{{Short description|Bangladeshi Islamic scholar}} {{Infobox religious biography | honorific_prefix = [[Allama]] [[Shah]] [[Sufi]] | name = Nesaruddin Ahmad | honorific_suffix = Sarsinar [[Pir (Sufism)|Pir]] [[Saheb]] Qibla | image = Nesaruddin Ahmad, Pir of Sarsina.jpeg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Nesaruddin Ahmad, Pir of Sarsina | native_name = নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ | native_name_lang = bn | other_names = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1873 | birth_place = [[Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|Magura]], [[Pirojpur District|Firozpur]], [[Backergunge District]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal Province]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|1952|1|31|1873}} | death_place = [[Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|Sarsina]], [[Pirojpur District|Firozpur]], [[East Bengal]], [[Dominion of Pakistan]] | death_cause = | resting_place = Sarsina Darbar Sharif graveyard | religion = [[Islam]] | denomination = [[Sunni]] | jurisprudence = [[Hanafi]] | creed = [[Maturidi]] | Sufi_order = [[Furfura Sharif|Furfura]] {{small|([[Chisti order|Chishti]]-[[Qadri]]-[[Naqshbandi]] {{small|([[Ahmad Sirhindi|Mujaddidi]])}})}} | children = [[Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh]] | influences = [[Syed Ahmad Shaheed]]<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:মিথ্যাবাদীদের মুখোশ উন্মোচন|author=Al-Hanafi, Saifullah|publisher=Shah Waliullah Foundation|location=[[Sylhet]], [[Bangladesh]]|date=November 2013|language=bn|pages=177–193}}</ref><br>[[Abdul Awwal Jaunpuri]] | education = [[Aliah University|Calcutta Alia Madrasa]]<br>[[Hooghly Madrasah]] | disciple_of = [[Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique]] | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = 1st [[Pir (Sufism)|Pir]] of Sarsina | term_start = | term_end = 31 January 1952 | successor = [[Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh]] | office2 = Naib-e-Sadar of Jamiat-e-Ulama Bangla o Assam<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:অতি জরুরী মছলা-মাছায়েল|language=bn|pages=48–51|location=[[Basirhat]], [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]], West Bengal|edition=4|year=2014|author=Ruhul Amin, Mohammad|publisher=Nabanur Press}}</ref> }}| module2 = {{Infobox Arabic name|embed=yes | ism = Nithār ad-Dīn Aḥmad<br />نثار الدين أحمد | laqab = Shôrśinar Pīr Ṣāḥeb Qiblah<br />শর্ষিণার পীর সাহেব কেবলা<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:তাবিজের কেতাব|language=bn|author=Siddiq, Shah Mohammad|year=1961|publisher=Sarshina Library}}</ref> | nasab = ibn Ṣadr ad-Dīn ibn Ẓahīr ad-Dīn<br />بن صدر الدين بن ظهير الدين | nisba = Ākhūnd<br>آخوند<br>al-Barīsālī<br>البريسالي}} }} {{Islam in Bangladesh}} '''Nesaruddin Ahmad''' ({{langx|bn|নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ}}; 1873 – 31 January 1952) was a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Islamic scholar]], spiritual reformer, educationist and writer. He was the main [[Khalifah (Sufism)|disciple]] of [[Furfura Sharif]]'s [[Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique]] in [[Bangladesh|eastern Bengal]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.266818/page/1/mode/2up|pages=408–409|script-title=bn:ইতিহাস অনুসন্ধান|author=[[Aniruddha Ray|Ray, Aniruddha]]|chapter=আধুনিক ভারত|year=2004|trans-chapter=Modern India|language=bn}}</ref> Ahmad was the inaugural '''[[Pir (Sufism)|Pir]] of Sarsina''' ({{langx|bn|শর্ষিণার পীর}}), having founded the Sarsina Darbar Sharif and [[Darussunnat Kamil Madrasa]] in 1915,<ref>{{cite journal|date=June 1996|title=Sarsina Darbar Sharif History|journal=The Muslim World League Journal|publisher=[[Muslim World League]]|volume=24|page=43}}</ref> one of the largest Islamic institutions in [[South Bengal]] and the first major [[alia madrasah]] after [[Calcutta]].