Abu Saeed Muhammad Omar Ali | |
|---|---|
আবু সাঈদ মুহাম্মদ ওমর আলী | |
 | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1 October 1945 |
| Died | 14 August 2010(2010-08-14) (aged 64) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Education | University of Dhaka Pabna Alia Madrasa Quwwatul Islam Alia Madrasa Qabilnagar Madrasa |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
| Muslim leader | |
| Disciple of | Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi |
Influenced by | |
Abu Saeed Muhammad Omar Ali (Bengali:আবু সাঈদ মুহাম্মদ ওমর আলী; 1 October 1945 — 14 August 2010) was a BangladeshiIslamic scholar, author, teacher, and translator. As a member of theIslamic Foundation's encyclopedia project's board of directors and editing board, his most notable works areIslami Bishwakosh (25 volumes),Sirat Bishwakosh (14 volumes) andAl-Quran Bishwakosh. He was also the editor of theHakkatha andIslamic Foundation Magazine. Ali became acquainted withAbul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi after translating his books, and later became one of his senior disciples and his principalBengali commentator.[1][2][3]
Ali was born on 1 October 1945 to aBengali Muslim family ofMandals in the village ofQabilnagar inChuadanga, then under theNadia district ofBritish Bengal. His mother, Nekjan Nesa, was housewife. Ali's father, Mufazzal Husayn Mandal, was enthusiastic about Islamic education and enrolled him at the local Qabilnagar Nasrul Uloom Madrasa after spending some years at the Taluqkarra Primary School. Ali then became a student at the Quwwatul Islam Alia Madrasa ofKushtia where he passed hisfazil certificate in 1965. He then proceeded to study at thePabna Alia Madrasa where he graduated with akamil inHadith studies in 1967. He then completed aBA in political science in 1974 andMA in 1975 from theUniversity of Dhaka.[4] During his student life, he was associated with theTamaddun Majlish.[5]
After completing his Islamic education in 1967, Ali began his career as a teacher at the Barishkhali High School and Pardakhalpur K. B. Academy inHarinakunda,Jhenaidah for two and a half years.[4] He then joined theAbudharr Ghifari College inMalibagh serving underDewan Mohammad Azraf for 10 months. After that, he returned to his former school, the Qabilnagar Madrasa, where he served as principal for a short while.[5]
Following his graduation from Dhaka University in 1975, Ali joined theIslamic Foundation. After that, he served as a professor atAbdul Hamid Khan Bhashani'sSantosh Islamic University inTangail. During that time, he was also the editor of theHakkatha magazine in 1978. After that, Ali returned to Dhaka and continued to work at the Islamic Foundation and be thekhatib of Abudharr Ghifari Complex Jame Mosque.[6] He has also ledEid prayers at theBaitul Mukarram National Mosque and established numerous mosques and madrasas in the country. Ali used to regularly givedawah to Islam and appear on radio and television since 1990.[5]
Ali became acquainted with Indian Islamic scholarAbul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi through his translation of Nadwi's work into Bengali with the titleIman Jokhon Jaglo. The book's sophisticated language and lofty thinking had an effect on him. After publishing it, Ali translated another book of Nadwi's,Saviours of Islamic Spirit, which was published by theIslamic Foundation asIslami Renesãr Ogropothik. In 1984, Nadwi visitedBangladesh and Ali pledgedbay'ah to him. He also spentiʿtikāf with Nadwi duringRamadan. This is how Ali became one of the senior disciples of Nadwi and his principal Bengali commentator. Along withIslam and the World, he translated many of Nadwi's books whilst preserving the original essence and accurate expressions of Nadwi's emotions.[7]
Ali was the editor of theHakkata andIslamic Foundation Magazine. Although he has many of his own books, he is best known as a translator due to his proficiency inArabic,Persian and Urdu.[4] His literary career began with the translation ofMushahid Ahmad Bayampuri's 'al-Fatḥ al-Karīm fī Siyāsah an-Nabī al-Amīn fromUrdu to Bengali. His most notable works are the 25-volumeIslami Bishwakosh, 14-volume Sirat Bishwakosh and Al-Quran Bishwakosh which were published by theIslamic Foundation Bangladesh. He has translated 15 books and written two children's books. Some of his translated works are:[7]
Ali died on 14 August 2010 during the month ofRamadan. Hisjanaza was performed the next day, and he was buried next to the Qabilnagar Mosque which he had established. Ali was married to Begum Zaibunnesa, with whom he had four daughters and one son.[7]