Siddiqi, Abdul Hai

Siddiqi, Abdul Hai (1903-1977) Muslim religious scholar, p'i'r and social worker. His real name was Abu Nasr Muhammad Abdul Hai. He was born at Furfura in Hughli district, west bengal. His father, Shah Sufi Abu Bakr Siddiqi, traced his descent from Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R). Apart from studying at Calcutta Alia Madrasa, Abdul Hai Siddiqi also studied Islamic theology under a number of scholars. From his father he received higher education in shariat and m'a'rifat. He attained k'a'm'a'liat or perfection and khel'a'fat through hard work. After his father';s death in 1939 he succeeded as pir and became well known as Ba'd'a Huzur.

Abdul Hai Siddiqi helped set up the Anjuman-e-Wayezin (1911) and Jamiat-e-Ulama of Bengal and Assam (1936). The primary objective of these organisations was to resist the anti-Islamic propaganda of Christian missionaries.

Abdul Hai Siddiqi was a gifted speaker and attracted people by giving lectures on Islam at different places in Bengal. As president of the political organisation, Jamiat-e-Ulama-e Islam (1944), he lent support to the muslim league';s movement for Pakistan. He worked actively for the Muslim League during the elections of 1946. In the interest of public welfare, he set up the Jamiat-e-Ulama-e Hanafia Siddiqia, Nurul Islam Baitul Mal and Hijbullah (1948). The monthly Ned'a'-e-Islam started appearing from Calcutta in 1943 under his direct supervision. The journal is still being published from Dhaka.

Abdul Hai Siddiqi';s contributions towards Muslim education were significant. He helped set up the Islam Mission (1963) and helped to improve the Fathia Senior Madrassah, Union Health Centre, Siddiqia Girls'; High Madrassah in West Bengal (1967) and the Islam Mission Press. He also helped to improve the curriculum of the New Scheme High Madrassahs. He established the Darus Salam Khanqas at ishwardi in pabna and mirpur in dhaka. [Dewan Nurul Anwar Hussain Choudhury] [Chowdhury, Dewan Nural Anwar Hussain former Joint Secretary, Government of Bangladesh]