<ref name=islam>{{cite book|title=Islam and Democracy in South Asia: The Case of Bangladesh|author1=Islam, Muhammad Nazrul|author2=Islam, Muhammad Saidul|year=2020|isbn=9783030429096|publisher=[[Springer International Publishing]]|page=202}}</ref> Ahmad was among the leading Islamic leaders in colonial Barisal,<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|page=269|script-title=bn:সাহিত্য ও সংস্কৃতি চিন্তা|chapter=ইংরেজ আমলে মুসলিম-মানসের পরিচয়-সূত্র|author=[[Ahmed Sharif|Sharif, Ahmed]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:বরিশাল বিভাগ প্রতিষ্ঠা উপলক্ষে স্মারক সংকলন|pages=59, 81|date=1 January 1993|publisher=Barisal Division Welfare Association}}</ref> and his influence extended across [[Bengal]].<ref name=jinnah>{{cite book|title=Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Papers: The verdict for Pakistan, 1 August 1945-31 March 1946|page=582|publisher=[[National Archives of Pakistan]]|author=Zaidi, Z. H.|year=1993}}</ref> The [[Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|Nesarabad Upazila]] of [[Bangladesh]] has been named after him.<ref name=bpedia/>
==Early life and family== Ahmad was born in 1873 to a [[Bengali Muslim]] family of [[Akhund|''Akhunds'']] in the village of [[Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|Magura]], [[Pirojpur District|Firozpur]], then located under the [[Backergunge District]] of the [[Bengal Presidency]]. When he was twelve years old, his father, Sadruddin Akhund, decided to set off for the [[Hajj]] pilgrimage to [[Arabia]]. Akhund was a ''[[murid]]'' of Haji Saizuddin Miah of Bahadurpur. Before leaving, he married Ahmad to Sahera Khatun, the daughter of his neighbour Daliluddin Shiqdar. Ahmad's father died in [[Mecca]], being buried in [[Jannat al-Mu'alla]], and so Ahmad was raised by his mother, Zohra Begum, and paternal grandfather.<ref name=siraj>{{cite book|author=[[Siraj Uddin Ahmed|Ahmed, Siraj Uddin]]|script-title=bn:বরিশাল বিভাগের ইতিহাস|chapter=নেছারউদ্দীন আহমদ (রহ.), শাহ সূফী, (শর্শিনার পির সাহেব)|trans-title=History of Barisal Division|volume=2|publisher=Bhaskar Prakashani|location=[[Dhaka]]|year=2010|language=bn}}</ref> His paternal grandfather, Zahiruddin Akhund, was a ''[[munshi]]'' and disciple of [[Haji Shariatullah]] of the [[Faraizi movement]] based in [[Mathbaria Upazila|Mathbaria]] where he had a sizeable following.<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:শাহ সুফী নেছারুদ্দীন আহমদ (রহঃ) একটি জীবন, একটি আদর্শ|language=bn|url=https://sarsinadarbarsharif.org/uploads/images/pdf/shah-naser(r).pdf|publisher=Sarsina Darbar Sharif}}</ref>
In 1905, Ahmad married the daughter of Abdul Wafi Chowdhury from [[Kotalipara Upazila|Kushla]], [[Gopalganj District, Bangladesh|Gopalganj]].<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:বরিশাল বিভাগ পরিচিতি|publisher=Greater Bakerganj-Patuakhali Society|location=[[Dhaka]]|pages=36–37|year=1993|editor=[[Siraj Uddin Ahmed|Ahmed, Siraj Uddin]]}}</ref>
==Career== After receiving ''[[Khalifah (Sufism)|khilafat]]'' (spiritual succession) from his [[murshid]] Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique, Ahmad returned to his village.<ref>{{cite book|language=bn|script-title=bn:ফুরফুরা শরীফের ইতিহাস ও হজরত আবুবকর সিদ্দীকী (রহঃ) এর বিস্তারিত জীবনী|author=Ruhul Amin, Muhammad|url=https://archive.org/details/20211206_20211206_0204/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%20%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80/page/n1/mode/2up|location=[[Basirhat]], [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]], West Bengal|edition=5|year=2005|page=52|publisher=Nabanur Press}}</ref> He planned to leave for [[Hajj]] but was affected by pox. As soon as he recovered in 1901, Ahmad boarded the ship to [[Arabia]] along with his family and nephew Abdur Rashid. His wife, Sahera Khatun, and son, Shah Muhammad Muzahar, died in [[Mecca]]. After returning to Bengal, Ahmad dedicated himself to propagating Islamic teachings. In 1905, he built a small library in his village which became the Qiratiyyah Madrasah in 1913. In 1918, he decided to transform the library into a madrasa modelled from Calcutta Alia Madrasa. Ahmad named the madrasa "''Sarsina Darussunnat Kamil Alia Madrasa''".