Furfura Sharif
Encyclopedia
Furfura Sharif is a village in Jangipara
community development block of Srirampore subdivision
in Hooghly District
in the India
n state
of West Bengal
. It is a holy place for Muslims.
built by Muqlish Khan in 1375 is a site for Muslim pilgrimage, especially during the Pir’s
mela (fair). It attracts large number of pilgrims during Urs
festival.
Muslims in the area are believed to be chiefly Ashraf
s and are said to be descendants of Muslims who invaded Bengal in the 14th century. There is a tradition that the Bagdi
king who ruled here was defeated by Hazrat Shah Kabir Halibi and Hazrat Karamuddin, both of whom were killed in the battle. Their tombs are revered to this day by both Hindus and Muslims.
The most important place within Furfura Sharif is the Mazaar Sharif (Tomb) of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique(Rh) and his five sons, popularly known as the 'Panch Huzur Keblah'. Thousands of people from all over India come to visit their tombs every year.
Hazrat Abu Bakr was born in 1846 in Furfura-Sharif. He was a social and religious reformer, so he was also known as 'Mujaddid
-e-Zaman'. He founded many charitable institutes, orphanages and free health center. He was also a great educationist who realized that it is through education he can free the society of all evils and so he founded several madrasas, schools and learning centers. In Furfura Sharif he established Madrasa, along with free boarding facilities for the underprivileged students. He encouraged female education by establishing a School for girls in Furfura Sharif named "Siddiqua High School". His contributions were recognized by several historians and literati. A journal, “The Muslim Digest”, published from Durban in South Africa, acknowledges him as an “illustrious, religious leader- fearless, God intoxicated and selfless as a preacher, he would never attack other religions.... and endeared himself to people from other communities and castes”. He was a great patriot and was involved in the freedom struggle of India.
He was the founder of the "Order Of Furfura Sharif" or "Silsila
-e-Furfura Sharif". He belonged to the Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat school of thoughts. He was also the founder of the religious congregation, which is still observed on the 21st 22nd and 23rd of Falgun Bengali month (Aprox 5th, 6th & 7th of March) every year by his grandsons. He did not prefer calling this congregation a "Urs
" but rather prefer it being called "Isale-Sawab"
In the year 1939 on 17 March he passed away leaving behind his five sons, millions of mourners all over the globe and a mission-“to serve the people”.
Villages in Furfura panchayat
are as follows: Furfura, Purba Durgapur, Gopalnagar, Hosenpur, Dakshindihi, Rampara, Toralpur, Chak Barada, Belpara, Ramnagar, Nilarpur, Chaurpur, Bakcha, Kashipur, Ramchandrapur, Hazipur, and Bhimpur.
in the district.
The Calcutta Madrasah controls three other “madrasah colleges” in the state — the “colleges” at Batna (in Malda district), Beldanga (in Murshidabad district) and Furfura Sharif. With the introduction of “modern subjects” including computer application, the teachers for these colleges will now be recruited through the Public Service Commission.
Sk Md Rofiqul Islam, Assistant Teacher and Teacher-in-Charge, Furfura Fatehia Senior Madrasah won the National Award for Teachers in 2007. It is because of this efforts that the institution is considered to be one of the best in the state. Amalgamating technology with traditional Islamic education, the madrasah not only offers computer science to its students, but also mobile repairing training to make its students self-reliant.
Jangipara
Jangipara is an administrative division in Srirampore subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Jangipara police station serves this block...
community development block of Srirampore subdivision
Srirampore subdivision
Srirampore subdivision , is a subdivision of the Hooghly district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of five municipalities and four community development blocks: Chanditala–I, Chanditala–II, Jangipara and Sreerampur Uttarpara. The four blocks contain 37 gram panchayats...
in Hooghly District
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. It is a holy place for Muslims.
History
The mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
built by Muqlish Khan in 1375 is a site for Muslim pilgrimage, especially during the Pir’s
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
mela (fair). It attracts large number of pilgrims during Urs
Urs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
festival.
