Nesaruddin Ahmad

{{Infobox religious biography

| honorific_prefix = Allama Shah Sufi

| name = Nesaruddin Ahmad

| honorific_suffix = Sarsinar Pir Saheb Qibla

| image = File:Nesaruddin Ahmad, Pir of Sarsina.jpeg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Nesaruddin Ahmad, Pir of Sarsina

| native_name = নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ

| native_name_lang = bn

| other_names =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = 1873

| birth_place = Magura, Firozpur, Backergunge District, Bengal Province

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1952|1|31|1873}}

| death_place = Sarsina, Firozpur, East Bengal, Dominion of Pakistan

| death_cause =

| resting_place = Sarsina Darbar Sharif graveyard

| religion = Islam

| denomination = Sunni

| jurisprudence = Hanafi

| creed = Maturidi

| Sufi_order = Furfura {{small|(Chishti-Qadri-Naqshbandi {{small|(Mujaddidi)}})}}

| children = Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh

| influences = Syed Ahmad Shaheed{{cite book|title=মিথ্যাবাদীদের মুখোশ উন্মোচন|author=Al-Hanafi, Saifullah|publisher=Shah Waliullah Foundation|location=Sylhet, Bangladesh|date=November 2013|language=bn|pages=177–193}}
Abdul Awwal Jaunpuri

| education = Calcutta Alia Madrasa
Hooghly Madrasah

| disciple_of = Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique

| module = {{Infobox officeholder| embed = yes

| office = 1st Pir of Sarsina

| termstart =

| termend = 31 January 1952

| successor = Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh

| office2 = Naib-e-Sadar of Jamiat-e-Ulama Bangla o Assam{{cite book|title=অতি জরুরী মছলা-মাছায়েল|language=bn|pages=48–51|location=Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal|edition=4|year=2014|author=Ruhul Amin, Mohammad|publisher=Nabanur Press}}}}| module2 = {{Infobox Arabic name|embed=yes

| ism = Nithār ad-Dīn Aḥmad
نثار الدين أحمد

| laqab = Shôrśinar Pīr Ṣāḥeb Qiblah
শর্ষিণার পীর সাহেব কেবলা{{cite book|title=তাবিজের কেতাব|language=bn|author=Siddiq, Shah Mohammad|year=1961|publisher=Sarshina Library}}

| nasab = ibn Ṣadr ad-Dīn ibn Ẓahīr ad-Dīn
بن صدر الدين بن ظهير الدين

| nisba = Ākhūnd
آخوند
al-Barīsālī
البريسالي}}

}}{{Islam in Bangladesh}}

Nesaruddin Ahmad ({{langx|bn|নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ}}; 1873 – 31 January 1952) was a Bengali Islamic scholar, spiritual reformer, educationist and writer. He was the main disciple of Furfura Sharif's Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique in eastern Bengal.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.266818/page/1/mode/2up|pages=408–409|title=ইতিহাস অনুসন্ধান|author=Ray, Aniruddha|chapter=আধুনিক ভারত|year=2004 |trans-chapter=Modern India|language=bn}} Ahmad was the inaugural Pir of Sarsina ({{langx|bn|শর্ষিণার পীর}}), having founded the Sarsina Darbar Sharif and Darussunnat Kamil Madrasa in 1915,{{cite journal |date=June 1996 |title=Sarsina Darbar Sharif History |journal=The Muslim World League Journal |publisher=Muslim World League |volume=24 |page=43}} one of the largest Islamic institutions in South Bengal and the first major alia madrasah after Calcutta.{{cite book|title=Islam and Democracy in South Asia: The Case of Bangladesh|author1=Islam, Muhammad Nazrul|author2=Islam, Muhammad Saidul|year=2020|isbn=9783030429096|publisher=Springer International Publishing|page=202}} Ahmad was among the leading Islamic leaders in colonial Barisal,{{cite book|language=bn|page=269|title=সাহিত্য ও সংস্কৃতি চিন্তা|chapter=ইংরেজ আমলে মুসলিম-মানসের পরিচয়-সূত্র|author=Sharif, Ahmed}}{{cite book|title=বরিশাল বিভাগ প্রতিষ্ঠা উপলক্ষে স্মারক সংকলন|pages=59, 81|date=1 January 1993|publisher=Barisal Division Welfare Association}} and his influence extended across Bengal.{{cite book|title=Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Papers: The verdict for Pakistan, 1 August 1945-31 March 1946|page=582|publisher=National Archives of Pakistan|author=Zaidi, Z. H.|year=1993}} The Nesarabad Upazila of Bangladesh has been named after him.

