Mia Saheb's Maidan () is one of the oldest ''

khanqah A Sufi lodge is a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood or ''tariqa'' and is a place for spiritual practice and religious education. They include structures also known as ''khānaqāh'', ''zāwiya'', ''ribāṭ'' ...

s'' (Sufi lodges) of

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. It was built in 1709 by Al Hajj Shah Sufi Abdur Rahim Shaheed (K C), who was known as Mia Shaheb.

History

Abdur Rahim Rizvi (Mia Shaheb) of

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

, a

Sufi saint The term ''wali'' is most commonly used by Muslims to refer to a saint, or literally a "friend of God in Islam, God".John Renard, ''Friends of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood'' (Berkeley: University of California Press ...

and great-grandson of

Ahmad Sirhindi Ahmad Sirhindi (1564 – 1624/1625) was an Indian Islamic scholar, Hanafi jurist, and member of the Naqshbandī Sufi order who lived during the era of Mughal Empire. Ahmad Sirhindi opposed heterodox movements within the Mughal court such as D ...

, arrived to

via

Murshidabad Murshidabad (), is a town in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. This town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision of Murshidabad district. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly river, Bhagirathi Riv ...

in the 18th century. Here, he established a ''

'' in a barren field (''maidan'') and propagated the

Naqshbandi Naqshbandi (Persian: نقشبندیه) is a major Sufi order within Sunni Islam, named after its 14th-century founder, Baha' al-Din Naqshband. Practitioners, known as Naqshbandis, trace their spiritual lineage (silsila) directly to the Prophet ...

tariqah A ''tariqa'' () is a religious order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking , which translates as "ultimate truth". A tariqa has a (guide) who plays the r ...

''. He had many disciples come to him and pledge

bay'ah ''Bayʿah'' (, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Bedouin culture it was a procedure for choosing the leader of the trib ...

such as

Shah Amanat Shāh Amānat Shah (, ; died 1773), was an 18th-century Sufi Muslim figure in South Asia. He is regarded as one of the most prominent saints of Chittagong, in eastern Bengal (now Bangladesh). Life Shah Amanat was born into a Muslim family of Ira ...

Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...

. The area surrounding his khanqah grew to become of the oldest Muslim neighbourhoods in Dhaka and was known as Mia Saheb's Maidan. In 1738, he was wounded seven times by a madman. After suffering for 33 days, he died at the age of 84, on the 9th of

Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...

. Though Mia Saheb's Maidan is now a part of "Lakshmi Bazar", still now the place is known after him by some.

Architectural value and present condition

Now Mia Saheb's Maidan became the Waqfah of Shah Shaheb. The whole Waqfah is known as "Shah Shaheb Bari Jam-e Masjid" Now this Waqfah contains: * a 3 Storeyed Astana's Mosque (established in 1909) * a Graveyard * a Building of Mutawalli Room * a Mazar Sharif of Mia Shaheb * a Gaddi nasheen's Huzur Khana (established in 1824)

Present address

Now it is situated at 56-57 Municipal Street, Lakshmibazar, Dhaka – 1100.

References

* {{coord missing, Bangladesh Old Dhaka Buildings and structures in Dhaka Sufi shrines in Bangladesh