Muhammad Ishaq (scholar)

{{Short description|Bengali Sufi scholar (1883–1938)}}{{Other uses|Muhammad Ishaq (disambiguation){{!}}Muhammad Ishaq}} {{Infobox religious biography | name = Muhammad Ishaq | native_name = মুহম্মদ ইসহাক | image = | caption = | religion = [[Islam]] | denomination = [[Sunni]] | jurisprudence = [[Hanafi]] | alias = | location = | Title = | Period = | ordination = | post = | education = [[Madrasah as-Sawlatiyah]] | present_post = | birth_date = 1883 | birth_place = [[Feni District|Feni]], [[Noakhali District]], [[Bengal Presidency]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1938|11|19|1883|df=y}} | death_place = | disciple_of=[[Abdur Rab Jaunpuri]] }} [[Mawlana]] '''Muhammad Ishaq''' ({{langx|bn|মুহম্মদ ইসহাক}}; 1883 – 18 November 1938) was a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Ulama|Islamic scholar]], [[Sufi]], author and philanthropist.

==Early life and education== Ishaq was born in 1883 CE to a [[Bengali Muslim]] family in [[Feni District|Feni]], [[Noakhali District]], [[Bengal Presidency]].<ref name=a/> He received his primary religious education from the local religious institution. Then he got admitted into an [['alim]] course in [[Comilla District|Comilla]].<ref name=a/> Later, he travelled to [[Makkah]] where he got admitted into the [[Madrasah as-Sawlatiyah]].<ref name=a/> He studied [[Islamic studies]] and [[Arabic]] for eleven years in that institution, under Shaykhu'd-Dal'ail Abdul Haqq Muhajir Makki who treated him like his adopted son.<ref name=a/> Later, he was appointed as a teacher of that madrasa. He got [[Khalifa#Concept|khilafat]] from his teacher and returned to his own country.<ref name=a/>

==Career== After returning to Bengal, Ishaq was also involved in [[sufism|sufistic practices]]. It is said that he had [[karamat]].<ref name=a/> People began to approach him for spiritual guidance. He travelled to [[Comilla District|Comilla]], [[Noakhali District|Noakhali]], [[Barisal District|Barisal]], [[Hatiya Upazila|Hatiya]] and [[Sandwip]].<ref name=a/> In these places many people became his [[murids]]. Later, he renewed his [[bay'at]] at the hands of [[Abdur Rab Jaunpuri]] who was the grandson of [[Karamat Ali Jaunpuri]].<ref name=a/> After that he began to be influenced by Taiyunis.

In 1936, Ishaq established the Ishaqiya Orphanage in [[Daganbhuiyan Upazila|Daganbhuiyan]], [[Feni District|Feni]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://daganbhuiyan.feni.gov.bd/site/view/religious_institutes/এতিমখানা|script-title=bn:এতিমখানা|website=Daganbhuiyan Upazila|access-date=8 January 2020|language=bn}}</ref> He donated all of his immovable properties to this orphanage.<ref name=a/> Ishaq also gave financial help to establish [[mosque]]s, [[eidgah]]s and [[madrasas]].

Ishaq wrote an [[Urdu]] book titled ''Ta'lim-e-Haqqani Wa Fuyud-e-Ishaqi''.<ref name=a/> In that book he described Sufi problems, [[zikr]] and mediation. He kept himself away from active politics but supported the independence movement of [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind]].<ref name=a/>

==Death== Ishaq died on 18 November 1938.<ref name=a>{{Cite Banglapedia|article=Ishaq, Mawlana Muhammad|author=Quassem, MA }}</ref>

==References==

[[Category:Bengali Sufi saints]] [[Category:People from Feni District]] [[Category:20th-century Urdu-language writers]] [[Category:1883 births]] [[Category:1938 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century Muslim theologians]] [[Category:Madrasah as-Sawlatiyah alumni]] [[Category:Hanafis]]