Early life and family

Ahmad was born in 1873 to a Bengali Muslim family of Akhunds in the village of Magura, Firozpur, then located under the Backergunge District of the Bengal Presidency. When he was twelve years old, his father, Sadruddin Akhund, decided to set off for the Hajj pilgrimage to Arabia. Akhund was a murid of Haji Saizuddin Miah of Bahadurpur. Before leaving, he married Ahmad to Sahera Khatun, the daughter of his neighbour Daliluddin Shiqdar. Ahmad's father died in Mecca, being buried in Jannat al-Mu'alla, and so Ahmad was raised by his mother, Zohra Begum, and paternal grandfather.{{cite book|author=Ahmed, Siraj Uddin|title=বরিশাল বিভাগের ইতিহাস|chapter=নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ (রহ.), শাহ সূফী, (শর্শিনার পির সাহেব)|trans-title=History of Barisal Division|volume=2|publisher=Bhaskar Prakashani|location=Dhaka|year=2010|language=bn}} His paternal grandfather, Zahiruddin Akhund, was a munshi and disciple of Haji Shariatullah of the Faraizi movement based in Mathbaria where he had a sizeable following.{{cite book|title=শাহ সুফী নেছারুদ্দীন আহমদ (রহঃ) একটি জীবন, একটি আদর্শ|language=bn|url=https://sarsinadarbarsharif.org/uploads/images/pdf/shah-naser(r).pdf|publisher=Sarsina Darbar Sharif}}

In 1905, Ahmad married the daughter of Abdul Wafi Chowdhury from Kushla, Gopalganj.{{cite book|title=বরিশাল বিভাগ পরিচিতি|publisher=Greater Bakerganj-Patuakhali Society|location=Dhaka|pages=36–37|year=1993|editor=Ahmed, Siraj Uddin}}

Education

Ahmad started his primary education at the local school in his village. His mother then sent him to Madaripur as there were no notable madrasas in the greater Barisal region. Ahmad completed his dakhil qualification from Madaripur Primary Islamia Madrasa, and then completed his alim from Madrasah-i-Hammadiyyah in Armanitola, Dhaka. After that, he enrolled at the Calcutta Alia Madrasa and subsequently at Hooghly Madrasa where he completed his further religious studies. Whilst at Hooghly, Ahmad pledged bay'ah to Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique of Furfura Sharif in 1895.{{cite web|title=ছারছীনা দরবার শরীফের প্রতিষ্ঠাতা পীরে কামেল শাহ সূফী নেছারুদ্দীন আহমদ (র:) এর জীবনী|url=https://www.teachers.gov.bd/blog-details/587807|work=Teachers.gov.bd|language=bn}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Career

