Syed Shah Israil Explained

Honorific Prefix:Malik al-Ulama
Syed Shah Israil
Religion:Islam
Lineage:Syed Nasiruddin
Period:16th century
Relatives:Syed Pir Badshah (descendant)
Nationality:Bengal Sultanate
Birth Place:Taraf, Greater Sylhet
Death Place:Taraf
Resting Place:Murarband Darbar Sharif, Chunarughat

Syed Shah Isra'il (Bengali: সৈয়দ শাহ ইসরাইল, Persian: {{Nastaliq|سید شاه اسرائیل), also known as Shah Bondegi (Bengali: শাহ বন্দেগী, Persian: {{Nastaliq|شاه بندگی; lit. King of Worship), was a 16th-century Persian language writer from Bengal.[1] He is celebrated as a renowned medieval author of the Sylhet region.[2] [3]

Background

Syed Israil was born into the aristocratic Bengali Muslim Syed family who were the landowners of Taraf, a renowned literary centre of learning in the eastern part of the Bengal Sultanate. His father was Syed Khudawand, the son of Syed Musafir - who was the son of Syed Sirajuddin, the son of Sipahsalar Syed Nasiruddin.[4] Israil was the second son; his older brother being Syed Mikail and his younger brother being Syed Bondegi Saif.

Life

Famed for his high proficiency in the Arabic and Persian languages, he wrote Ma'dan al-Fawa'id (Arabic: {{Nastaliq|معدن الفوائد, Mine of Benefits) in 941 AH (1534 AD).[5] This is the earliest book in the Sylhet region, and thus Israil is considered Sylhet's first author. He was awarded the title of Malik al-Ulama (Arabic: {{Nastaliq|ملك العلماء, king of scholars), just like his uncle Syed Ibrahim.[6]

Israil had 12 sons; Syed Hemad, Syed Taj Jalali, Syed Ismail (Chhoto Miah), Syed Abdullah Thani (Mezu Miah), Syed Ibrahim, Syed Muhammad, Syed Abdullah Muhammad, Syed Yaqub Faqirabadi, Syed Ilyas Quddus (Qutb al-Awlia), Syed Kamal, Syed Nuh and Syed Qutb.

Notes and References

  1. Book: History of Bangladesh, 1704-1971. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. 1992. 450. Sirajul Islam.
  2. Persian. Abu Musa Mohammad Arif Billah.
  3. Syed Murtaza Ali . Sylhet . Pakistan Quarterly . January 1952 . 2-3. 65.
  4. Book: East Pakistan District Gazetteers: Sylhet. East Pakistan Government Press. 116. 1970.
  5. Book: East Pakistan District Gazetteers. 1970. 325. East Pakistan Government Press.
  6. Book: Syed Hasan Imam Hussainy Chisti. Sharif Uddin Ahmed. Arabic and Persian in Sylhet. Sylhet: History and Heritage. Bangladesh Itihas Samiti. 1999. 984-31-0478-1. 600.