Azizul Haque (scholar)


Azizul Haque also known by his title Shaikhul Hadith was a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, politician, writer, translator and Islamic lecturer. He is the founder of Khelafat Majlish and first Bangali translator of Sahih al-Bukhari. He was Vice Chancellor of Jamia Rahmania Arabia Dhaka.

Early life and education

Azizul Haque was born in 1919, Louhajang, Munshiganj District, British India.
After completing his initial formal studies, Azizul Haque joined Jamia Islamia Yunusia, Brahmanbaria at the age of 7, where he spent four years under the care of Shamsul Haq Faridpuri. Later he joined Bara Katara Madrasa in 1931 and completed Master of Arts spending 12 years there. Then, in 1943, he went to India for acquiring higher studies and joined Jamiah Islamiah Talimuddin, Dabhel in Surat. In Jamiah Islamiah Talimuddin, Dabhel he received education from Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani. Finally he went to Darul Uloom Deoband to study Tafsir, pursuing a degree from Idris Kandhalvi.

Career

Haque taught from 1946 to 1952 in Boro Katara Madrasah in Dhaka. He then taught Sahih al-Bukhari and other Islamic texts at Jamia Qurania Arabia, Lalbagh until 1985. In 1978, he helped to form the Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board, becoming its general secretary. In 1979, he taught Sahih al-Bukhari in the Department of Islamic Studies of University of Dhaka as a visiting professor and served there for three years.
In 1986, Haque established a Madrasah called Jamiah Muhammadia Arabia near Mohammadpur, Dhaka. In 1988, he purchased a piece of land near Saat Masjid in Muhammadpur and transferred the Jamiah Muhammadia Arabia there renaming it to Jamia Rahmania Arabia Dhaka. For a long tenure, he was the chief Sheikul Hadith of this institution. He served as the principal of Jamia Shariyyah Malibagh, Dhaka.

Political career

He served as the Amir of the Islami Oikya Jote and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish. He was present at the launch of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh in the National Press Club of Bangladesh in 1992.
He also served as the chairman of the Shari'ah Board of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited.

Views

In 2009, Azizul Haque and other Bengali Muslim scholars wrote a statement to the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, condemning terrorism and militancy committed in the name of Islam.

Works

Azizul Haque died on 8 August 2012 at his home in Azimpur, Dhaka at the age of 94. He was survived by his wife, eight daughters and five sons. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed shock and highlighted Haque’s contributions to the Bangladeshi society. President Zillur Rahman and opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia expressed condolences.

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