Kharandwip. To the east of his grave, amadrasa was established in his name as Wahidia Madrasa. Among his biographers, Mawlana Jafar Sadiq is notable.[13]
With its impeccableDeobandi credentials, Hathazari madrasa ranks among the top ten madrasas in thesubcontinent in terms of its academic standards and reputation.