Al-Jamia Al-Arabia Nasirul Islam Nazirhat

Al Jamiatul Arabia Nasirul Islam, commonly known as Nazirhat Bara Madrasa, is a Qawmi madrasa located in Nazirhat, Fatikchhari Upazila, in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh. It was established in 1912 by Sufi Azizur Rahman and two associates. Although it is one of the earliest Qawmi madrasas in the country, the Dawra-e-Hadith program—the highest level of Qawmi education—was not introduced until about 70 years after its founding. Infrastructure and academic programs were expanded during the period when Shamsuddin served in an administrative capacity. As of 2025, the institution is led by Habibur Rahman Qasmi. Since 1993, it has published a monthly periodical titled ''Dawatul Haq'', which functions as its official publication.

History

The madrasa was founded in 1912 at Nazirhat, Fatikchhari Upazila, Chittagong, modeled after Darul Uloom Hathazari. The founders included Azizur Rahman Miyaji of Nazirhat, local landowner Ashraf Ali, and Sufi Azizur Rahman of Babunagar. Sufi Azizur Rahman served as the institution's first director. In 1925, Nur Ahmad succeeded him in this role. Following an eye operation in 1961, Shamsuddin was appointed as a teacher and took on the madrasa's financial responsibilities. After Nur Ahmad's death on March 6, 1978, the Majlis-e-Shura appointed Shamsuddin as director, a position he held for over two decades. His tenure marked significant institutional development. After his death, Shah Muhammad Idris became director and remained in office until his death on May 28, 2020. Subsequently, Assistant Director Habibur Rahman Qasemi began serving in an acting capacity. However, on June 17, 2020, Shah Ahmad Shafi, acting as mutawalli, appointed Education Director Salimullah to the directorship, which triggered objections from Shura members and local residents who demanded a formal consultative process.

Tensions escalated into a physical altercation on September 24 between supporters of opposing factions, prompting the local administration to enforce Section 144 and temporarily close the madrasa for ten days. Approximately ten individuals were injured. Fatikchhari Member of Parliament Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari intervened and brokered a temporary resolution, after which a Shura meeting was scheduled for October 28. Prior to the meeting, Salimullah held a press conference on October 24, which led to student protests and renewed clashes, disrupting the event and causing further injuries. The formal Shura meeting took place under administrative oversight, with Shura members including Muhibbullah Babunagari, Abdul Halim Bukhari, Junaid Babunagari, and Nurul Islam Jihadi in attendance. Following the meeting, Habibur Rahman Qasmi was officially appointed director, while Junaid Babunagari was named mutawalli. Salimullah was removed from all institutional responsibilities, and thirteen teachers aligned with him were dismissed from their posts.

Infrastructure

During Nur Ahmad's tenure, the madrasa's infrastructure comprised five main structures: the original mosque; a semi-permanent, three-room building in front of the mosque; a five-room building aligned north–south near the entrance; a two-story building on the northern side; and the original Hifzkhana (Qur'an memorization section). Under the leadership of Shamsuddin, six concrete rooms were added to the northern side, followed by substantial infrastructural expansion. New constructions included a full two-story building on the western side, a two-story replacement for the old Hifzkhana, a newly built three-story mosque, a five-story student dormitory on the north, a four-story residential building, a six-story teachers' quarters on the eastern side, and several commercial structures such as the three-story Jamia Market in the local bazar, the two-story Jamia Shopping Complex, the three-story Harun Building, and Chowdhury Market, among others.

Departments

During Shamsuddin's leadership, in Shawwal 1404 Hijri, the madrasa introduced the Dawra-e-Hadith program, the highest academic level in Qawmi education, starting with ten students—approximately seventy years after the institution's founding. At the beginning of 1421 Hijri, the Darul Ifta (Fatwa Department) was established. In May 1993, the Islamic cultural and civilizational periodical ''Dawatul Haq'' was launched under his administration. A women's madrasa adjacent to the main institution was also founded during this period. The Madani Library was established in 1405 Hijri, followed by the creation of the dawah organization Majlis-e-Dawatul Haq on 13 Rajab 1408 Hijri. Additionally, departments for Qira'at (Qur'anic recitation) and Tajweed (pronunciation rules) were introduced, along with a Mutafarriqa Jamaat, a specialized class for students memorizing the Qur'an (Hifz). As of 2025, the madrasa has approximately 60 teaching staff, both male and female, and educates around 3,000 students, with about half receiving free tuition, supported by a staff of ten.

See also

* List of Deobandi madrasas
* List of Qawmi madrasas

References

{{Commons category

Al Jamiatul Arabia Nasirul Islam
Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh affiliated madrasas
1912 establishments in India