Hazrat Shah Jalal (R)
Shah Jalal was a saint of Bengal and is the most celebrated
personality of the region of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Shah Jalal commands great
respect of Muslims of the Indian subcontinent and is regarded as a national
hero by Bangladeshis. Shah Jalal's name is associated with the Muslim conquest
of Sylhet, of which he is considered to be the main figure. He lies buried at
Sylhet
Early life and education
Born Shaikh Makhdum Jalal ad-Deen bin Mohammed, he was later
affectionately renamed Shaikh-ul-Mashaikh Hazrat Shah Jalal al-Mujarrad (the
last name meaning "the bachelor", on account of his celibacy). Shah
Jalal's date and place of birth is unclear. Various traditions, folklore and
hostorical documents suggest different ideas. A number of scholars claim that
he was born in 1271 in Konya, Turkey, and later moved to Yemen, either as a
child or adult, while others contest he was born in Yemen. He was the son of a
Turkish Muslim cleric, who was a contemporary of the famous Persian poet and
Sufi saint, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi. He was educated and raised by his
maternal uncle, Syed Ahmed Kabir, in Mecca. He excelled in his studies and
became a Hafiz (one who has committed the Qur'an to memory) and was proficient
in Islamic theology. He achieved Kamaliyat (spiritual perfection) after 30
years of study and meditation.
Travel to India
According to legend, his uncle, Sheikh Kabir, one day gave
Shah Jalal a handful of earth (soil) and asked him to travel to Hindustan with
the instruction that he should settle down at whichever place in Hindustan
whose earth matched completely in smell and color to the earth he was given,
and he should devote his life for the propagation and establishment of Islam
there.
Shah Jalal journeyed eastward and reached India in c. 1300,
where he met with many great scholars and mystics. He arrived at Ajmer, where
he met the great Sufi mystic and scholar, Pir Khawaja Gharibnawaz Muinuddin
Hasan Chisty, who is credited with the spread of Islam in India. In Delhi, he
met with Nizam Uddin Aulia, another major Sufi mystic and scholar.
Conquest of Sylhet
Tradition goes that a Hindu king named Gaur Govinda ruled
the Sylhet area, then predominantly Hindu. Sheikh Burhanuddin, a Muslim who
lived in the territory under his control once sacrificed a cow to celebrate the
birth of his son. A bird (kite) snatched a piece of flesh of the slaughtered
cow and it fell from its beak on the house of a Brahmin Hindu, for whom cows
were sacred. According to another tradition, the piece of flesh fell on the
temple of the king himself, which he took as a great offence. At the order of
the king, Burhanuddin's hands were said to have been cut off and his son
killed. Burhanuddin went to the Sultan of Gaur, Shamsuddin Firuz Shah, to whom
he submitted a prayer for justice. The Sultan accordingly sent an army under
the command of his nephew Sikandar Khan Ghazi. He was, however,was stopped by
rains and flood. The Sultan then ordered his Sipah Salar (armed forces chief)
Nasiruddin to lead the war.
At this time, Shah Jalal (R) was requested by Nizam Uddin at
the behest of sultan firoz shah to travel to Sylhet along with sikander khan
gazi to rescue Sheikh Burhan Uddin. With his 360 followers, including his
nephew Shah Paran, he reached Bengal and joined the Muslim army in the Sylhet
campaign. Knowing that Shah Jalal was advancing towards Sylhet, Raja Gaur
Govinda, the king, removed all ferry boats from the river Surma, thereby
cutting off any means of crossing into Sylhet. Legend has it that Shah Jalal
crossed the river Surma by sitting on a Jainamaz (prayer rug). Upon reaching
the opposite bank, he ordered the Azan (call to prayer) to be sounded, at which
the magnificent palace of Gaur Govinda shattered. With Shah Jalal's help, the
Hindus were completely defeated and crushed by the Muslim Army.The superior
fighting and combat skills helped the Muslim Army.
