26 Facts About Shamsuddin Qasemi

Shamsuddin Qasemi was a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, politician, author and educationist.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was the founding president of the Khatme Nabuwwat Andolan Council, former secretary-general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, former principal of Jamia Madania Chittagong and Jamia Hussainia Arzabad, and the founding chief-editor of the monthly Paygam-e-Haqq and weekly Jamiat magazines.

Shamsuddin Qasemi is noted for his contributions during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

Shamsuddin Qasemi's father was a descendant of Ali Munshi, who was a wakil and munshi, trained in the Persian language.

Shamsuddin Qasemi's ancestors arrived in Chittagong in the 1660s, when Shah Shuja was seeking asylum in the region.

Shamsuddin Qasemi passed his dakhil, alim and fazil qualifications from the Harishpur madrasa.

Shamsuddin Qasemi studied various books there including Al-Hidayah, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, and Mishkat al-Masabih.

Shamsuddin Qasemi therefore enrolled for one year at Al-Jamiah al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah Jiri, a madrasa in Patiya, Chittagong that was modelled on the Deobandi methodology.

Shamsuddin Qasemi returned to Bengal in 1961, beginning his career as a teacher at the Sohagi Madrasa in Mymensingh.

Shamsuddin Qasemi played an important role in the establishment of Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania madrasa in Jatrabari Thana, serving as an unpaid teacher there for one year.

Shamsuddin Qasemi founded many madrasas in Bangladesh including Sholakbahar Madrasa in Chittagong, Jamia Madania Madrasa in Jatrabari, Jamiatul Madania Rajfulbaria in Savar and Madinatul Uloom in Aminbazar.

In 1975, Shamsuddin Qasemi became one of the founders of the Jamia Hussainia Arzabad in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Shamsuddin Qasemi served as this madrasa's Chief Muhaddith and Principal until his death.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was closely associated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, serving as vice-president, executive president and three-time elected secretary-general within a period of over thirty years.

When Fazlur Rahman Malik was appointed head of the Central Institute of Islamic Research in Karachi by the President of Pakistan Ayub Khan in 1961, Shamsuddin Qasemi organised a vigorous movement against it in Bengal.

Shamsuddin Qasemi opposed the Pakistan Army for its actions both in public and in writing, and assisted the freedom fighters in a number of ways.

Shamsuddin Qasemi organised a public rally in Bahadur Shah Park, Dhaka, where he gave a speech which resulted in the Pakistani soldiers imprisoning him at the Dhaka Cantonment.

Shamsuddin Qasemi declared a strike in Sylhet in response to Daud Haider's insulting poem against religion.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was arrested for this decision, although the Government of Bangladesh under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman eventually did exile Haider.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was elected as secretary-general in 1977, and on 25 February 1980.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was vice-president of the first Election Management Committee under Muhammadullah Hafezzi, and the inaugural organising secretary of the Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan in 1981.

In 1990, Shamsuddin Qasemi was one of the founding co-ordinators of the Islami Oikya Jote.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was the founding president of the Khatme Nabuwwat Movement Council and one of the foremost leaders of the Majlis-e-Tahaffuz Khatme Nabuwat Guild.

Shamsuddin Qasemi died on 19 October 1996, in his room at the Jamia Hussainia Arzabad, with his last word being labbayk whilst the adhan for Isha was being announced.

Shamsuddin Qasemi's janaza was led by Abdul Karim Shaykh-e-Kouria and he was in the graveyard adjacent to the Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard.

Shamsuddin Qasemi was the founder of the weekly Jamiat and monthly Paygham-e-Haqq magazines.