Allama Nurul Islam Faruqi
Islamic scholar, businessman, politician, and Islamic preacher.
Birth
Maulana Sheikh Nurul Islam Faruqi was born on November 24, 1959, in the Nawtari Nobabganj village of the Panchagarh district, into a respectable family of scholars led by Maulana Jamshed Ali. His father Jamshed Ali was a distinguished scholar and a brave soldier of Sunnism, having earned a place in the hearts of countless Sunni Muslims.
Education
He completed his primary and higher secondary education at a school in Nawtari Nobabganj village. In 1975, he passed the Dakhil exam from Chilahati Jamiaul Ulum Senior Madrasa in the Domar sub-district of Nilphamari and later obtained the Alim degree. In 1979, he received his Kamal (Hadith Department) degree from the historic Charsina Darus Sunnat Alia Madrasa in Barisal. He passed higher secondary in the humanities at Nilphamari Government College in 1981 and obtained a bachelor’s degree from Jagannath College in the same field. His brilliance was such that he excelled in writing, speaking, and reciting the Quran from his student days.
Career and Responsibilities
He initially served as the Khatib of the Raishahber Bazar Mosque in Old Dhaka. Soon after, he became the head of the Nuraniya Chishtiya Alia Madrasa in Keraniganj, Dhaka. In 1989, he traveled to Mecca for his first Hajj and later took on the responsibility of an imam at a mosque at Jeddah Airport before returning to Dhaka. Over 33 years, he served as an imam and Khatib in various mosques in Dhaka and beyond. He also taught in various Alia madrasas for 15 years and conducted religious broadcasts on radio and television for 25 years.
Allama Nurul Islam Faruqi (RA) traveled across the country for religious gatherings, presenting rational arguments in favor of Sunnism. He was one of the few scholars who spoke boldly against the adversaries of Islam, clarifying the distinctions between Yazidi Islam and Hussaini Islam. His notable programs gained significant popularity, allowing him to travel to over 10 countries in the Muslim world. For 25 years, he facilitated Hajj activities, ensuring that people could perform the pilgrimage correctly. He served for ten years at the grave of Allama Syed Mohammad Maliki Aladi (RA) in Mecca and performed services at the shrine of Peer Abu Jafar Mohammad Saleh (RA) in Charsina.
Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqi also chaired an organization called Islamic Media for Public Welfare, served as the secretary of the East Rajabazar Mosque, and was the managing director of Meghna Travels.
Popular Media Personality
He gained immense popularity through the Islamic programs “Kafela” and “Shanti Path” on Channel I, becoming well-known among Bengali-speaking Muslims. He traveled extensively for these programs.
Travel
Through the Kafela program, he visited many countries, including the USA, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Turkey, Italy, Iran, and Egypt.
Publications
He authored several books focused on Sufism, with his latest being “Marifal Haramain,” which presents the unaltered forms of Islam to the public.
Personal Life
Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqi was married twice, with four sons and two daughters from both marriages. His sons are Masudur Faruqi, Faisal Faruqi, Mohammad Fuad Faruqi, and Ahmed Reza Faruqi, while his daughters are Humaira Tabassum Tuba and Labiba Luba. Masudur and the two daughters are from his first marriage.
Personality
Shahid Allama Nurul Islam Faruqi (RA) was known for his integrity, courage, fairness, and sense of duty. He was a true devotee of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and faced adversaries of Islam fearlessly. Every year, during the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal, he played a significant role in organizing celebrations for Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi.
In a time when misinformation was rampant, he presented the true history of Islam and the correct interpretations of the Quran and Hadith, guiding Muslims towards the right path. His Kafela program educated many about Islamic history and the significance of the graves of prophets and companions.
He was dedicated to Islam and always hoped for a martyr’s death, which he often expressed in his programs and sermons. Allah accepted his wish, granting him martyrdom.
Martyrdom
On the night of August 27, 2014, he was brutally murdered by extremists posing as Islamic radicals in his home at 174 East Rajabazar. Reports indicate that his brother Faisal discovered him after freeing his brother Maruf from being tied up and found their father dead in the dining room, a victim of a horrific murder.
Millions attended his funeral prayers, and he was buried beside his parents in his native village (Panchagarh). People visit his shrine daily, and various Islamic organizations commemorate his death anniversary every year.
Reactions
Faruqi’s wife claimed that if the mysterious woman involved in the case was arrested, the culprits would be identified. His son Ahmed Reza Faruqi stated that his father believed in the Sunni ideology and received threats via mobile and social media from those opposed to his views. The murder was planned by extremists from the Kharijite-Wahhabi Ahle Hadith sect.
In the wake of his murder, several Islamic groups protested, demanding the swift arrest of the perpetrators, and demonstrations were held nationwide. Members of his organization, Ahle Sunnat, protested against the murder by blocking roads in Chattogram. In August 2014, Bangladesh Islamic Chhatra Sena’s chief Muhammad Nurul Haque Chishti announced a half-day strike across Bangladesh demanding justice for Faruqi.