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jagonews24.com/religion/news/78016|script-title=bn:আল্লামা নেছারুদ্দীন রহমাতুল্লাহি আলাইহির জীবন ও কর্ম|work=[[Jago News 24]]|language=bn|access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref> From then on, the village of Magura got the name of Sarsina. He appointed Moulvi Mirza Ali of Idilpur as its head. Ahmad donated all of his property to act as the madrasa's [[waqf]] in 1934. With the assistance of Prime Minister [[A. K. Fazlul Huq]], the madrasa became the second title madrasa of Bengal after Calcutta in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/2929/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%80%E0%A7%9F-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC|script-title=bn:ইসলামী আদর্শ বিস্তারে ছারছীনার মরহুম পীর ছাহেবদ্বয়ের অবদান অবিস্মরণীয়-ছারছীনার পীর ছাহেব|work=[[Daily Inqilab]]|language=bn|access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref>
Ahmad gave his support to [[Maniruzzaman Islamabadi]]'s plans in establishing a dedicated [[Islamic university]] in [[Chittagong]].<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:বাঙালি মসুলিম বুদ্ধিজীবী: চিন্তা ও কর্ম, ১৯০৫-১৯৪৭|language=bn|author=Hossain, Imran|year=1993|page=244|publisher=[[Bangla Academy]]|isbn=9789840728886}}</ref>
===Political involvement=== Ahmad was a supporter of the [[Pakistan Movement]]. He maintained good relations with [[Shamsul Haque Faridpuri]], who belonged to the [[Deobandi movement]].<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:মুজাহিদে আযম সমাজ সংস্কারক আল্লামা শামসুল হক ফরিদপুরী (ছদর সাহেব রহঃ)-এর জীবনী|publisher=Al-Ashraf Prakashani|location=[[Bangla Bazar]], [[Dhaka]]|language=bn|author=Abdur Razzaq, Muhammad|date=24 October 2021|pages=96, 118|url=https://archive.org/details/20211024_20211024_1450/page/n1/mode/2up}}</ref> He favoured Faridpuri over [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]] in the Muslim League local elections.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman|Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh]]|title=[[The Unfinished Memoirs]]|page=256}}</ref> Ahmad sent a [[telegram]] to [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] requesting that he admits [[A. K. Fazlul Huq]] back into the [[All-India Muslim League]] to ensure the League's victory in Barisal.<ref name=jinnah/> In 1946, Ahmad organised the All-India Ulama Conference held at Mohammad Ali Park, [[Calcutta]]. At the conference, Ahmad co-signed a petition with [[Abdul Hai Siddique]] in pamphlet form addressing Bengali Muslim voters in favour of Pakistan.<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:জীবন্ত অতীত: স্মৃতি কথা|author=Mahmud, Abdul Ghani|page=15|year=1993|publisher=Mahmud Prakashani|language=bn}}</ref> During the [[1947 Sylhet referendum]], he sent an eight-member team (including Azizur Rahman Qaid Nesarabadi) to [[Sylhet]] under the leadership of his son [[Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh]].<ref name=kum>{{cite book|language=ar|title=كتاب البدور المضية في تراجم الحنفية|author=al-Kumillai, Muhammad Hifzur Rahman|publisher=Dar al-Salih|location=[[Cairo]], [[Egypt]]|year=2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:ঝরাপাতা|language=bn|author=Chaudhury, Rathindrakanta Ghataka|publisher=Barna Bichitra|year=1988|page=82}}</ref>
