Pilgrims' progress

Arindam Sarkar

His drooping eyes are captivating and his disarming smile infectious. Sitting inside the thrifty office of the Furfura Islam Mission Korani Sunni Jamiatul Muslemin Hezbollah, the tall, lithe, handsome and articulate Pirzada Sauban Siddiqui said their Silsila had nothing to do with politics. They pursue social reforms and spread education in the Muslim community.

“We preach and believe in Iman (trust), Amal (good work) and Ehsaan (service to people),” said Sauban Siddiqui, the grandson of Boro Hujur Pir Kebla Abdullah Hai Siddiqui.

Enter Furfura Dargah Sharif. Perhaps the holiest of the Dargahs in eastern India, and Bangladesh, this Sufi destination is engaged in establishing madrasas, hospitals and preaching of Islam – as propagated by Prophet Mohammed and recorded in Shariat and Hadith – since the late 19^th century. Today, every year lakhs of devotees visit the mazhar of Hazrat Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui at Furfura Sharif to pay their respect to the Islamic reformer and educationist.

The Pir Sahebs and Pirzadas of Furfura Sharif, who are the descendents of Muzzaded-e-Zaman, Hazrat Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui, whose Islamic teachings, social reforms and divinity made the Furfura Silsila famous, keep away from politics. But recently, Pirzada Twaha Siddiqui expressed displeasure that panchayat elections in Bengal were being held in the holy month of Ramazan. He said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should have prevented such an occurrence.

“Times are changing. How many actually do roja, namaaz and ibadat religiously. We are not into politics, however I believe roja will make it difficult for people to participate in polls during Ramazan,” said the soft-spoken, leading Pir of Furfura Sharif Abu Ibrahim Mohammed Obaidullah Siddiqui.

Situated in Hooghly district, Furfura Sharif, which in Persian means “pure happiness”, is 43 Km from Kolkata. With a population of over 40,000 people, Furfura is like any other innocuous village of the country. The buildings and the life at the estate of Furfura Dargah Sharif, which are spread over 18 acres, are simple and frugal. “On Mondays and Fridays, hundreds pray at the masjid here. In the month of Ramazan, thousands do namaz at Furfura Sharif,” said a Hezbollah member Nurul Islam.

Inside Furfura Dargah Sharif, stands the 400-year-old Medina Masjid. It is made of mud and its exterior was plastered a few decades back. It is perhaps the only masjid in Bengal where the muazzin does not use a microphone for azaan. The muazzin’s call for five-time namaz is relayed and villagers come to attend the prayers. Two years back, Pir Saheb Abu Ibrahim Siddiqui built a small replica of Kaaba on the roof of the masjid and erected a 40 feet high minaret close by.

In the beginning of March, during the famous three-day annual function of Furfura Sharif – Esale Sawab – people of Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh congregate here to pray for peace and participate in religious discourses. Started modestly by Furfura founder Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui to preach Islam and clean the religion of pollution, today a lakh prays at Furfura Sharif on each of these days.

“We believe in khidmat, unity of religions, social work and religious teachings. People come here and stay at Darul Sunna and Darul Ansar (guest houses) to participate in the function,” said Pir Saheb Abu Ibrahim Mohammed Obaidullah Siddiqui, who conducts the concluding prayer of the Esale Sawab.

In October, a one-day Esale Sawab is observed in the memory of Boro Hujur Pir Kebla Abdul Hai Siddiqui. More than 50,000 people gather at Furfura Sharif to pray on that occasion. On both the religious functions, Furfura Sharif provides free meal to the religious preachers and pilgrims. “We stress on the teachings of Shariat (believe in Allah), Haqeeqat (right niyaat while doing roja, namaz, etc.), Tareekat (observe the right code of conduct) and lastly Marrefat (spiritual upliftment),” explained Sauban Siddiqui.

The place that attracts people everyday at Furfura Sharif is the austere mazhar of Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui. Unlike the grand mazhars of Salim Chisti at Agra and Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti at Ajmer, this place looks like an ordinary grave with strict laws for those coming to seek the blessings of the departed saint.

No one is allowed to lay chaadar, do saazda and put flowers, light incense sticks or sprinkle rose water at the mazhar of Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui. And women are also not allowed inside. In spite of this, devotees from India and Bangladesh regularly visit the mazhar of the social reformer and educationist, whose five, pir sons are also buried beside him, under an open, cemented pavilion.

