Ibrahim Ali Tashna

Shāh Muḥammad Ibrāhīm ʿAlī (; 1872 – 11 September 1931) was a Bengali Islamic scholar, poet and activist of the Khilafat Movement. He wrote poetry in the Bengali, Urdu and Persian languages under the pen name of Tashna . His magnum opus Agnikuṇḍa is a compilation of his writings during his imprisonment.

Early life and family Shah Muhammad Ibrahim Ali was born in 1872, to a Bengali Muslim family in the village of Batiail in Kanaighat, Sylhet District. His father, Mawlana Shah Abdur Rahman Qadri, was a notable mufti by occupation. His elder brother was Ismail Alam. The family was descended from Shah Taqiuddin, a 14th-century Sufi missionary and companion of Shah Jalal.

Education Ali initially studied at home with his father before enrolling at the Ajiria Madrasa in Fulbari, Golapganj. After completing his education there, he studied at the Darul Uloom Deoband in North India. Ali spent nine years in Deoband, studying under the likes of Fazal Haq Deobandi, Muhammad Munir Nanautavi and Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad.

He was married to Asiya Khatun, and had several children including Oliur Rahman.

Career Returning to his country, Ali began his career in the sector of Islamic education. In addition to the Imdadul Uloom Umarganj in Kanaighat (est. 1899), Ali established multiple educational institutions such as Sarakerbazar Ahmadiyya Madrasa. At this time, the teaching of tajwid was not prevalent in the Jaintia plains, and so Ali began a tajwid initiative at his madrasa in Umarganj.

In 1902, Ali set off towards Delhi in North India for second time, along with his students. He completed Hadith studies for two years under Nazir Ahmad Deobandi. A popular folk saying emerged as result of the popularity of Tashna and his accomplice's religious gatherings:

Imprisonment and activism Under the instructions of Mahmud Hasan Deobandi, Tashna became actively involved with the Khilafat Movement which sought to restore the Ottoman Caliphate. Tashna used to give public speeches in Bengali and Urdu, As a result of his association with this movement, the colonial authorities imprisoned Tashna. The armed British were able to conduct a swift victory, by shooting down six people dead and injuring 38 others.

Works Tashna wrote several books in Urdu such as Tajvid, Sharh Kafiyyah and Sharh Usul ash-Shashi. He is described as a natural poet, and has written many poems and qasidas in Urdu and Persian, which gained him repute in North India. His writings were regularly published in various periodicals published from North India at that time, and Akbar Allahabadi was among his fans. The Nurer Jhangkar magazine was published by his son from 1934. Agnikuṇḍa was a compilation of songs relating to the longing and love of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and is regarded as Tashna's magnum opus.

Death Tashna died in his own home at Kanaighat at the age of 61, on 11 September 1931. He left behind four sons and one daughter.