Shah Abd al-Wahhab facts for kids

Shah Abd al-Wahhab (Bengali: শাহ আব্দুল ওয়াহহাব; 1894 – 2 June 1982) was an important Islamic scholar and teacher from Bangladesh. He was a leader in the Deobandi movement, which focuses on traditional Islamic education. He served as the second head of Darul Uloom Hathazari, a famous Islamic school. He also helped lead the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and worked as a judge in Chittagong Court for 23 years.

Shah Abd al-Wahhab studied at top Islamic universities like Darul Uloom Deoband and Mazahir Uloom. He was a key student of Ashraf Ali Thanwi, a very respected spiritual guide. Many people see him as the second founder of Darul Uloom Hathazari because of his great contributions. He started many Islamic schools (called madrasas) and mosques in Bangladesh. He also played a big part in spreading the Tablighi Jamaat movement in Bangladesh and Myanmar, and helped with major events like the Bishwa Ijtema.

Early Life and Family Background

Shah Abd al-Wahhab was born in 1894 in a village called Ruhullahpur in Hathazari Upazila, Chittagong District. His family was well-known and respected. He was the only son of Qazi Abd al-Hakim and Begum Fazilatunnesa. His family had a long history, tracing back to Umar, who was the second leader of Islam. His ancestors were judges in Islamic kingdoms. His great-grandfather moved to Hathazari, where the family settled.

His Education Journey

Shah Abd al-Wahhab started learning at about four years old. His uncle, Qazi Abd al-Bari, who was a graduate of Darul Uloom Hathazari, was his first teacher. He also learned from his father. After learning the Qur'an and Persian language, he joined Darul Uloom Hathazari in 1904. He finished his main studies there in 1914.

After that, Shah Abd al-Wahhab traveled to India to study at the Mazahir Uloom and Darul Uloom Deoband schools. He studied with famous teachers like Anwar Shah Kashmiri and Shabbir Ahmad Usmani. He was the first Bengali student to complete advanced Hadith studies at Deoband.

Spiritual Guidance

After finishing his studies, Shah Abd al-Wahhab became a student of Ashraf Ali Thanwi, a famous spiritual leader. His teacher in Hathazari, Habibullah Qurayshi, also wanted him to learn from Thanwi. Shah Abd al-Wahhab received special spiritual permission (called khilafat) from Thanwi very quickly, in just 18 days. This was the fastest Thanwi had ever granted it to anyone.

Thanwi called him "Junayd-e-Waqt," a title meaning a great spiritual leader of his time. Shah Abd al-Wahhab was then appointed as a leader for Muslims in Bengal, Assam, and Burma. He had 22 students of his own, with Ishaq al-Ghazi being one of the most well-known.

His Work and Leadership

Shah Abd al-Wahhab returned to Bengal in 1920. People were very excited about his quick spiritual successorship, and he received a big welcome. He started teaching at Darul Uloom Hathazari, his old school. In 1930, he became the vice-principal, and in 1941, he was appointed as the head (rector) of the school.

His time as rector is often called the "era of the Shah" or "Hathazari's golden era." This is because the school grew and improved a lot under his leadership. He changed the school's name to "Jamia Ahlia Darul Uloom Muinul Islam," a name style that many other leading Islamic schools in Bangladesh later adopted.

Developing Hathazari Madrasa

Shah Abd al-Wahhab was the first scholar in Bangladesh to offer advanced studies and research beyond the basic Islamic curriculum. Thanks to his efforts, Darul Uloom Hathazari opened new departments:

• A Department of Fatwa (Islamic legal opinions) in 1945.
• A Department of Arabic in 1948.
• A Department of Writing in 1955.
• A Department of Technical Training in 1966.

He also inspired other schools, like Al Jamia Al Islamia Patiya, to open departments for Bengali language and literature, and Quranic recitation.

Publications and Libraries

In 1934, Shah Abd al-Wahhab started Islam Prachar, a monthly magazine. This was the first Islamic magazine in Bengali from the Deobandi movement. In 1952, he founded the Monthly Muinul Islam magazine for his institution. He also started the Daily Pasban magazine in Dhaka.

In 1961, he created An-Nadi ath-Thaqafi, which was the first student group for arts, literature, and culture among Deobandi students. He also founded the Ashrafia Library in 1954, named after his teacher Ashraf Ali Thanwi. This library provided religious books at low cost from many countries. He later donated all the books to the main library of Darul Uloom Muinul Islam.

Overcoming Challenges

In 1941, during a time of trouble, the British government closed the Hathazari madrasa. Shah Abd al-Wahhab sold a lot of his own property to help the school fight the case in court. The government lost, and the school reopened within a year. Shah Abd al-Wahhab himself helped clean and rebuild the school. Many believe that without his strong leadership, Islamic education in Bangladesh would not be as strong today. He is remembered as the second founder of Darul Uloom Hathazari for his dedication. He also served as a juror at the Chittagong Court from 1948 to 1971.

