{{Short description|Bangladeshi Islamic scholar (born 1958)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [[Mufti]] | name = Hifzur Rahman | native_name = হিফজুর রহমান | native_name_lang = bn | image = | caption = | birth_place = [[Laksam Upazila|Laksam]], [[Comilla District|Comilla]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|04|16|df=yes}} | alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|[[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]]|[[Darul Uloom Hathazari]]}} | module = {{Infobox religious biography | embed = yes | religion = Islam | denomination = [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] | jurisprudence = [[Hanafi school|Hanafi]] | movement = [[Deobandi movement|Deobandi]] | main_interests = {{Unbulleted list|[[Fiqh]]|[[Hadith]]}} | teachers = {{Unbulleted list |[[Shah Ahmad Shafi]]|[[Wali Hasan Tonki]]|[[Abdul Rasheed Nomani]]|[[Abdus Salam Chatgami]]}} | nationality = [[Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]] | notable_works = {{Unbulleted list|''[[Al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tarajim al-Hanafiyya]]''|''Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir''}} }} }} '''Hifzur Rahman''' (born 16 April 1958) is a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and writer, noted for his Arabic biographical works on [[Hanafi school|Hanafi scholarship]]. He is the head of the Department of Fiqh at [[Jamia Rahmania Arabia]] in Dhaka. He became known in the scholarly community following the publication of two major works in Egypt.<ref name=":0" /> The first is a comprehensive biographical collection of [[List of Hanafis|Hanafi scholars]], ''Al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tarajim al-Hanafiyya'', spanning from [[Abu Hanifa]] to contemporary figures, published in 23 volumes after a decade of research. The second is an eight-volume biographical compilation on [[Bengali language|Bengali]] [[ulama]], ''Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir'', containing over 2,000 entries.
== Early life == Hifzur Rahman was born on 16 April 1958 in Uttar Fenuya, located in the Uttar Haola Union of [[Laksam Upazila]], [[Comilla District]],{{Sfn|Ullah|2021|p=442}} to Muhibbur Rahman, an [[Ulama|alim]], and Razia Khatun.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Babar |first=Zahiruddin |date=5 February 2023 |title=Contributions of a Bangladeshi Scholar in Arabic |url=https://www.deshrupantor.com/406713/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF |work=[[Desh Rupantor]]}}</ref> He began his early Qur'anic studies under Abdul Matin and, after completing primary education at a local school in 1971, studied up to class seven at [[Feni Government Pilot High School]]. He then spent two years at Munshir Hat Hossainia Madrasa before continuing his studies at Mekhal Madrasa, where he pursued ''Sharh al-Jami''. He later enrolled at [[Darul Uloom Hathazari]] and completed the Dawra-e-Hadith program, after which he traveled to Pakistan in 1987 to study at [[Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia]] in Karachi, where he completed a specialization in [[Fiqh|Islamic jurisprudence]] (Ifta).{{Sfn|Ullah|2021|p=442}} His teachers included [[Shah Ahmad Shafi]], [[Wali Hasan Tonki]], [[Abdul Rasheed Nomani]], and [[Abdus Salam Chatgami]].<ref name=":Ullah">{{Cite thesis |last=Ullah |first=Muhammad Ahsan |title=Hadith studies in Bengali Language (1952-2015) |access-date=9 September 2025 |degree=PhD |publisher=Department of Islamic Studies, [[University of Dhaka]] |url=http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1965 |language=bn |pages=442 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406215155/http://reposit.library.du.ac.bd:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1965 |archive-date=6 April 2025 |year=2021 |location=Bangladesh |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Career == Rahman began his professional career in 1985 as a muhaddis (teacher of hadith) at Darul Uloom Barura in Bangladesh, where he taught for 15 years.{{Sfn|Ullah|2021|p=443}} In 2000, he joined Jamia Rahmania Arabia in [[Dhaka]] in the same capacity, and in 2002 he was appointed the chief mufti of the institution while also teaching the second volume of [[Sahih Muslim|''Sahih Muslim'']]. Alongside his work at Jamia Rahmania, he served as [[Sheikh al-Hadith]] at Tejgaon Jamia Islamia Railway Madrasa and at Darul Uloom Masjidul Akbar Complex Madrasa, where he taught [[Sahih al-Bukhari]].{{Sfn|Ullah|2021|p=443}}
== Publications == Rahman has written 72 books in Bengali on various subjects, as well as 20 books in Arabic, two of which were published in Egypt.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ubaidullah |first=Munshi Muhammad |date=3 March 2022 |title=Guidance from Seniors as a Path to Progress |url=https://www.alokitobangladesh.com/print-edition/prophet-life/107800/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%93%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%9F |work=[[Alokito Bangladesh]] |archive-date=6 March 2023 |access-date=11 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306051944/https://www.alokitobangladesh.com/print-edition/prophet-life/107800/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%93%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%9F |url-status=live }}</ref> On 22 August 2025, he received the 'Lekhak Forum Padak 2025' from the Bangladesh Islami Writers Forum.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abir |first=Fazle Rabbi |date=23 August 2025 |title=Three talented writers receive medals at Islamic Writers Forum anniversary |url=https://www.deshrupantor.com/616437/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%80 |work=[[Desh Rupantor]]}}</ref> According to [[Desh Rupantor|''Desh Rupantor'']], perhaps he is the first Bangladeshi scholar recognized for large-scale research work in Arabic.