Mawlana Hafez Muhammad Abdul Jalil (Rah.)
Mawlana Hafez Muhammad Abdul Jalil, also known as Hafez M A Jalil or Principal M A Jalil, was a prominent Islamic scholar, politician, writer, and translator in Bangladesh. He served as the Chairman of the Bangladesh Islamic Front from 2000 until 2008, advocating for Sunni Islam and educational reforms.
Early Life
Born on September 11, 1933 (26 Bhadro, 1340 Bengali calendar) in Amiyapur, a village in the Chandpur district of Matlab Uttar, his father’s name was Munshi Adam Ali Molla and his mother’s name was Maleka Khatun. He was the youngest among four sisters and six brothers. He adhered to the Sunni creed, followed the Hanafi school of thought, and practiced the Qadri Sufi order.
Education and Career
Muhammad Abdul Jalil enrolled in Alia Madrasa in 1955, where he completed Dakhil, Alim, Fazil, and Kamil (Hadith) with a scholarship from 1956 to 1964. He then passed his Intermediate, Degree, and MA (General History) with a stipend from 1964 to 1970 in the second division. After finishing his general education in 1970, he began teaching at a college in 1972. He taught in the History department at Chaagalnaiya College and Nawab Faizunnesa College until 1975.
Alongside pursuing higher education, he worked as an Imam and Khateeb at Hazrat Tarik Shah Dargah Mosque in Chittagong from 1964 to 1978 to support his livelihood. In 1973, he briefly worked as a probationary officer at Agrani Bank before resigning. He passed the BCS exam in 1973. After serving as Imam and Khateeb at Hajiganj Bari Mosque for six months in 1975, he returned to Chittagong.
In 1977, he joined Jamia Ahmediya Sunnia Alia Kamil Madrasa as the Principal. In 1978, he took up the position of Principal at Kaderia Taiyebia Alia Kamil Madrasa in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, and permanently moved to Dhaka. He served as Principal from 1978 to 1987. Between 1987 and 1990, he worked for four years as the Director of the Imam Training Project at the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh and the Dhaka divisional office. In December 1990, he rejoined Kaderia Taiyebia Alia Kamil Madrasa as Principal and retired from there.
In addition to his role as Principal, he was the founding Khateeb of Shahjahanpur Gausul Azam Jame Masjid, located in the heart of Dhaka, and served as the elected General Secretary of Ahle Sunnat. Sheikhul Mudarris Alim Muhammad Abdul Jalil established and managed Hazrat Bibi Fatema Women’s Dakhil Madrasa in his native village, Amiapur.
Organizational Contributions
Jalil was recognized for his remarkable organizational skills. He served as the elected Secretary-General of the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat and played a vital role in political advocacy as the Chairman of the Bangladesh Islamic Front.
Publications and Editorial Work
Books, Translations, and Journals
- Jalilul Bayaan fi Tafsir al-Quran
- Bengali Translation of Sahih Bukhari
- Nur Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam
- Irfan-e Shariyat
- Hayat, Maut, Qabr, Hashr
- Rules of Milad and Qiyam
- Introduction to Shia
- The Reality of the Balakot Movement
- History of Ghairbi Sharif
- Karamaat of Gausul Azam
- Eid-e Milad un Nabi [ﷺ] and Naat Lahri
- Ahkam al-Mazar
- Question and Answers: Teaching of Aqaa’id and Masail
- Fatwa-e Salasa
- Fatwa-e Salasin
- Islah-e Beheshati Jewel
- Travelogue to Ajmer
- The Reality of Kalima
- Rahmatullil Alameen
Religious Service
To establish Sunnism, Principal M.A. Jalil (R) played an unparalleled role in the struggle against heretical sects. His unwavering resolve against groups hostile to saints and promoting extremism has turned him into a legend. His stance against any injustice was clear. His profound discussions during various Islamic seminars, sermons, and from the pulpit during Friday prayers provided audiences with a correct understanding of Islam.
Establishment of Religious Institutions
He established the Shahjahanpur Gausul Azam Jame Mosque, a center for promoting Sharia and Tariqah, located in the heart of the capital, Dhaka, as well as the Bibi Fatema Women’s Dakhil Madrasah in his native village. Additionally, he began publishing the monthly Sunnibarata in 1999.
Allama Hafiz Muhammad Abdul Jalil (R) served as the principal while also fulfilling the role of founding khatib of Shahjahanpur Gausul Azam Jame Mosque, located in the heart of Dhaka, and as the elected Secretary-General of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama’at. His contributions in the struggle against heretical sects to establish Sunnism in Bangladesh are noteworthy. His unwavering resolve against groups hostile to saints and promoting extremism has turned him into a legend. He took a clear stance against any injustice. His profound discussions during various Islamic seminars, sermons, and from the pulpit during Friday prayers provided audiences with a correct understanding of Islam.
Foreign Travel
Allama Hafiz Muhammad Abdul Jalil (R) made his first foreign trip in 1980. He visited the shrines of Hazrat Khawaja Garib Nawaz (R) in Ajmer Sharif, India, and Ala Hazrat Imam of Ahle Sunnat Hazrat Shah Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi (R) in Bareilly Sharif, gaining spiritual blessings. In 1982, at the invitation of the Iraqi government, he traveled to Baghdad to attend an Islamic conference as part of the Bangladesh Jamiyatul Modarressin delegation. During this visit, he was also fortunate enough to perform the Holy Hajj and visit sacred sites.
He visited the shrines of countless saints and prophets, including the shrine of Gausul Azam (R) in Karbala and Baghdad. He returned to Iraq twice in 1984 and 1985 at the invitation of the Iraqi government to attend an Islamic conference as a representative of Jamiyatul Modarressin, and he performed Hajj and Umrah during those trips. On November 24, 1997, he received the Khilafat of the Qadiriya order from Syed Abdul Rahman Jilani, the caretaker of the shrine in Baghdad. Allama Hafiz Muhammad Abdul Jalil (R) also established and managed the Hazrat Bibi Fatema (R) Women’s Dakhil Madrasah in his village, Amiapur.
Death
Mawlana Hafez Muhammad Abdul Jalil passed away on September 23, 2009. His shrine is located near the Bibi Fatema Women’s Dakhil Madrasa, which he established in his native village, beside his parents’ graves.
Legacy
His contributions to Islamic education, literature, and community development left a lasting impact on the Sunni Muslim community in Bangladesh. Mawlana Jalil is remembered for his steadfast commitment to the propagation of Sunni teachings and his influential role in Islamic scholarship.
Mawlana Hafez Muhammad Abdul Jalil (Rah.)’s Islamic Lecture video: