Muhammad Sadeq Ali | |
|---|---|
 Halat-un-Nabi by Sadeq Ali | |
| Native name | সাদেক আলী |
| Born | Shree Gour Kishore Sen CE 1798 or 1801 |
| Died | CE 1862(1862-00-00) (aged 63–64) |
| Occupation | Munshi, judge, poet |
| Language | Middle Bengali |
| Genre | Islam |
| Notable works |
|
MunshiMuhammad Sadeq Ali (Bengali:মোহাম্মদ সাদেক আলী,Nagri:ꠍꠣꠖꠇ ꠀꠟꠤ), born asSri Gaur Kishore Sen (Bengali:শ্রী গৌর কিশোর সেন), was a prominentBengali Muslim writer, poet and district judge from 19th centuryBengal.[1] He is considered to be the most well-known writer to have used theSylheti Nagri script and this is due to hismagnum opus, Halat-un-Nabi (condition ofthe Prophet),[2] which gained immense popularity in theSylhet region and would later be transcribed in theBengali script.[3]
Muhammad Sadeq Ali was born in aBengaliBaidya family around 1800 as Shree Gour Kishore Sen.[4]
In August 1818, he was taught the basics ofIslam by Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf. Sadeq grew an interest in theArabic andPersian languages, and so he studied under Mir Munshi Abul Fazl, a detective of theHingazia thana.[2]
He formally acceptedIslam and changed his name toMuhammad Sadeq Ali. He also mentions that he was a follower of theHanafimadhhab.[2]
ꠉꠚꠥꠞ ꠞꠢꠤꠝ ꠀꠟ꠆ꠟꠣ ꠇꠣꠖꠤꠞ ꠍꠥꠛꠢꠣꠘ
gôfur rôhim alla qadir subôhan
Glorified is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful Allah, The Able
ꠍꠤꠔꠣꠞꠣꠄ ꠈꠥꠛꠤ ꠖꠤꠟꠣ ꠡꠣꠔ ꠀꠍꠝꠣꠘ
sitarae khubi dila shat asman
With stars, He beautified the seven heavens
ꠏꠝꠤꠘꠦꠞ ꠈꠥꠛꠤ ꠖꠤꠟꠣ ꠇꠔ ꠌꠤꠎꠦ ꠀꠞ
zôminer khubi dila kôtô chize ar
With many things, He beautified the earth
ꠡꠇꠟ ꠝꠢꠔꠣꠎ ꠈꠣꠟꠤ ꠉꠘꠤ ꠙꠞꠅꠀꠞ
shôkôl môhôtaj khali gôni pôroar
We are all needy except the All-Sufficient Provider
Sadeq Ali decided to take a reformist stance against the common Bengali Muslim literature of Sylhet which had usedreligious syncretism withHinduism, in particularVaishnavism, andSufiBaul elements. Sadeq Ali then published hisMahabbatnama based on the story ofYusuf and Zulaikha taking inspiration from the earlier version by Shah Gharibullah of West Bengal.[5] He also wroteHashor Michhil (Procession ofHashr), which also remains in circulation, continuing to be sold in shops in both Sylheti Nagri and Bengali scripts. as well asRadd al-Hind (Response to the Hindus),Kashf al-Bid'ah (Unveiling of Innovation),Pandenama,Dafeh al-Hujat,Hushiarnama andRahasatul Islam.[5]
Sadeq Ali later composed anotherputhi about theprophetic biography called Halat-un-Nabi in 1855, focusing more on scripture rather than more popular folk beliefs. It became a household item in everyBengali Muslim homestead in GreaterSylhet and Cachar, making it the most popular and widely printed book in theSylheti Nagri script.[3] Sadeq Ali wroteRadd-i-Kufr in 1874.[6]
Long after Sadeq Ali's death in 1862,[5] theBangladesh Liberation War took place in 1971. A fire took place in Bandar Bazar,Sylhet town destroying theIslamia Press, which was the largestSylheti Nagri printing press. However, Bengali script versions of the Halat-un-Nabi puthi continued to be in production and circulation.[7] The puthi was included in theNagri Grantha Sambhar, a selection of Nagriputhis published by Utsho Prokashon in 2014.[8][9][unreliable source?]