Abul Kalam Jakaria (Mufti)

Abul Kalam Zakaria (15 March 1956 – 11 March 2019), also known as Faqihul Millat, was a Bangladeshi Deobandi Islamic scholar, jurist, and educationist. He was the principal and the Grand Mufti of Jamea Qasimul Uloom Dargah Hazrat Shah Jalal Sylhet and editor of the monthly magazine al-Qasim. In the greater Sylhet region, he made unique and extraordinary contributions to the religious, educational, and various other social activities.

His educational journey began in 1963 when he enrolled in the Bagua Madrasa in his village. After completing his primary education in the village, he was admitted to Jamia Arabia Ramnagar Barmouttar Madrasa in Sunamganj Sadar in 1969, where he started his higher secondary studies. In 1973, he moved to Jamea Qasimul Uloom Dargah Hazrat Shah Jalal Madrasah, Sylhet. After studying the Tafseer of the Quran, Hadith, the principles of Hadith, and various other Islamic sciences here for five years, he participated in the Dawra-e-Hadith exam organized by Azad Dini Edara-e-Taleem Bangladesh in 1978 and secured 1st place in the merit list. In 2001, he became assistant secretary of education at Jamia Dargah. In 2006, he became the assistant director, and in 2009, he took the responsibility as a director, serving in this role until his death.

Personal life In 1980, he married Rukaiya Begum, the second daughter of Maulana Abdul Haque Saykhe Gazinagari, an Islamic scholar from Sylhet.

Editorial works He edited various books, including Maktab Lession (4th Volume), Short Talimul Islam Volumes 1, 2, and 3, Addurusul Arabia, Urdu Adab, al-Irshad, which are from Azad dini Edara e Taleem Bangladesh and so on. Apart from these, he was the editor of the monthly magazine al-Qasim, the official publication and representative of Jamea Qasimul Uloom Dargah Hazrat Shah Jalal, Sylhet. The following day (Tuesday), his funeral prayer was organised at 11 AM in the field of the Sylhet Government Alia Madrasah. The funeral prayer was led by Muhibbul Haque Gachbari, the Sheikhul Hadith of Dargah Madrasah. After the funeral prayer, he was buried in the cemetery in front of the Darul Ikama building of Jamea Qasimul Uloom Dargah Hazrat Shah Jalal.