Born in 1846, Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddiqui began to propagate Islam at the age of 24. Realising that illiterates and superstitions threatened Islam and there were no educated moulvis to save the religion from pollution, he began to travel extensively in Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh. He addressed huge gatherings and preached Islam. 

Soon, Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui admitted that knowledge was the only way through which the community could develop and Islam could be protected from ignorant. “Writer’s ink is more valuable than martyr’s blood,” he said. In 1900, he decided to establish madrasa and maqtab in Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Bangladesh. In 1902, he set up the Furfura Madrasa, which in 1908 became famous as Furfura Fatehia Senior Madrasa. The junior madrasa was set up in 1915 and in 1926 the New Scheme of high madrasa was founded.

“Nearly 3,000 students study in the three madrasas at Furfura. Many orphans are given free education and boarding. We now run 650 madrasas. In Bangladesh, Furfura has madrasa in 53 out of their 64 districts,” said Pirzada Muzahed Siddiqui.

Darussalam at Mirpur in Dhaka is designed like Taj Mahal and the Pakshi Khanka Sharif is designed like emperor Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra. In these two madrasas alone, more than 10,000 students study. “At Riazul Jannat Masjid in Pabna, 15,000 pray at a time,” added Pirzada Muzahed Siddiqui.

In the last 100 years, several charitable organizations run by Furfura Dargah Sharif have built masjids, madrasas, yatim khanas, mehman khanas and hospitals in Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh. “Following Partition, since lakhs of devotees of Furfura Dargah Sharif remained on the other side of Bengal, we continue our charitable work there. Every year, at least 40,000 people from Bangladesh visit Furfura Sharif,” said Sauban Siddiqui.

Even today, far from the media spotlight, the descendents of Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui are relentlessly preaching Islam and doing charitable works. The pirs and pirzadas of Furfura Dargah Sharif regularly address Jalsas (religious meetings) in the evenings and the nights in the villages to preach the words of Prophet Mohammed and work for the uplift of the poor.

The Khankas (open conference halls) and the Parliament building at Furfura Sharif are meeting places, where devotees come daily to interact with the pirzadas and the pirs at daytime. “Education, spiritual training and social uplift of the poor are the principle initiatives of Furfura Sharif,” said Pir Saheb Abu Ibrahim Mohamed Obaidullah Siddiqui.

Over the years, the villagers claimed, nothing has changed in Furfura Sharif. The ambience is rural, life is austere and the daily existence simple. Inside the Sufi school, the muftis of Darul Iftaa (the fatwa section) keep a close watch on the religious and education activities and ensure that the successors of Hazrat Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui of Furfura Dargah Sharif do silently but steadfastly carry forward his Silsila.  

      

THE FAMOUS FIVE

The sons of Hazrat Pir Abu Bakar Siddiqui succeeded him. They carried forward his legacy and made Furfura Dargah Sharif a pilgrimage for the people.

Hazrat Maulana Shah Sufi Abdul Hai Siddiqui: Boro Hujur travelled extensively and gave speeches to bring the people out of the influence of uneducated Fakirs, Bedayat, Besara Pirs, etc., and rescue Islam from ignorant. A great orator, he often began to speak in Jalsa at 9 pm and concluded at dawn. In 1974, he spoke for eight hours at Baitul Mokarram in Dhaka.

He established many madrasas, including the first Girls’ High Madrasa at Choktajpur in Hooghly. He believed society could not advance without women’s education.

Hazrat Maulana Abu Jafar Siddiqui: Mejo Hujur emphasized that Bengali Muslims must learn to read and write in Bengali to embrace Islam. He set up many madrasas.

Nazmus Sadayat Morhum Hazrat `Nwa’ Hujur: He expanded the estate of Furfura Dargah Sharif. He built the first charitable hospital in the name of Pir Abu Bakar. Adopted bright students and gave them free education at madrasa. He also set up a Furfura maqtab.

Hazrat Maulana Shah Sufi Abdul Qader Siddiqui: Sejo Hujur worked among the poor and helped in their social and economic uplift.

Ashiq-e-Rasul Hazrat Zulfikar Ali Siddiqui: Choto Hujur renovated the mosque and regularly read namaz there with the jamat. He also built a moktab near the mosque. He read the janaza and dua for the dead at Furfura and distant lands. He had a huge following in Bangladesh.