Unveiling Sufi Legacies in Dhaka of Bangladesh: A Chronological Discourse on Islamic Heritage

Saeyd Rashed Hasan Chowdury

doi:10.20414/ujis.v28i2.873

Saeyd Rashed Hasan Chowdury Bartin University, Bartin, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3864-1378

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v28i2.873

Abstract

Dhaka’s landscape is adorned with centuries-old mosques and shrines, a testament to the enduring legacy of Sufi mystics who propagated Islam in the region. Sufis, Islamic mystics, played a pivotal role in establishing Islam in Bengal. This study delves into the arrival, motivations, and practices of these Sufi figures within Dhaka, Bangladesh. By examining biographies and historical records, it explores how Sufis, through their exemplary character, compassionate outreach, and establishment of social institutions like khankahs and dargahs, profoundly influenced the spread of Islam. Even in the face of persecution, the Sufis’ dedication laid the foundation for a new social order, shaping the region’s religious landscape for centuries. Their willingness to engage with Hindu and Buddhist communities on social and spiritual matters fostered a peaceful acceptance of Islam, leading to a significant shift in the region’s religious makeup. By examining Sufi activities, this research sheds light on the historical processes that shaped Dhaka’s religious identity and offer valuable insights for understanding Islamic propagation dynamics.

Keywords: Sufism, Dhaka, Islamization, Sufi Khanqahs and Dargahs, Socio-Religious Dynamics, Cultural Impact, Interfaith Harmony, Modern Challenges to Sufism

Author Biography

Saeyd Rashed Hasan Chowdury, Bartin University, Bartin, Turkey

I am currently employed as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Basic Islamic Sciences (Sufism) within the Faculty of Islamic Sciences at Bartin University in Bartin, Türkiye. I completed my PhD degree from the Department of Basic Islamic Sciences (Sufism), Graduate School of Social Sciences, Ankara University, Turkey, with the thesis “Preserving Inner Peace in Islam in the Context of the Sufi-Salafi Conflict in the Indian Subcontinent”. In addition, I achieved 4.00 out of 4.00 in first position (1000 out of 1000 marks) in my PhD coursework from the Graduate School of Social Sciences, Ankara University, Turkey.

In 2016, I achieved a Turkish Government Scholarship. I pursued my second Master of Social Sciences program at the Institute of Social Sciences, Ankara University. Having the highest CGPA (4.00 out of 4.00) as well as the first position with the highest marks (achieved 966 marks out of 1000 marks) at the Graduate School of Social Sciences in the Ankara University’s 2018-2019 postgraduate examination, I have been awarded the Most Meritorious Student Award’ 2019 from the Honourable Turkish President Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the first Bangladeshi.

The University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, awarded me the “Dean’s Merit List of Honour Award” for my bachelor’s and the “Dean’s Merit List of Excellence Award” for my master’s results. However, I achieved Dr Syed M. Saidur Rahman Al Mahbubi Gold Medal, 2015, from the President of Bangladesh (Mr Abdul Hamid) for the first position in Master of Arts results in the University of Dhaka with the highest CGPA of 4.00 out of (4.00). In addition, I received a two-year master’s degree in the Department of Hadith from the Islamic University Kustia in Bangladesh.

I was awarded the “Gold Medal” by Kirsheir Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey, for my excellent performance in the international student competition in 2017. In 2017, I researched my field for a month at the University of Gdansk in Poland. In 2018, I achieved the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) 2018 Summer School program at the University of Erfurt in Germany. The same year, I participated in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Youth Media Capacity Building Summer Conference & Camp 2018. I have interviewed many prominent Daily newspapers and television channels in Asia and Europe. However, I am a director (Program) and School coordinator of the Religion and Humanity Studies of the Center for Research and Policy Studies (cenraps.org) in 2017. I am also the assistant editor of the International Journal of Social, Political and Economic Research (IJoSPER) and the CenRaPS Journal of Social Sciences. However, in 2022, I achieved a scholarship from Qatar University, participated in the Arabic program, and received a B2-level certificate.

So far, I have published about 28 peer-reviewed research articles in high indexed journals , as well as conference papers, book chapters and a book in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Cyprus, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia.

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	All	Since 2013
Citations	1771	1520
h-index	20	17
i10-index	46	37

Unveiling Sufi Legacies in Dhaka of Bangladesh: A Chronological Discourse on Islamic Heritage

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