Muslims in the area are believed to be chiefly Ashraf
Ashraf
Ashraf refers to someone claiming descent from Muhammad by way of his daughter Fatimah. The word is the plural of sharīf "noble", from sharafa "to be highborn"...
s and are said to be descendants of Muslims who invaded Bengal in the 14th century. There is a tradition that the Bagdi
Bagdi (caste)
The Bagdis are indigenous people descended from people with Dravidian links found in the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bagdis are populous in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of West Bengal...
king who ruled here was defeated by Hazrat Shah Kabir Halibi and Hazrat Karamuddin, both of whom were killed in the battle. Their tombs are revered to this day by both Hindus and Muslims.
The most important place within Furfura Sharif is the Mazaar Sharif (Tomb) of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique(Rh) and his five sons, popularly known as the 'Panch Huzur Keblah'. Thousands of people from all over India come to visit their tombs every year.
Hazrat Abu Bakr was born in 1846 in Furfura-Sharif. He was a social and religious reformer, so he was also known as 'Mujaddid
Mujaddid
A Mujaddid , according to the popular Muslim tradition, refers to a person who appears at the turn of every century of the Islamic calendar to revive Islam, remove from it any extraneous elements and restore it to its pristine purity...
-e-Zaman'. He founded many charitable institutes, orphanages and free health center. He was also a great educationist who realized that it is through education he can free the society of all evils and so he founded several madrasas, schools and learning centers. In Furfura Sharif he established Madrasa, along with free boarding facilities for the underprivileged students. He encouraged female education by establishing a School for girls in Furfura Sharif named "Siddiqua High School". His contributions were recognized by several historians and literati. A journal, “The Muslim Digest”, published from Durban in South Africa, acknowledges him as an “illustrious, religious leader- fearless, God intoxicated and selfless as a preacher, he would never attack other religions.... and endeared himself to people from other communities and castes”. He was a great patriot and was involved in the freedom struggle of India.
He was the founder of the "Order Of Furfura Sharif" or "Silsila
Silsila
Silsila is a 1981 Bollywood film directed by Yash Chopra. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Sanjeev Kumar and Rekha, with Shashi Kapoor in a special appearance.-Plot:...
-e-Furfura Sharif". He belonged to the Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat school of thoughts. He was also the founder of the religious congregation, which is still observed on the 21st 22nd and 23rd of Falgun Bengali month (Aprox 5th, 6th & 7th of March) every year by his grandsons. He did not prefer calling this congregation a "Urs
Urs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
" but rather prefer it being called "Isale-Sawab"
In the year 1939 on 17 March he passed away leaving behind his five sons, millions of mourners all over the globe and a mission-“to serve the people”.
Geography
Furfura is located at 22.74°N 88.13°EVillages in Furfura panchayat
Gram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
are as follows: Furfura, Purba Durgapur, Gopalnagar, Hosenpur, Dakshindihi, Rampara, Toralpur, Chak Barada, Belpara, Ramnagar, Nilarpur, Chaurpur, Bakcha, Kashipur, Ramchandrapur, Hazipur, and Bhimpur.
Demographics
Furfura had a population of 6,720 out of which 1,133 belonged to scheduled castes and 195 belonged to scheduled tribes.Education
Furfura High Madrasah, established in 1908, is the oldest high madrasahMadrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
in the district.
The Calcutta Madrasah controls three other “madrasah colleges” in the state — the “colleges” at Batna (in Malda district), Beldanga (in Murshidabad district) and Furfura Sharif. With the introduction of “modern subjects” including computer application, the teachers for these colleges will now be recruited through the Public Service Commission.
Sk Md Rofiqul Islam, Assistant Teacher and Teacher-in-Charge, Furfura Fatehia Senior Madrasah won the National Award for Teachers in 2007. It is because of this efforts that the institution is considered to be one of the best in the state. Amalgamating technology with traditional Islamic education, the madrasah not only offers computer science to its students, but also mobile repairing training to make its students self-reliant.