Faridpuri, Maulana Shamsul Haque

Faridpuri, Maulana Shamsul Haque (1896-1969) educationist, Sufi and social reformer, born at Tungipara, gopalganj. His father, Munshi Abdullah, is said to have participated in the sepoy revolt (1857). Faridpuri matriculated from calcutta madrasa (1920). He studied at Deoband Madrasa (1927) and received ilme tasawwuf (knowledge of sufism) from Maulana Thanawi. Shamsul Haque taught hadith in a number of madrasahs. He was the founder-principal of the Lalbagh Jami';a Qurania Arabia (1950-68). He founded many other madrasas, mosques, and maktabs. He also founded Khademul Islam Jam';aat to implement Islamic ideals (1940) and Anjuman-i-Tablig-ul-Quran to counter Christian missionary activities. He took part in the pakistan movement and wished to see Pakistan established as an Islamic State. He contributed to the promotion of the Tabligh Jam';aat and founded an Islamic research centre, Idart-ul-M';aarif. He wrote and translated above a hundred books, among them Haqq'a'n'i' Tafs'i'r, J'i'baner Parichay, Charitra Gathan, Behesht'i' Zewar, Tabl'i'g-i-D'i'n, and Bukh'a'r'i'-Sharif. [Muhammad Ruhul Amin] [Amin, Muhammad Ruhul Professor of Islamic Studies, Dhaka University]