After receiving khilafat (spiritual succession) from his murshid Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique, Ahmad returned to his village.{{cite book|language=bn|title=ফুরফুরা শরীফের ইতিহাস ও হজরত আবুবকর সিদ্দীকী (রহঃ) এর বিস্তারিত জীবনী|author=Ruhul Amin, Muhammad|url=https://archive.org/details/20211206_20211206_0204/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%20%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80/page/n1/mode/2up|location=Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal|edition=5|year=2005|page=52|publisher=Nabanur Press}} He planned to leave for Hajj but was affected by pox. As soon as he recovered in 1901, Ahmad boarded the ship to Arabia along with his family and nephew Abdur Rashid. His wife, Sahera Khatun, and son, Shah Muhammad Muzahar, died in Mecca. After returning to Bengal, Ahmad dedicated himself to propagating Islamic teachings. In 1905, he built a small library in his village which became the Qiratiyyah Madrasah in 1913. In 1918, he decided to transform the library into a madrasa modelled from Calcutta Alia Madrasa. Ahmad named the madrasa "Sarsina Darussunnat Kamil Alia Madrasa".{{cite news|url=https://www.jagonews24.com/religion/news/78016|title=আল্লামা নেছারুদ্দীন রহমাতুল্লাহি আলাইহির জীবন ও কর্ম|work=Jago News 24|language=bn|access-date=2021-06-04}} From then on, the village of Magura got the name of Sarsina. He appointed Moulvi Mirza Ali of Idilpur as its head. Ahmad donated all of his property to act as the madrasa's waqf in 1934. With the assistance of Prime Minister A. K. Fazlul Huq, the madrasa became the second title madrasa of Bengal after Calcutta in 1938.{{cite web|url=https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/2929/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%80%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC|title=ইসলামী আদর্শ বিস্তারে ছারছীনার মরহুম পীর ছাহেবদ্বয়ের অবদান অবিস্মরণীয়-ছারছীনার পীর ছাহেব|work=Daily Inqilab|language=bn|access-date=2021-06-04}}

Ahmad gave his support to Maniruzzaman Islamabadi's plans in establishing a dedicated Islamic university in Chittagong.{{cite book|title=বাঙালি মসুলিম বুদ্ধিজীবী: চিন্তা ও কর্ম, ১৯০৫-১৯৪৭|language=bn|author=Hossain, Imran|year=1993|page=244|publisher=Bangla Academy|isbn=9789840728886}}

=Political involvement=

Ahmad was a supporter of the Pakistan Movement. He maintained good relations with Shamsul Haque Faridpuri, who belonged to the Deobandi movement.{{cite book|title=মুজাহিদে আযম সমাজ সংস্কারক আল্লামা শামসুল হক ফরিদপুরী (ছদর সাহেব রহঃ)-এর জীবনী|publisher=Al-Ashraf Prakashani|location=Bangla Bazar, Dhaka|language=bn|author=Abdur Razzaq, Muhammad|date=24 October 2021 |pages=96, 118|url=https://archive.org/details/20211024_20211024_1450/page/n1/mode/2up}} He favoured Faridpuri over Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Muslim League local elections.{{cite book|author=Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh|title=The Unfinished Memoirs|page=256}} Ahmad sent a telegram to Muhammad Ali Jinnah requesting that he admits A. K. Fazlul Huq back into the All-India Muslim League to ensure the League's victory in Barisal. In 1946, Ahmad organised the All-India Ulama Conference held at Mohammad Ali Park, Calcutta. At the conference, Ahmad co-signed a petition with Abdul Hai Siddique in pamphlet form addressing Bengali Muslim voters in favour of Pakistan.{{cite book|title=জীবন্ত অতীত: স্মৃতি কথা|author=Mahmud, Abdul Ghani|page=15|year=1993|publisher=Mahmud Prakashani|language=bn}} During the 1947 Sylhet referendum, he sent an eight-member team (including Azizur Rahman Qaid Nesarabadi) to Sylhet under the leadership of his son Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh.{{cite book|language=ar|title=كتاب البدور المضية في تراجم الحنفية|author=al-Kumillai, Muhammad Hifzur Rahman|publisher=Dar al-Salih|location=Cairo, Egypt|year=2018}}{{cite book|title=ঝরাপাতা|language=bn|author=Chaudhury, Rathindrakanta Ghataka|publisher=Barna Bichitra|year=1988|page=82}}