During the later stages of his life, Shah Jalal devoted
himself to propagating Islam to the masses. Under his guidance, many thousands
of Hindus and Buddhists converted to Islam. Shah Jalal become so renowned that
even the world famous Ibn Battuta, whilst in Chittagong, was asked to change
his plans and go to Sylhet to meet this great Awlia. On his way to Sylhet, Ibn
Batuta was greeted by several of Shah Jalal (R.A)'s disciples who had come to
assist him on his journey many days before he had arrived. Once in the presence
of Shah Jalal (R.A), Ibn Batuta noted that Shah Jalal (R.A) was tall and lean,
fair in complexion and lived by the masjed in a cave, where his only item of
value was a goat from which he extracted milk, butter, and yogurt. He observed
that the companions of the sheikh were foreign and known for their strength and
bravery. He also mentions that many people would visit the sheikh and seek
guidance. Shah Jalal (R.A) is therefore instrumental in the spread of Islam
throughout north east India including Assam.
Shah Poran
Shah Paran (R) was a renowned Sufi saint of the
Suhrawardiyya and Jalalia order. It is said that he was the son of a sister of
Hazrat Shah Jalal (R) and was born in Hadramaut, Yemen. He was an accomplice of
his uncle, Shah Jalal, with whom he arrived in India. In 1303 AD, He took part
in the expedition of Sylhet which was led by Shah Jalal. After the conquest of
Sylhet he established a khanqah at Khadim Nagar in Dakshingarh Pargana, about 7
km away from Sylhet town, where he started Sufi spiritual practices and
activities. He played a significant role in propagating Islam and establishing
Muslim rule in the Sylhet region.
It is unclear how and when he died, but he is buried near
his khanqah. For centuries, large numbers of devotees have been visiting his
tomb, a practice which continues even today. On the 4th, 5th and 6th day of
Rabi-ul-Awal, the Urs of Hazrat Shah Paran (R) takes place. His grave is
located in a high hillock and it is carefully preserved at a place which is
built with bricks and surrounded by walls. On the northern side of the grave
there is an old tree, the branches and branchlets of which are extended above
the entire tomb. The name of the tree is 'Ashagachh' (a tree of hopes). From a
close observation of the leaves of the tree, it appears that the tree has grown
out of a mixture of the fig, mango and some other tree. People eat the seeds of
the figs devotionally in the hope of getting rid of diseases. Mangoes are also
eaten with utmost respect as Tabaruk. There is an ancient mosque by the side of
the tomb. The mosque has been modernized in 1989-91. About 1500 devout Muslims
in a body can now say their prayers there.
Adjacent to the main tomb complex of Shah Paran, found in
the East of Sylhet, is another tomb visited by worshipers, that of Konya Shah.
Legend has it that this follower of the great saints was neither man nor woman.
There is a permanent exhibition of the life and times of this saint.
Contemporary paintings and pictures featured at the tomb/exhibition depict a
person most likely to be a eunuch. Though the original conquerors earned a
prominent role in Islamic history, main stream Islam shuns the idea of
worshiping saints and eunuchs.
M. A. G. Osmani
Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani
Born: 1 September 1918 Sunamganj, Sylhet, British India (now
part of Bangladesh)
Died: 16 February 1984
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Occupation: General and Supreme Commander of the Bangladesh
Forces during Bangladesh Liberation War
Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani, better known as Banga Bir
General M.A.G. Osmani (1 September 1918 – 16 February 1984) was the Supreme
Commander of the Mukti Bahini and Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Bangladesh
Liberation War.
Education
Osmani was born in Sunamganj, Sylhet Division on 1 September
1918. He passed matriculation from Sylhet Government Pilot School. Later, he
graduated in Aligarh Muslim University, India. He was a descendant of
Nizamuddin Osmani of Dayamir, Sylhet.
Military Career
In 1939, Osmani started his military career as a Gentleman
Cadet during the British Raj in the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun. Upon
completion of training at the IMA, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in
the Indian Army as an artillery officer in 1940, during World War II. He served
in the Burma sector and won the distention of a battle field promoted to a
Major in 1942. After the birth of India and Pakistan in 1947 following the
departure of the British Rule, Osmani joined the Pakistan Army on 7 October
1947, and was soon promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He served as an aide to the
Chief of General Staff in 1949. In 1952, he served as commanding officer of the
9th battalion of the 14th Punjab Regiment, and later as additional commandant
of the East Pakistan Rifles. After being promoted to Colonel in 1956, he was
appointed and general staff officer of the army at the Army HQ. In 1958 Osmani
held the post of deputy director of general staff and subsequently director of
military operations. He retired from Pakistan Armed Forces on 16 February 1967.