In the 1970s, he started a medical training program at the school. He also inspired Muhammad Ibrahim to found BIRDEM and the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, two important health organizations.

Promoting Knowledge

Shah Abd al-Wahhab started regular tafsir (Quranic explanation) gatherings. He first introduced weekly tafsir sessions at Anderkilla Shahi Jame Mosque. This idea spread across Chittagong and became very popular. He also started special monthly and bi-monthly gatherings, like the National Seerat Conference (about the life of Prophet Muhammad) and the National Qira'at Conference (about Quranic recitation).

He received many honorable titles from other scholars, showing his high status. These titles included Hakim an-Nafs, Rijal al-Asr, Amir al-Ulama, Imam al-Mukhlisin, Hakim al-Islam, and Qutb al-Irshad.

Even though he was very busy, he always supported writing and publishing. He encouraged scholars like Shamsul Haque Faridpuri to write and establish libraries. He was also key in bringing and spreading printing technology among Deobandi scholars. He used his own money to publish books by other scholars, like Faiz al-Kalam by Muhammad Faizullah. He also guided the creation of Fatawa-e-Darul Uloom Hathazari, a collection of Islamic legal opinions from Hathazari.

Shah Abd al-Wahhab also wrote poetry, focusing on good character and a person's connection with God. He encouraged others to write poetry too, even starting poetry competitions.

His Role in Society and Politics

Shah Abd al-Wahhab was a strong supporter of Islamic politics in East Pakistan. He was the first to protest against unfair actions by West Pakistan. He also organized scholars to oppose the "Muslim Family Laws" bill.

He supported many important social and religious projects. These included the Islamic University, Bangladesh, the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, and the start of the Tablighi movement in Bangladesh and Myanmar. He also played a leading role in establishing Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh, an organization for Islamic schools. He supported widow remarriage, fair education for girls, and caring for orphans.

In 1939, he was invited to Saudi Arabia. In 1940, he represented Islamic scholars at the Lahore Resolution. After the Partition of Bengal in 1947, he traveled to many Muslim countries, including Myanmar, Egypt, and countries in Africa. He helped develop Islam in South Africa. He was also invited to Al-Azhar University in Egypt and helped arrange for Bengali students to study there.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, he set up a special kitchen (called a langarkhana) to feed people who were in danger, no matter their religion. It is said he had the largest dining area (dastarkhan) in Bengal.

Establishing New Madrasas

Shah Abd al-Wahhab helped establish many Islamic schools across Bangladesh. Some of these include:

• Jamia Arabia Darul Hidayah Pesha, Naogaon (1946)
• Jamia Islamia Arabia Mazahirul Uloom, Chittagong (1947)
• Jamia Islamia Mahmudia, Barisal (1947)
• Jamia Arabia Muhiul Islam Noapara, Jessore (1948)
• Darul Hadith Madrasa, Nawabganj (1950)
• Madarsha Madrasa, Hathazari, Chittagong (1955)
• Hakimia Madrasa (Chittagong Tablighi Markaz Madrasa), Love Lane, Chittagong (1955)
• Jamia Izazia Darul Uloom Rail Station, Jessore (1956)
• Jamia Islamia Qasimul Uloom, Bogra (1960)
• Jamia Islamia Nawabganj (1967)
• Jamia Islamia Arabia Darul Uloom Khulna (1967)
• Jamia Arabia Shamsul Uloom Faridpur (1969)
• Madrasa Ihyaul Uloom Halishahar, Chittagong (1970)
• Darul Uloom Deyang Pahar, Daulatpur, Chittagong (1974)
• Madrasa Kashiful Uloom Khandaqia, Chittagong (1977)
• Madrasa Mahmudia Madinatul Uloom Bathua, Chittagong (1977)
• Madrasa Muhiul Islam, Garduara, Hathazari, Chittagong (1977)
• Muhammadia Madrasa, Hajirpul, Chandgaon, Chittagong (1980)

He also advised other scholars, like Athar Ali Bengali, to establish schools. For example, in 1956, under his guidance, Shamsul Haque Faridpuri founded the Jamia Arabia Imdadul Uloom Faridabad madrasa in Dhaka. Shah Abd al-Wahhab chose Muhammadullah Hafezzi to lead it. He encouraged the establishment of many more schools, learning centers, mosques, and spiritual retreats across the country.

Death and Legacy

Shah Abd al-Wahhab passed away on June 2, 1982. He had five sons and eight daughters. His funeral prayer was led by Muhammadullah Hafezzi. He was buried at the Maqbara-e-Habibi, near Masjid Noor in Hathazari Upazila. His contributions to Islamic education and society continue to be remembered and valued.