Jamir Uddin Nanupuri

Jamir Uddin Nanupuri (1936 – 5 February 2011) was a Bangladeshi Sufi-oriented Islamic scholar who served as the third Director-General of Jamia Islamia Obaidia Nanupur and was active in traditional waz mahfils.^[1] He was the spiritual successor of Sultan Ahmad Nanupuri in the Sufi tradition. He also founded the Al Manahil Welfare Foundation Bangladesh, and over 500 madrasas known as 'Jamiria madrasa' were established under his name or influence.

Jamir Uddin Nanupuri was born in 1936 in the village of Nanupur, located in Fatikchhari, Chittagong District, to Abdul Gafur and Amena Begum.^[2] His early education began at home and in a local primary school, where he studied the Quran and basic subjects. He also read introductory Islamic texts such as Bahishti Zewar and Rahe Najat under a local imam, Abdus Salam. A visit to his maternal grandparents’ home in Patiya exposed him to a sermon by Azizul Haque, which inspired him to pursue formal Islamic education.^[2] He subsequently enrolled at Darul Uloom Hathazari, where he completed his Dawra-e-Hadith in 1960.^[3] During his studies, he was taught by scholars including Ahmadul Haque (Panj Ganj, Ilm al-Sigha), Abdul Aziz (Nahw-e-Mir, Hidayat al-Nahw, Kafiyah), Muhammad Hamed (Mirqat), and Shah Abdul Wahhab (Quduri). He also studied under Muhammad Faizullah and later received an ijazah in Sahih al-Bukhari from Yusuf Banuri.^[2]

Nanupuri began his teaching career in 1960 at Bathua Madrasa in Chittagong, where he taught subjects such as Sharh-e-Jami, Sullamul Uloom, Maibuzi, and Tafsir al-Jalalayn.^[2] In 1965, he joined Jamia Islamia Obaidia Nanupur as a senior teacher and was appointed Director-General in 1985.^[4] During his leadership, the madrasa saw growth with the introduction of new departments, increased student enrollment, and improved infrastructure.^[2] Prior to this, he served as the madrasa’s education secretary.^[2] In 1998, he established the Al Manahil Welfare Foundation Bangladesh.^[5] By 2011, his followers had founded over 113 madrasas named 'Jamiria madrasa,' and approximately 400 other madrasas and Hifz schools operated under his guidance.^[6] Nanupuri received spiritual succession (khilafat) from Sultan Ahmad Nanupuri, Yusuf Rafai of Qatar, and Shah Ahmad Shafi.^[7] His sermons were noted for including Urdu and Persian poetry focused on divine love,^[8][9] and during Ramadan, he regularly observed itikaf with thousands of disciples.^[4]

Nanupuri died on 5 February 2011. His funeral prayer was held the next day at the Jamia Islamia Obaidia Nanupur grounds, led by Shah Ahmad Shafi, and he was buried in the madrasa cemetery.^[6] He was survived by seven sons and one daughter.^[6] As of 2019, nearly 500 madrasas across Bangladesh operate under the 'Jamiria madrasa' name.^[4]

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