Shamsuddin Qasemi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shamsuddin Qasemi |
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| Religion | Islam |
| Denomination | Sunni |
| Alma mater | Darul Uloom Deoband Al-Jamiah al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah Jiri Jamia Ashrafia |
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| Born | 5 March 1935 Sandwip, Chittagong District, Bengal Province |
| Died | 19 October 1996 (aged 61) Jamia Hussainia Arzabad, Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Resting place | Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
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| Religious career | |
| Teacher | Idris Kandhlawi Ahmed Ali Lahori |
| Secretary-General, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh | |
| In office October 1974 – 1976 |
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| Preceded by | Shah Ahraruzzaman |
| Succeeded by | Muhiuddin Khan |
| In office 1978–1991 |
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| Preceded by | Muhiuddin Khan |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Wakkas |
Shamsuddin Qasemi (Bengali: শামসুদ্দীন কাসেমী; 1935–1996) was an important person from Bangladesh. He was a respected Islamic scholar, a leader in politics, an author, and an educationist. He helped start the Khatme Nabuwwat Andolan Council. He also served as the secretary-general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh. Qasemi was the principal of several schools, like Jamia Madania Chittagong and Jamia Hussainia Arzabad. He also started and edited magazines such as Paygam-e-Haqq and Jamiat. He is also remembered for his support during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
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Early Life and Family Background
Shamsuddin Qasemi was born on March 5, 1935. His parents were Muhammad Muddassir and Umme Habiba. They lived in Nayabasti, a village on the island of Sandwip. This island is located off the coast of Chittagong District.
His father's family had a long history. They were descendants of Ali Munshi. Ali Munshi was a wakil (lawyer) and munshi (scribe) who knew Persian. He was also known for fighting against colonial rule in Sandwip. Qasemi's ancestors first came to Chittagong in the 1660s. This was when Shah Shuja, a Mughal prince, was seeking safety in the area.
His Journey in Education
Qasemi started his education at a local maktab (traditional school). His first teacher was Mawlana Abdul Aziz Munshi. After that, he went to a local primary school. Later, he joined the Riazul Uloom Madrasa.
His teacher, Muhammad Musa, suggested he go to Harishpur Bashiria Ahmadia Senior Madrasa in Sandwip. Qasemi completed several important qualifications there. These included his dakhil, alim (1st), and fazil (1st) degrees. He studied many important Islamic books there. These included Al-Hidayah, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, and Mishkat al-Masabih.
In 1955, he traveled to Darul Uloom Deoband in India. There, he studied fiqh (Islamic law), Arabic literature, and logic. He learned from many great teachers in Deoband. Some of them were Nasir Ahmed Khan and Naim Deobandi. However, he could only stay for two years because he became ill.
After returning to Bengal and getting better, he could not go back to Deoband. This was due to visa rules. So, he studied for one year at Al-Jamiah al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah Jiri. This madrasa in Patiya, Chittagong followed the same style as Deoband. He learned from teachers like Abdul Wadud Chatgami there.
Later, he went to Lahore in West Pakistan. He became a student at Jamia Ashrafia. He graduated from the Hadith and tafsir (Quranic explanation) departments. His teachers included Idris Kandhlawi and Jamil Ahmed Thanvi. In 1960, he studied tafsir with Ahmed Ali Lahori. In the area of tasawwuf (Islamic spirituality), he was a student of Hussain Ahmed Madani.
His Work and Contributions
Qasemi came back to Bengal in 1961. He started his career as a teacher at the Sohagi Madrasa in Mymensingh. After that, he taught at the Jamia Hussainia Ashraful Uloom Madrasa in Bara Katara for two years. Then, he taught at the Jamia Arabia Imdadul Uloom Faridabad for six to seven years.
He played a key role in starting the Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania madrasa in Jatrabari Thana. He taught there for a year without pay. After Bangladesh became independent in 1971, he became the principal of Kashiful Uloom Madrasa in Chittagong. He also served as the imam (prayer leader) and khatib (sermon giver) of Dampara Baitul Aziz Mosque.
Qasemi founded many madrasas in Bangladesh. These include Sholakbahar Madrasa in Chittagong and Jamia Madania Madrasa in Jatrabari. In 1975, he helped establish the Jamia Hussainia Arzabad in Mirpur, Dhaka. He was the Chief Muhaddith (Hadith scholar) and Principal of this madrasa until he passed away.
His Role in Politics
Qasemi was very involved with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh political party. He served as vice-president, executive president, and was elected secretary-general three times. This was over a period of more than thirty years.
In 1961, when Fazlur Rahman Malik was made head of an Islamic research institute, Qasemi led a strong protest against it in Bengal. In the same year, Qasemi also spoke out against the "Muslim Family Laws" bill. The East Pakistan Jamiat Committee was formed on March 16, 1966. Abdul Karim Shaykh-e-Kouria became its president, and Qasemi became its secretary-general. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Qasemi called for people to stop buying certain goods.
During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Qasemi worked hard. The Jamiat party passed a resolution on March 22, 1971. This resolution supported the Bengali freedom fighters. Qasemi spoke out against the Pakistan Army and helped the freedom fighters in many ways. He held a public meeting in Bahadur Shah Park, Dhaka. After his speech there, Pakistani soldiers arrested him and held him at the Dhaka Cantonment.
Qasemi called for a strike in Sylhet. This was in response to a poem by Daud Haider that was seen as insulting to religion. Qasemi was arrested for this. However, the Government of Bangladesh later sent Haider out of the country. In 1974, Qasemi was elected as vice-president. He was elected as secretary-general in 1977 and again on February 25, 1980.
He was also a vice-president of the first Election Management Committee. In 1981, he was the first organizing secretary of the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan. In 1990, Qasemi helped start the Islami Oikya Jote. He was also the first president of the Khatme Nabuwwat Movement Council. In 1994, he held a conference that criticized the Jamaat-e-Islami organization.
His Passing and Legacy
Shamsuddin Qasemi passed away on October 19, 1996. He died in his room at the Jamia Hussainia Arzabad. His last word was labbayk as the adhan (call to prayer) for Isha was being announced. He had five sons and three daughters.
His funeral prayer, known as janaza, was led by Abdul Karim Shaykh-e-Kouria. He was buried in the graveyard next to the Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard.
His Written Works
Qasemi started the weekly Jamiat and monthly Paygham-e-Haqq magazines. He also wrote several books. Some of his notable works include:
- বাইতুল মোকাদ্দাস ও মসজিদে আকসা (Bait al-Muqaddas and Masjid-e-Aqsa)
- খ্রিস্টান মিশনারীদের উৎপাত (Origin of Christian missionaries)
- রমজানের সওগাত (Gift of Ramadan)
- ইসলাম বনাম কমিউনিজম (Islam versus Communism)
- ধর্মনিরপেক্ষতা (Secularism)
- শিয়া কাফের ও কাদিয়ানী ধর্মমত (Creed of the Shia, disbelievers and Qadianis)