He was reinstated to active duty in the Bangladesh Forces during the Bangladesh
Liberation War in April of 1971 and later promoted to the full rank of General
during the 11-17th of July Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971. As
such he was appointed C-in-C of all Bangladesh Forces during the duration of
the war. He held the title of Commander-in-Chief until his retirement in April
of 1972, when the Bangladesh Forces officially dissolved into four independent
regular forces, the Bangladesh Army, the Bangladesh Navy, the Bangladesh Air
Force and the Bangladesh Rifles.
Entry into politics
After his retirement, Osmani entered the politics of East
Pakistan. He joined the Sheikh Mujib-led Awami League in 1970. As a candidate
from Awami League, he was elected a member of the Pakistan national assembly in
the 1970 elections in Pakistan. After the commencement of Bangladesh Liberation
War, Osmani became a member of the provisional government-in-exile.
Leadership during Bangladesh Liberation War
With the formation of Bangladesh government on 17 April
1971, retired Colonel Osmani was reinstated to active duty under the authority
of Bangladesh government and appointed commander in chief of all Bangladesh
Forces. During the historic Bangladesh Sector Commanders Conference 1971 he was
promoted to General. Under his direct command, Osmani divided up the entire
Bangladesh territory to 11 sectors. Each sector was under the command of a
trained military officer with the title of Sector Commander. Each sector also
had sub-sectors with sub sector commanders.
Post-independence activities
After the country's independence, Osmani retired from
service 7 April 1972. He was then included in the cabinet of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman as Minister of Shipping, Inland Water Transport and Aviation. Osmani was
elected a member of the national parliament in 1973, and was included in the
new cabinet with charge of the ministries of Post, Telegraph and Telephone,
Communication, Shipping, Inland Water Transport and Aviation.
He resigned from the cabinet in May 1974 after the
introduction of one-party system of government through the Fourth Amendment to
the constitution. Along with Barrister Mainul Hosein, both elected MPs,
resigned from the Awami League protesting abolishing of democracy in Bangladesh
by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
MAG Osmani was appointed an Adviser to the President in
charge of Defense Affairs by Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed (then President and Law
Minister currently) on 29 August 1975. But he resigned immediately after the
killing of four national leaders inside the Dhaka Central Jail on 3 November.
Hason Raja
Hason Raja literally Hason the king, was a mystical poet and
songwriter in Bengal, now Bangladesh. Born at the end of the 19th century 1854
to a traditional Zamindar or landowner family near Sunamganj, Sylhet, though
his ancestral home is in Rampasha, Biswanath, Sylhet. Hason indulged himself in
material pursuits in his youth. Later, he came to believe worldly pleasures are
meaningless and wrote songs that have been described as some of the most
thoughtful songs, touching the deepest emotions of the human mind.
Hason's father, Dewan Ali Raja (Choudhury), was a direct
descendant of the Hindu king Raja Birendra Singhdev, (who later converted to
Islam and became known as Babu Khan). Hason's mother was Ali Raja's second
wife, Huramat Jahan Begum. As befitted Hason's ancestry, he was tall, handsome
and charming, with a regal manner and dress sense.
Hason's elder half-brother, Ubeydur Raja, died when Hason
was a teenager. The death of Ali Raja, about 40 days later, meant Hason became
responsible for overseeing his father's vast property at an early age. Despite
his youth when taking on this responsibility, he proved to be a very successful
Zamindar, acquiring acres of land and many properties in Sylhet. Yet, despite
his financially privileged upbringing, Hason is credited with setting up a
number of local schools and religious organizations, and is said to have
frequently provided for the poor and needy of his community.
