Mahmudul Hasan (born 5 July 1950) is a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, currently holding the position of Chairman of

Al-Haiatul Ulya Lil-Jamiatil Qawmia Bangladesh Al-Hayʼat al-ʿUlyā lil-Jāmiʿāt al-Qawmiyyah Bangladesh () is the government-recognized combined Qawmi Madrasah Education Board of Bangladesh, having the authority to arrange central examinations and to issue certificates. It consists of si ...

, the government-recognized apex body for Qawmi madrasas, as well as Chairman of

Befaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh Wifaqul Madarisil Arabia Bangladesh (, ) is the largest Qawmi madrasa education board in Bangladesh. it was founded in April 1978 after a seminar of Islamic scholars. This organization of Qawmi Madrasas of Bangladesh is also known as the "Wifaqu ...

since 3 October 2020. He is often referred to as 'Mohius Sunnah' (Reviver of the

Sunnah is the body of traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time supposedly saw, followed, and passed on to the next generations. Diff ...

) for his role in leading the Majlis-e Dawatul Haq Bangladesh, a movement linked to

Ashraf Ali Thanwi Ashraf Ali Thanwi (often referred as Hakimul Ummat and Mujaddidul Millat; 19 August 1863 – 20 July 1943) was an Indian Sunni Muslim scholar, jurist, thinker, reformist and a revivor of classical Sufi in the Indian subcontinent during the Briti ...

's reform initiatives, and he is recognized as a Sufi master in the Thanwi order through his discipleship under

Abrarul Haq Haqqi Abrarul Haq Haqqi (20 December 1920 — 17 May 2006) was an Indian people, Indian Sunni Muslim scholar who established Ashraful Madaris in Hardoi. He was a disciple of Ashraf Ali Thanwi. Biography Haqqi was born on 20 December 1920 in Hardoi. H ...

, a successor of Thanwi. He has been leading Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania for over four decades and serves as the President of the National Fatwa Board, as well as the

Khatib In Islam, a khatib or khateeb ( ''khaṭīb'') is a person who delivers the sermon (''khuṭbah'') (literally "narration"), during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers. The ''khateeb'' is usually the prayer leader (''imam''), but the two roles can ...

of Gulshan Central Mosque. He has authored a four-volume

Quranic exegesis Tafsir ( ; ) refers to an exegesis, or commentary, of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' (; plural: ). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, interpretation, context or commentary for clear understanding ...

named ''Burhan al-Quran'' and written more than two hundred other books, in addition to establishing ''Al-Jamia'', a monthly magazine published in Dhaka.

Life sketch

Hasan was born on July 5, 1950, in Charkharicha, Kotwali,

Mymensingh Mymensingh () is a metropolis, metropolitan city and capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of the Old Brahmaputra River, Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center ...

. His parents are Ghalimuddin Ahmad and Fatema Ramjani. His early education took place at several madrasas, including Jamia Islamia Mymensingh, Jamia Arabia Ashraful Uloom Balia, Al Jamiatul Imdadiya, and

Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh Al-Jāmiʿah al-Qurʼāniyyah al-ʿArabiyyah Lālbāgh (), better known simply as Lalbagh Madrasah (), is a Qawmi madrasa providing higher Islamic studies in Dhaka, Bangladesh It has seven education sections from kindergarten to post-graduate lev ...

. In 1967, following the advice of

Shamsul Haque Faridpuri Shamsul Haque Faridpuri (; 189621 January 1969) was an Islamic scholar, educationist, and social reformer. He was the founding principal of Jamia Qurania Arabia Lalbagh. He also founded many other madrasas. Organisations that he initiated inclu ...

, he traveled to Pakistan, where he enrolled at

Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia (, ''Jāmiā Ulūm-i Islāmīyā'' / , ''Jāmi‘at-ul-‘Ulūm-ul-Islāmīyah'') is an Islamic University in Binori Town, Banoori Town, Karachi, Pakistan. The university continues the tradition of the Darul Uloom system ...

in 1968. He graduated in 1969 and subsequently earned specialized degrees in Hadith, Fiqh, Tafsir, and Arabic literature. Among his instructors were Yusuf Banuri, Idris Merathi, Wali Hasan Tonki,

Zafar Ahmad Usmani Zafar Ahmad Usmani (also known as Zafar Ahmad Thanwi) () (4 October 1892 – 1974), was a 20th Century Sunni Muslim Jurist who became an influential figure of the Hanafi school of Sunni jurisprudence's Deobandi Movement. He also was a prom ...

Salimullah Khan Salimullah Khan (, ; born 18 August 1958) is a Bangladeshi writer, academic, teacher and public intellectual. Khan explores national and international politics and culture using Marxist and Lacanian theories. Informed and influenced by Ahmed S ...