<ref name=":0" /> His first Arabic book, primarily related to ''[[Al-Hidayah]]'', was published in the early 2000s under the title ''Ma Yambagi Bihil Inayah Liman Yutali'ul Hidayah'' and was prepared under the supervision of Abdul Rasheed Nomani during his time in Pakistan as an introduction to ''Hidayah''. His first book published in Bengali was ''Shebar Arale NGO-ra Ki Korche'', a title suggested by [[Farid Uddin Masood]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Shafiq |first=Didar |date=1 July 2024 |title=Original Works Are More Essential Than Translations |url=https://www.alokitobangladesh.com/print-edition/civilization-and-culture/228114/%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%93%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%BF |work=[[Alokito Bangladesh]]}}</ref>
Rahman compiled a 23-volume biographical encyclopedia in Arabic after ten years of research, titled ''Al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tarajim al-Hanafiyya'', published by Darus Salih in [[Cairo]], Egypt.<ref name=":2" /> The work documents the lives and works of Hanafi scholars, including imams, [[Ijtihad|mujtahids]], jurists ([[Faqīh|fuqaha]]), and teachers of hadith, from Abu Hanifa to the 21st century, and includes several Bangladeshi scholars.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shah |first=Omar |date=29 January 2018 |title=Egypt Publishes 23-Volume Encyclopedia by Bangladeshi Scholar |url=https://www.amadershomoy.com/bn/2018/01/29/445990.htm |work=[[Amader Shomoy]] |archive-date=20 December 2022 |access-date=11 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220144259/https://www.amadershomoy.com/bn/2018/01/29/445990.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He also created another Arabic biographical encyclopedia on over two thousand Bengali-speaking scholars, published in 2020 in eight volumes under the title ''Al-Yawaqit wal-Jawahir fi Tarajim Nubala-i Bangal wal Akabir'', covering 2,183 individuals across nearly 4,000 pages. This work, completed over six years, received scholarly review from Muhammad bin Jamaluddin al-Suyuti of [[Al-Azhar University]], [[Nematullah Azami]], and [[Habibur Rahman Azami (scholar, born 1941)|Habibur Rahman Azami]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Hossain |first=A F M Khalid |author-link=A F M Khalid Hossain |date=3 October 2021 |title=Globally Acclaimed Bangladeshi Scholar in Arabic |url=https://www.dailynayadiganta.com/sub-editorial/613102/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026093922/https://www.dailynayadiganta.com/sub-editorial/613102/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0 |archive-date=26 October 2021 |work=[[Daily Naya Diganta]]}}</ref> According to Rahman, he wrote these works for three main reasons: to counter the perception, particularly among [[Arab world|Arab]] scholars, that significant scholars did not exist in the [[Indian subcontinent]]; to provide responses on issues relevant to the [[Ahl-i Hadith]]; and to document the lives, services, and works of scholars—particularly [[Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]] scholars—and their religious practices for a global audience, while historically demonstrating that the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, has long been a major center of the Hanafi school of thought.<ref name=":1" />
Most of his writings focus on the Hanafi school.<ref name=":1" /> He authored a five-volume research work on legal terminology in Islamic jurisprudence titled ''Yad al-Muhtaj ila al-Mustalahat al-Fiqhiyyah'', with each volume comprising approximately 500 pages, and it is considered a reference for advanced students of Hadith and Fiqh.<ref name=":2" /> In a similar vein, he produced a work with the same title as [[Taqi Usmani]]'s [[Usul al-Ifta wa Adabuhu|''Usul al-Ifta'']], although both appear to have been composed independently, and he later expanded his version using material from Usmani's research.<ref name=":1" /> He also wrote a foundational work on the position of Abu Hanifa in Hadith and Fiqh, titled ''Makanatu Abi Hanifata fil-Fiqh wal-Hadith'', which he later annotated with material from his teacher Abdul Rasheed Nomani's book of the same title.<ref name=":1" /> His other scholarly works include ''Fiqhu Ahlil Iraq wa Hadisuhum'', ''Addurar al-Muntakat ala Muqaddimatish Shaykh'', ''Fathul Wadud ala Sharh al-Uqud'', and ''Al-Badrul Munir ala Fawzul Kabir'', serving primarily as instructional texts, while his lexicographical works include ''Mu'jam al-Faqih wal-Mutafakkih''. Biographical works such as ''Mu'jam al-Shuyukh'' document the lives of notable scholars.<ref name=":1" /> In Bengali, his published works include ''Mashayekhe Comilla'', ''Rahe Sunnat'', ''Izahul Muslim'', ''Islam e Murtaddeder Shasti'', ''Narir Mulloyon'', and ''Makbul Du'a'', among others.{{Sfn|Ullah|2021|p=443}}
== See also == * [[List of Deobandis]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Hanafi scholars}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Deobandis]] [[Category:Hanafis]] [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Bangladeshi Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam]] [[Category:20th-century Bengali people]] [[Category:21st-century Bengali people]] [[Category:People from Laksam Upazila]] [[Category:Bangladeshi Islamic religious leaders]] [[Category:20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam]] [[Category:21st-century Muslim scholars of Islam]] [[Category:21st-century Bangladeshi male writers]] [[Category:Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia alumni]] [[Category:Darul Uloom Hathazari alumni]] [[Category:Disciples of Shah Ahmad Shafi]] [[Category:Feni Government Pilot High School alumni]]