Kafi, M Abdullahil

Kafi, M Abdullahil (1900-1960) political and religious activist. Born in Dinajpur in 1900, he started his service life as editor of the daily Jamana. He discharged his duties as a co-editor of Jamayat-i-Ulama-i-Bangla in co-operation with Maulana abul kalam azad and Maulana mohammad akram khan from 1922 to 1925. In 1926 he served first as secretary of the Independent Muslim Party of huseyn shaheed suhrawardy and then as a member of the Election Board.

Kafi was imprisoned in 1927 for his anti government political activities. In1930 he played a significant role in the civil disobedience movement in Dinajpur. Since 1932 he left politics and employed himself in propagating Islam and was engaged in religious activities. In 1940 he took part in the All India Muslim Nationalist Conference held in Delhi. In around 1944-45 he joined the All India Ahle Hadith conference from Bengal. In 1946 he was elected chairman of the All Bengal and Asam Jamayate Ahle Hadith which was formed at the conference held at Haragas of Rangpur. Gradually he became renowned as an Islamic intellectual and took the initiative to popularise the hadith movement in distant areas of the country.

Abdullahil M Kafi also took the initiative to form the All Party Islami Front. In 1956 the head office of Jamayat was shifted to Dhaka and the weekly newspaper 'Arafat' was published under his editorship. He acquired name and fame owing also to the establishing of madrasahs in different areas of the country and accomplishing research activities in Bangla language. In 1960 he received the prestigious 'Bangla Academy Literature Award' and died the same year. [Md Abdus Salam]