, and

Zakariyya Kandhlawi Zakariyya Kandhlawi (; 3 February 1898 – 24 May 1982) was a mid-twentieth-century traditionalist Sunni scholar and an authority in the study of hadith, also known as Sheikh al-Hadith, hailing from India. He was an influential member and ideol ...

. Hasan's teaching career began at Jessore Railway Station Madrasa, followed by a position at Jamia Farooqia in Pakistan. In 1974, he joined Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania as a Muhaddith, later becoming its

Sheikh al-Hadith Sheikh ul Hadith () is an Arabic language term that refers to a highly respected and knowledgeable scholar who specializes in the study and teaching of hadith, which are the sayings and actions of Muhammad. In Islamic tradition, the study and unde ...

and director in 1980. He also serves as the Khatib of the Gulshan Central Mosque and Eidgah Society in Dhaka. He has played a leading role in the establishment of numerous Islamic educational institutions in Bangladesh, many of which operate under his guidance. On October 3, 2020, he was elected Chairman of

. He also serves as the ex officio Chairman of

. Prior to his chairmanship, he held the position of vice chairman of Befaq and was re-elected as chairman in the board's 11th Council meeting on October 7, 2023.

National reforms

In 1993,

re-established the Majlis-e Dawatul Haq Bangladesh and appointed Mahmudul Hasan as its Amir. Hasan was spiritually guided by both Abrarul Haq Haqqi and

Shah Ahmad Shafi Shah Ahmad Shafi (; 5 April 1930 – 18 September 2020) was a Bangladeshi Sunni Islamic scholar, the chief of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, Rector of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari and also the chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madr ...

, and he later passed on his spiritual guidance to 157 individuals, including

Nizamuddin Shamzai Nizamuddin Shamzai (also Nizam al-Din Shamzai, 12 July 1952 – 30 May 2004) was a pro-Taliban Pakistani Deobandi Sunni Islamic scholar and the senior professor of hadith at the Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia. He was considered "one of the most import ...

Syed Rezaul Karim Syed Rezaul Karim (born 1 February 1971), also known by his title Charmonai Pir, is a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, politician, who serving as the Amir of Islami Andolan Bangladesh. He is also President of the Bangladesh Mujahid Committee and Ba ...

, and Ubaidur Rahman Khan Nadwi. In 2018, Hasan expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for the passage of the Qawmi Madrasa Act but stressed that this recognition should not compromise the core values and objectives of Qawmi madrasas. He was also a member of the committee formed by the Government of Bangladesh to resolve the internal crisis of

Tablighi Jamaat Tablighi Jamaat ( , also translated as "propagation party" or "preaching party") is an international Islamic schools and branches, Islamic religious movement. It focuses on exhorting Muslims to be more religiously observant and encourages f ...

. The following year, when the

Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...

issued directives concerning religious sermons, he highlighted the importance of delivering Islamic teachings with wisdom, compassion, and moderation, rejecting any use of force or coercion. During the controversy over the construction of a statue of

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...

in 2020, Hasan suggested building a Mujib Minar (monument) instead. In 2021, following the deaths of 17 Qawmi madrasa students during anti-Modi protests, he prohibited madrasa students and teachers from participating in political activities. To enforce this directive, he formed a 15-member 'Implementation Sub-Committee' and requested that the government not harass madrasa students and teachers. On June 21, 2021, Hasan was appointed as an ex-officio member of a new committee established by the

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

. He also engaged in discussions with government officials to advocate for the reopening of madrasas during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. When a proposal to regulate religious institutions was brought up in the parliamentary standing committee on August 30, he publicly opposed it, arguing that the establishment of religious institutions should not be subject to government conditions. On January 4, 2024, Hasan founded the National Fatwa Board in Bangladesh. Shortly afterward, on January 13, the Board issued a fatwa against transgenderism. Following the fall of

Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina (''née'' Wazed; born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Bangladesh from June 1996 to July 2001 and again from January 2009 to August 2024. Premiership of Sheikh Hasina, Her ...

's government in 2024, Hasan convened a conference of Islamic scholars to discuss their role in reforming the state. The conference concluded with seven proposals, emphasizing the need for constitutional amendments in line with Islamic principles, with scholars included in state commissions. It also called for an education system based on Islamic values, excluding conflicting ideologies, legal protections for the honor of the Prophet and the preservation of Islamic beliefs, and state policies that reflect the values of the Muslim majority. The establishment of a

Sharia Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on Islamic holy books, scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran, Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' ...

