Shamsul Haque Faridpuri

Shams al-Ḥaqq ibn Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Chirāgh ʿAlī al-Farīdfūrī (شمس الحق بن محمد عبد الله بن تشراغ علي الفريدفوري), or simply known as Shamsul Haque Faridpuri (শামসুল হক ফরিদপুরী; 1896 – 21 January 1969) was an Islamic scholar, educationist, and social reformer. He was the founder-principal of Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh. He also founded many other madrasas. Organisations which he initiated include; Khademul Islam Jamat and Anjuman-e-Tabligh-al-Quran.

Early life and family
Ghazi Shamsul Haque was born on a Friday in the year 1896, to the Bengali Muslim Ghazi family in the village of Ghoperdanga (later Gawhardanga) in erstwhile Faridpur District, Bengal Presidency, British Raj (now Gopalganj District, Bangladesh). He traces his paternal ancestry to an Arab soldier who was one of the members of Bakhtiyar Khalji's army during his conquest of Bengal. His ancestors settled in Jessore where they propagated Islam to locals with his great-great grandfather, Mawlana Abdul Awwal al-Ghazi, relocating the family to Faridpur. His father, Ghazi Muhammad Abdullah ibn Chiragh Ali, was a munshi and participant of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, and his mother, Amena Khatun, was a homemaker. Faridpuri's great-grandfather, Chand Ghazi, was a student of Syed Ahmad Shaheed and took part in the Battle of Balakot against the Sikhs.

Education
Faridpuri first began his preschool education under the local Hindu pandit of Patgati. He then studied in Tungipara and Sutiakathi School where he completed his primary education. In 1915, he was the best performer for class 6 in the annual exams at the Baghariya High School in Noapara. He then joined for class 7 at the Calcutta Alia Madrasa and in 1919 he passed the entrance exam for the Anglo-Persian department. With a scholarship, Faridpuri enrolled at the Presidency College Calcutta for a few days before being interrupted by Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement. As a result, Faridpuri left the college and set off for Thana Bhawan where he met Ashraf Ali Thanwi. Under Thanwi's advice, Faridpuri enrolled at the Mazahir Uloom seminary in Saharanpur where he completed Islamic studies up to a bachelors level. He then moved on to study at Darul Uloom Deoband where he studied tasawwuf under Thanwi and hadith under Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Izaz Ali Amrohi and Hussain Ahmed Madani until 1927. Faridpuri also gained khilafat from Zafar Ahmad Usmani and Abdul Ghani.

Career
After completing his education, Faridpuri returned to his homeland in Bengal where he became a prominent teacher of hadith. He became the principal of Jamia Islamia Yunusia in Brahmanbaria in 1928 until 1935 when he founded the Gazalia Madrasa in Bagerhat. He then moved on to Ashraful Uloom in Bara Katara, Dhaka from 1936 until 1950. He founded the Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Khademul Islam in his home village of Gawhardanga in 1937. In 1940, he founded Khademul Islam Jamat (Congregation of the Guardians of Islam), an organisation which promoted the implementation of Islamic ideals. He also founded the Anjuman-e-Tabligh-al-Quran (Association of Quranic Preaching) to challenge the activities of Christian Missionaries that were actively propagating to Muslims in the region. Faridpuri was an advocate of campaigns such as the Pakistan Movement and the Tablighi Jamaat. The Idaratul Ma`arif was a centre for Islamic research that was established by Faridpuri. From 1951 up until his death, he taught hadith classes in Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh. He also founded the capital's Jamia Arabia Imdadul Uloom in Faridabad in 1956.

Writings

 * Shotru Theke Hushiar Thako(শত্রু থেকে হুঁশিয়ার থাকো); English translations: Beware of the enemy
 * Choritro Gothon (চরিত্র গঠন); English translations: Character Development
 * Potito Pabon (পতিত পবন); Fallen wind
 * Ma-Bap O Shontaner Hoq (মা-বাপ ও সন্তানের হক); English translations: Rights of the parents and children
 * Tafsire Sura Fateha (তাফসীরে সূরা ফাতেহা); English translations: Exegesis of Surah al-Fatiha
 * Taubanama O Jiboner Pon (তওবানামা ও জীবনের পণ); English: The story of repentance and the stake of life
 * Allahr Porichoy O Manusher Porichoy (আল্লাহর পরিচয় ও মানুষের পরিচয়); English translations: God's background and mankind's background 
 * Matri Jatir Morjada (মাতৃজাতির মর্যাদা); English translations: The dignity of matriarchs
 * Mosjid O Jibonto Mosjid (মসজিদ ও জীবন্ত মসজিদ); English translations: Mosque and living mosques
 * Hoqqani Tafsir (হক্কানী তাফসীর); (completed but not fully published yet) - only the first and last Juz were published but the author completed the manuscript of the Tafseer in approximately 16000 pages and urged his students to published it but no one has taken up the task of the continuation of the publication yet)
 * Dhormer Ashol Uddeshyo Ki? (ধর্মের আসল উদ্দেশ্য কী?); English translations: What is the main goal of religion?
 * Oshot Alem O Peer Ebong Shotorko Bani (অসৎ আলেম ও পীর : সতর্কবাণী); English: The dishonest alim and pir and words of warning
 * Tasauof Totto (তাসাওউফ তত্ত্ব); English translations: Inquiry of Mysticism
 * Bhul Shongshodhon (ভুল সংশোধন); English translations: Emendation of Mistakes
 * Quraner Upor Hostokhep Bordasht Kora Jabe Na (কুরআনের উপর হস্তক্ষেপ বরদাশত করা যাবে না); English: Interference against the Quran will not be tolerated
 * Shongkkhepe Islam (সংক্ষেপে ইসলাম); English translations: Islam in short
 * Namazer Ortho (নামাজের অর্থ); English translations: The meaning of prayer
 * Hajjer Masail (হজ্জের মাসায়েল); English: The topic of Hajj
 * Halal-Haram O Bidat-Ijtihad (হালাল-হারাম ও বিদয়াত-ইজতেহাদ); English: ''Halal-haram and bid'ah-ijtihad
 * Proloyongkari Ghurnijhorer Karon Ki? (প্রলয়ংকারী ঘূর্ণিঝড়ের কারণ কী?); English translations: What is the reason behind catastrophic cyclones?
 * Tabligh O Islami Zindegi (তাবলীগ ও ইসলামী জিন্দেগি); English: Tabligh and Islamic life
 * Votarer Dayitto O Vote Shomporke Shorioter Nirdesh (ভোটারের দায়িত্ব ও ভোট সম্পর্কে শরীয়তের নির্দেশ); English translations: Responsibilities of the voter and instructions for voting from the Sharia
 * Adorsho Muslim Poribar O Shushthu Porikolpona (আদর্শ মুসলিম পরিবার ও সুষ্ঠু পরিকল্পনা); English: Ideal Muslim family and elegant plans
 * Rozar Fazilat (রোজার ফজিলত); English: Virtue of Fasting
 * Islahe Nafs (ইসলাহে নফস); English: Soul reformation
 * Jibon Patheyo (জীবন পাথেয়); English Viaticum of life
 * Dhormo O Rajneeti (ধর্ম ও রাজনীতি); English: Religion and politics
 * Hadiser Rotno-Bhandar Ba Shashon Poddhoti (হাদীসের রত্নভাণ্ডার বা শাসন পদ্ধতি); English: The gem-stores of Hadith or ruling method
 * Jihader Gurutto O Fazilat (জিহাদের গুরুত্ব ও ফজিলত); English: Importance and virtue of Jihad

Translations

 * Sahih Al Bukhari
 * Bahishti Zewar