After the independence of Pakistan, Ahmad focused on Islamic values within the government. An outline of 22 points was formulated at the All-Parties Ulama Conference in Sarsina. Ahmad presided the East Bengal Horooful Quran Conference in Dacca in August 1951, which supported Urdu as the national language of Pakistan and Bengali in Arabic script as the provincial language.{{cite book|title=ভাষা আন্দোলন প্রসঙ্গ: কতিপয় দলিল|volume=2|year=1985|editor=Umar, Badruddin|publisher=Bangla Academy|page=101}}{{cite book|title=Die Sprachenpolitik der Muslim-League-Regierung und die Entstehung der Bengali-Sprachbewegung in Ostbengalen, 1947-1956|language=de|page=134|author=Bhowmik, Satya N.|year=1993|isbn=9783515063838|publisher=F. Steiner}}

Bibliography

Ahmad was written many books relating to Islam.{{cite book|title=Bangladesh District Gazetteers|editor=Ishaq, Muhammad|year=1981|page=247|publisher=Bangladesh Government Press}} He wrote articles for the fortnightly Tabligh magazine. Among them are:

{{lang|bn|মোছলেম রত্নহার}} (Moslem Ratnahar)
{{lang|bn|ফুরফুরা পীর সাহেবের অছিয়তনামা}} (Furfura Pir Saheber Asiyatnama)
{{lang|bn|তালিমে মারেফত}} (Talim-e-Marefat)
{{lang|bn|তাহকীকে বর্জখ}} (Tahqiq-e-Barzakh)
{{lang|bn|খেলাফত আন্দোলন পদ্ধতি}} (Khelafat Andolan Paddhati)
{{lang|bn|সমাজ উন্নতি}} (Samaj Unnati)
{{lang|bn|মাওলানার উক্তি}} (Mawlanar Ukti)
{{lang|bn|ছোবহেছাদেক}} (Subh-e-Sadeq)
{{lang|bn|রদ্দে বদগুমান}} (Radd-e-Badguman)
{{lang|bn|মজহব ও তকলীদ}} (Mazhab O Taqlid)
{{lang|bn|দাড়ি গোঁফ সমস্যা ও হক কথা}} (Dari Gof Samasya O Haq Katha)
{{lang|bn|নুরুন হেদায়েত ও বেদাত ফকিরের ধোকা ভঞ্জন}} (Nurun Hedayet O Bedat Faqirer Dhoka Bhanjan)
{{lang|bn|ফতোয়ায়ে ছিদ্দিকী}} (Fatwa-e-Siddiqi)
{{lang|bn|তরিকুল ইসলাম}} (Tariqul Islam)
{{lang|bn|নারী ও পরদা}} (Nari O Parda)
{{lang|bn|জুমার অকাট্য দলীল প্রভৃতি}} (Jumar Akatya Dalil Prabhriti)
{{lang|bn|দাড়ি ও ধুমপান}} (Dari O Dhumpan)
{{lang|bn|হজরত বায়েজীদ বোস্তামী}} (Hazrat Bayazid Bostami)
{{lang|ur|الحقيقة المعرفة الربانية}} (Al-Haqiqah al-Marifah al-Rabbaniyyah)

Death and legacy

Ahmad died on 31 January 1952 and was buried at the Sarsina Darbar Sharif. He was succeeded by his son, Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh, as the Pir of Sarsina. His other son, Azizur Rahman Qaid, founded the Nesarabad Darbar Sharif. In 1985, the Swarupkati Upazila was renamed to Nesarabad Upazila in honour of Ahmad.{{cite Banglapedia|article=Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|author=Parvez, Masud}} The annual gathering at Sarsina Darbar Sharif, which was started in 1891, continues to take place.{{cite news|title=Peace and prosperity of the Muslim nation is not possible without Sahih Amal and Aqeedah: Pir Sahib of Sarsina|work=The Muslim Times|author=Abdur Rahman, Muhammad|date=30 November 2020}}