-based council under Hasan's leadership to guide religious and social matters was recommended, along with the need for a unified framework for Islamic groups and greater involvement of scholars in state affairs to ensure that reforms resonate with the community's aspirations. On October 12, he discussed "'' Befaq's Duty in the Unity Process of Islamic Scholars''," highlighting scholars' responsibility to protect the interests of the 92% Muslim majority. He stressed ensuring Islamic involvement in constitutional reforms and government commissions to prevent any anti-Islamic measures. On November 4,

Sarjis Alam Sarjis Alam (born 23 December 1998) is a Bangladeshi politician and activist. He is one of the coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination, which led the July Revolution leading to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. He has been th ...

, a key figure in the

Student–People's uprising The July Revolution, also known as the Student–People's uprising, was a pro-democracy mass uprising in Bangladesh in 2024. It began as a quota reform movement in early June 2024, led by the Students Against Discrimination, after the Bang ...

, met with Hasan to discuss initiatives for national reconstruction.

International presence

On April 6, 1991, he addressed the actions of the Muslims in preserving Islamic civilization and culture at an educational seminar in

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

. He further explained the principles of the Qur'an at a conference in Saudi Arabia on May 28, 1993, and spoke on the influence of Islam on European civilization at a seminar in Madina Mahad Imani on March 13, 1998. On March 30, he highlighted the importance of Islamic education in countering foreign cultural influences at the Zul Hulaifa Ubai Ibn Ka'b Institute. On May 4, 1999, he discussed the impact of

Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...

on Muslim society in Madina and presented on the Hanafi Madhhab's authenticity at

Islamic University of Madinah The Islamic University of Madinah () is a public Islamic university in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Established by King Saud bin Abdulaziz in 1961, Sayy’id Abul Ala Maududi had played a significant role of establishing and running of Islamic Univers ...

. He visited London in 1999, where he was the keynote speaker at the Leicester Islamia Madrasa on August 22 and participated in various religious gatherings, including the Ijtima of Dawatul Haq. He also traveled to the United States in September 1999, delivering speeches at the Tablighi Markaz and an Islamic conference in New Jersey. In subsequent years, he spoke at notable gatherings, including the

East London Mosque The East London Mosque (ELM) is situated in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between Whitechapel and Aldgate East. Combined with the adjoining London Muslim Centre and Maryam Centre, it is one of the largest mosques in Western Europe accomm ...

in 2000, and addressed topics such as

Tasawwuf Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

and the four schools of thought at various conferences. His participation in the Dawatul Haq conference in Qatar in February 2013 included discussions on the Dawaah of the Sunnah. On August 14, 2023, he represented Bangladesh at the International Islamic Conference in Mecca, where he proposed the creation of an encyclopedia in Arabic and English to evaluate the contributions of

Ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...

-Mashaikhs to Islam and society. He advocated for respect for the imams of the four madhhabs, countering criticisms from

Orientalists In art history, literature, and cultural studies, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction of aspects of the Eastern world (or "Orient") by writers, designers, and artists from the Western world. Orientalist painting, particularly of the Middle ...

, and called for an end to broadcasts promoting

atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the Existence of God, existence of Deity, deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the ...

and

irreligion Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, ...

. Additionally, he suggested organizing annual international conferences on "Communication and Solidarity" in Saudi Arabia, along with local conferences in other Muslim nations, and promoting moderation through seminars. He proposed establishing an Islamic University funded by the Saudi government for Qawmi Madrasa students in Bangladesh and recognizing their Hadith certificate as equivalent to a master's degree for direct admission into Saudi universities, including

, based on credential evaluations.

Literary works

He completed a three-volume work titled ''Imam Abu Yusuf: A Study of Hadith and Legal Scholarship'' under the supervision of Yusuf Banuri. His four-volume Quranic commentary, ''Burhan al-Quran'', is published by Maqtabatul Abrar. He directed the publication of ''Al Jamia'', a monthly magazine that features articles on Islamic studies. In 2009, he published ''Al-Raddul Jamil'', a critique of the views held by Ahmad Al Ghamidi, head of Saudi Arabia's Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, who later revised his stance. Throughout his career, he authored over 200 works on various subjects, including ''Dawatul Haq and Dawat-e Tabligh, Islam and Modern Political Thought, Love for the Prophet's Family, The Life of Abrar, The Life of Usmani, Al Burhanul Mu'iyad, Gift from Abrar, Gift from Sunnah, Ideal Doctrine, Maweze Hasana,'' and ''Search for the Straight Path''. His Arabic discourses have been collected in ''Al Irshad Ila Sabilir Rashad,'' and his first independent fatwa collection, ''Hasanul Fatwa'', is being prepared for publication in three volumes, featuring content in both Arabic and Urdu.

References

External links