Hason Raja had four sons, Khan Bahadur Dewan Ganiur Raja,
Hasinur Raja, Khan Bahadur Dewan Eklimur Raja Chowdhury (Kabbo Bisharod) and
Aftabur Raja. Dewan Eklimur Raja ofllowed in his footsteps and also wrote
poetry and songs; he was also known as the architect of modern poetry of Sylhet
area. Dewan Hason Raja donated one third of his property as Waqf in 1918 for
the well being of the people and offspring's of his beloved son Eklimur Raja.
Hason Raja's songs are in the folk tradition of Bengal that
seeks the ultimate truth beyond the material world. They include songs such as
'Lokey bole', published in his book of songs, Hason Udas. In recent times, they
have been modernized and are very popular in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Many book and musical CDs has been published so far on great mystic poet Hason
Raja.
Hason Raja died in 1922, years before his contribution to
the poetry of Bengal was mentioned in lectures at Oxford University by Nobel
laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Hason Raja is also known as Dewan Hasan Raja. A beautiful
museum namely, Museum of Rajas' has been established in his ancestral home at
Raja - Kunjo, Sylhet, Bangladesh; where historical exhibits of Hason Raja,
Eklimur Raja, Talibur Raja (grandson) and other respected Rajas' are displayed.
The sponsors of this spectacular Museum is 'Educationist Dewan Talibur Raja Trust'.
Songs
These are some of the famous songs written by Hason Raja:
Baula Ke Banailo re (Who made the Baul Singer)
Loke Bole Bole Re (People Say)
Matiro Pinjiri (Cage made of Clay)
Nisha Lagilo (Addiction Started)
Sona Bondhe (Dear Beloved)
Translation of Loke Bole Bole Re
People say, they say I have no house built.
What house will I build,
a palace in the sky?
I'll build a proper house,
But how long will I stay for?
I look in the mirror,
I see gray hair that I have.
Thinking of this,
Hason Raja hasn’t built a house.
Where will Allah take and keep him,
For that reason he cries.
If Hason Raja knew,
how long he would live for,
then he would have built his house and rooms in many
colours.
People say, they say I have no house built.
What house will I build,
A palace in the sky?
Shah Abdul Karim
Shah Abdul Karim is a Bangladeshi musician. His specialized
field of music is Bengali Baul music. He lives in the district of Sunamganj. He
was rewarded the Ekushey Padok in the year 2001 for his songs, also received
Drouhee Kotha-shahitayk Abdur Rouf Choudhury Award in 2000.
He was born in 1916 in Ujandhal, Dirai, in Sunamganj. This
is one of the remote village of Bangladesh, where Abdul Karim born. Growing up
with poverty, he started expressing his thoughts and emotions from very early
age. Ektara, an instrument of music being his medium to express his thoughts,
villager’s heart melted with his melodic and soothing voice. With so many time
devoted in singing, hardly he could make time to make his way to think about
livelihood or any other job than entertaining people. But he was forced to earn
living hardship by harvesting. But Music never left him even with so much
obstacles and poverty. As the time goes by, and as he was maturing with age, he
went on taking training of spiritual and baul music from Kamal Uddin, Shadhak
Rashid Uddin, Shah Ibrahim Mastan Baksh. His versatility ranged from Baul song,
Spiritual song to Bhatiali. He went on learning all the exclusive modules of
Baul song afterwards along with Shariatti, Marfatti, Nabuot, Belaya. The
various devout form of music. He was motivated by philosophy of renowned Lalan
Shah, Panju Shah and Duddu Shah.
Musical works
Baul Shah Abdul Karim has written and composed as many as
1500 songs. These songs are organized in six books, like: Aftab Sangeet, Gano
Sangeet, Kalnir Dheu, Dholmela, Bhatir Chithi and Kalnir Kooley. Bangla Academy
has translated ten of his songs into English language.
Shah Abdul Karim is the living legend of Baul songs. He is
versatile genius has lived a very simple life. But with the emergence of Baul
songs in Bangladesh he has been honored the way he should have been a long time
ago.
Most famous songs
Kano piritee barailarey bondhu
Gari cholena cholena
Maya lagaise
Ami koolhara kolonkini
Agey ki shundor din kataitham
Ami tomar kaul-er gari
Shokhi kunjo shajao
Ailaye na
Boshonto Batashey.