After the independence of Pakistan, Ahmad focused on Islamic values within the government. An outline of 22 points was formulated at the All-Parties Ulama Conference in Sarsina.<ref name=siraj/> Ahmad presided the East Bengal Horooful Quran Conference in [[Dacca]] in August 1951, which supported [[Urdu]] as the national language of Pakistan and [[Bengali language#Alternative and historic scripts|Bengali in Arabic script]] as the provincial language.<ref>{{cite book|script-title=bn:ভাষা আন্দোলন প্রসঙ্গ: কতিপয় দলিল|volume=2|year=1985|editor=[[Badruddin Umar|Umar, Badruddin]]|publisher=[[Bangla Academy]]|page=101}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Die Sprachenpolitik der Muslim-League-Regierung und die Entstehung der Bengali-Sprachbewegung in Ostbengalen, 1947-1956|language=de|page=134|author=Bhowmik, Satya N.|year=1993|isbn=9783515063838|publisher=F. Steiner}}</ref>
==Bibliography== Ahmad was written many books relating to [[Islam]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Bangladesh District Gazetteers|editor=Ishaq, Muhammad|year=1981|page=247|publisher=[[Bangladesh Government Press]]}}</ref> He wrote articles for the fortnightly ''Tabligh'' magazine. Among them are: * {{lang|bn|মোছলেম রত্নহার}} (''Moslem Ratnahar'') * {{lang|bn|ফুরফুরা পীর সাহেবের অছিয়তনামা}} (''Furfura Pir Saheber Asiyatnama'') * {{lang|bn|তালিমে মারেফত}} (''Talim-e-Marefat'') * {{lang|bn|তাহকীকে বর্জখ}} (''Tahqiq-e-Barzakh'') * {{lang|bn|খেলাফত আন্দোলন পদ্ধতি}} (''Khelafat Andolan Paddhati'') * {{lang|bn|সমাজ উন্নতি}} (''Samaj Unnati'') * {{lang|bn|মাওলানার উক্তি}} (''Mawlanar Ukti'') * {{lang|bn|ছোবহেছাদেক}} (''Subh-e-Sadeq'') * {{lang|bn|রদ্দে বদগুমান}} (''Radd-e-Badguman'') * {{lang|bn|মজহব ও তকলীদ}} (''Mazhab O Taqlid'') * {{lang|bn|দাড়ি গোঁফ সমস্যা ও হক কথা}} (''Dari Gof Samasya O Haq Katha'') * {{lang|bn|নুরুন হেদায়েত ও বেদাত ফকিরের ধোকা ভঞ্জন}} (''Nurun Hedayet O Bedat Faqirer Dhoka Bhanjan'') * {{lang|bn|ফতোয়ায়ে ছিদ্দিকী}} (''Fatwa-e-Siddiqi'') * {{lang|bn|তরিকুল ইসলাম}} (''Tariqul Islam'') * {{lang|bn|নারী ও পরদা}} (''Nari O Parda'') * {{lang|bn|জুমার অকাট্য দলীল প্রভৃতি}} (''Jumar Akatya Dalil Prabhriti'') * {{lang|bn|দাড়ি ও ধুমপান}} (''Dari O Dhumpan'') * {{lang|bn|হজরত বায়েজীদ বোস্তামী}} (''Hazrat Bayazid Bostami'') * {{lang|ur|الحقيقة المعرفة الربانية}} (''Al-Haqiqah al-Marifah al-Rabbaniyyah'')
==Death and legacy== Ahmad died on 31 January 1952 and was buried at the Sarsina Darbar Sharif.<ref name=siraj/> He was succeeded by his son, [[Abu Zafar Mohammad Saleh]], as the Pir of Sarsina. His other son, Azizur Rahman Qaid, founded the Nesarabad Darbar Sharif.<ref name=islam/> In 1985, the [[Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|Swarupkati Upazila]] was renamed to Nesarabad Upazila in honour of Ahmad.<ref name=bpedia>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Nesarabad (Swarupkati) Upazila|author=Parvez, Masud}}</ref> The annual gathering at Sarsina Darbar Sharif, which was started in 1891, continues to take place.<ref>{{cite news|title=Peace and prosperity of the Muslim nation is not possible without Sahih Amal and Aqeedah: Pir Sahib of Sarsina|work=The Muslim Times|author=Abdur Rahman, Muhammad|date=30 November 2020}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Muhammad Shahidullah]] * [[Delwar Hossain Sayeedi]] * [[Ahmed Ali Enayetpuri]]
==Further reading== * {{cite web|url=https://sarsinadarbarsharif.org|website=Sarsina Darbar Sharif|title=Official Website}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Hanafi scholars}} {{Islam in South Asia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad, Nesaruddin}} [[Category:1952 deaths]] [[Category:1873 births]] [[Category:20th-century Bengali people]] [[Category:19th-century Bengali people]] [[Category:Bengali Muslim scholars of Islam]] [[Category:Bengali-language writers]] [[Category:Bengali writers]] [[Category:Bangladeshi Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam]] [[Category:Hanafis]] [[Category:People from Swarupkathi]] [[Category:Writers from Pirojpur District]] [[Category:Academics from Barisal Division]] [[Category:Islamic religious leaders from Barisal Division]]