Nationality Bangladeshi Era Modern era Name Shah Shafi | ||
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Full Name Shah Ahmad Shafi Notable work(s) Establishing Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh | ||
Sheikh ul-Islam Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi (Bengali: শাহ আহমদ শফী) is the present chief of Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh, present rector of Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Hathazari and also the chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board. He was born in Rangunia, Chittagong and was educated at Hathazari Madrasah and Darul Uloom Deoband.
Contents
- Early life
- Career
- Views
- 2013 comments
- Responses
- Relationship with Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami
- Works
- References
Early life
He was born in Rangunia, Chittagong. He received his primary education from his family. Then he joined Al-Jamiatul Arabiatul Islamiah, Ziri and spent five or six months there. He was admitted to Hathazari Madrasah in 1930 at the age of 10. In Hathazari Madrasah he studied for 10 years. Then Shafi went to Darul Uloom Deoband for higher studies in the field of Hadith and Tafsir. He studied there for four years before returning to his homeland.
Career
Ahmad Shafi commenced his career as a teacher at Hathazari Madrasah. In 1987, he was elected rector of Hathazari Madrasah. Shafi is also the present chairman of Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasah Education Board.
Views
In 2009, Ahamd Shafi, along with Allama Azizul Haque and other senior Bengali Muslim scholars, in a joint statement to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, condemned terrorism and militancy committed in the name of Islam.
2013 comments
In 2013, a speech given by Ahmad Shafi at Hathazari, Chittagong was described as highly misogynist. He reportedly said: "Why are you sending your daughters to work in garment factories?... She goes to work after Fajr at 7/8:00am and does not come back even at 8/10/12 at night... You do not know which man she is hanging out with. You do not know how much zina (fornication) she is getting involved in."
Responses
The comments caused outrage among woman rights activists who demanded his imprisonment. Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh termed the statement of Shafi as "disgusting" and "distasteful".
Relationship with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
Although the Awami League describes him as a frontman for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, analysts say this is highly unlikely as Ahmad Shafi belongs to a band of Islamists that unlike Jamaat, did not oppose the independence of Bangladesh, and supported a united India and rejected the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
Works
Urdu:Without these there are many other books in Urdu and Bengali by Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi.