Bangladesh is the third largest Muslim-majority country in the world. It emerged as a nation state in 1971. One of the fundamental principles of the Constitution of this nation state is dharmanirapeksta or religious neutrality, popularly understood as secularism.[^1] Between 1947 and 1971 Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan, a country established in 1947 by parting India on the basis of the religious identity of its population. Upon experiencing the abuse of religion during the Pakistan era and also during the war of liberation, and above all, in order to ensure equality of every individual as a citizen regardless of caste and creed, Bangladesh incorporated dharmanirapeksta into its constitution as one of the fundamental principles in its fold.
However, long before the country's political adoption of this principle, the shaykhs and some adherents of the Maizbhandariyya Tariqa, especially Hazrat Sayyid Delaor Husayn, preached an ideal called jatidharmanirbisese (regardless of caste and creed), an ideal identical to the political concept of dharmanirapeksata in upholding the universal value of humanity in lieu of religious identity. Grounded in the Qur'an and other sufi genres, Hazrat Delaor Husayn elaborated this concept, among others, in a doctrine called tawhid-e-adyan or unity of religions. Husayn analyzed the concept of jatidharmanirbisese as well as the doctrine of tawhid-e-adyan in his book Vilayat-e-Mutlaqa (VM) published in 1959. In the Vilayat, he contends that the doctrine of tawhid-e-adyan is capable of eradicating religious conflicts and uniting humanity as it engages every faith and respective practices (*acardharma*) in its fold.
Nevertheless, the ideals of jatidharmanirbisese and tawhid-e-adyan were not in conformity with the ideals of the ulama and ruling elites of Pakistan. As a new nation, Pakistan experienced the problem of national integration from the very beginning.[^2] A specific brand of Islam, not humanity or any forms of democratic ideals, eventually emerged as a political tool for national integration. Against this background, Hazrat Delaor Husayn provides a new interpretation of identity that transcends the political slogans of the ruling elites and religious establishments. In this chapter, I argue that Sayyid Delaor Husayn's understanding of Islam and the Qur'an was counter-hegemonic against the exclusivist perception of Islam that was propagated by both the ruling elites and the ulama of the then Pakistan, and that the ideals of tawhid-e-adyan and jatidharmanirbisheshe were more inclusivist, universal and transcendental than the popular understanding of the concepts of communal harmony and ethnic identity promoted by the oppositions and cultural organizations especially of East Pakistan. My argument is mostly based on Hazrat Delaor Husayn's book the Vilayat-e-Mutlaqa[^3] or the unrestricted sovereignty of sainthood of love.
Biographical Sketch
Sayyid Delaor Husayn Maizbhandari was born in 1892 in the district of Chittagong, Bangladesh. He was the grandson of Maulana Sayyid Ahmadullah Maizbhandari (d. 1906), the founder of the Maizbhandariyya tariqa. Husayn lost his father at a very early age and was raised by his grandparents. His grandfather passed away when he was only thirteen. Husayn used to sit beside his grandfather at his court (*darbar*) since the age of four or five. He followed his grandfather throughout his life in such a manner that the Maizbhandariyya fellow and scholar Selim Jahangir, in the postscript of the 8th edition of the Vilayat-e-Mutlaqa, described Husayn to be a mirror of his grandfather Shaykh Ahmadullah. At the age of twenty-three, Husayn married Sayyida Sajida Khatun, the second daughter of Maulana Sayyid Ghulam ar-Rahman (d. 1937), the second shaykh of the tariqa. He fathered five sons and six daughters.
Jahangir informs that Hazrat Delaor Husayn received his first lesson in education at the age of five from his grandfather. In addition to his grandfather, Mawlana Waliullah and later Mawlana Tofajjal Husayn tutored him in mastering the Arabic, Persian, and Urdu languages. During his student life, Husayn excelled in studying the Qur'an, hadith, Islamic jurisprudence, and philosophy. He wrote at least ten books on the Maizbhandariyya tariqa, among which Ghawthul Azam Maizbhandarir Jibani o Karamat (Biography and Miracles of Ghawth al-Azam Maizbhandari) and Vilayat-e-Mutlaqa are the most prominent. In addition to the Qur'an and hadith, Husayn consulted twenty-nine books written in Arabic and Persian and three books written in Bengali language while writing the Vilayat, in which Husayn described theological, philosophical as well as methodological aspects of the tariqa.
Hazrat Delaor Husayn was also a competent organizer and was well known for his social welfare activities. He not only embodied both formal and mystical or inner aspects of the religion of Islam but also a thirst for imparting education. He founded the Ahmadiyya Junior Madrasa in 1914 and established the Maizbhandar Ahmadiyya Primary School in 1943. With the aim of establishing unity among various sufi paths and advancing the cause of religion of the entire humanity, he founded the Anjuman-e-Mottabein-e-Ghawth-e-Maizbhandari in 1949.
Husayn led a very simple life. He used to describe himself as the servant of those who follow the path of Allah. He died at the age of 89 on January 16th, 1982, with the instruction that there should not be any celebration of his death or birthdays. He also instructed his followers not to erect any mausoleum over his tomb. In honor of his wishes, Husayn's sons and followers refrain from arranging any celebratory programs, but rather organize programs such as tree plantings, mobile eye clinics, and blood donation drives in lieu of traditional birthday or death celebrations (*urs*).
Vilayat-e-Mutlaqa: Structure and the Doctrine of Sainthood
The Vilayat is comprised of fifteen chapters of unequal lengths and an addendum. The first chapter begins with the definition of prophethood and sainthood, while the last chapter ends with the justification of performing dance and music. The chapters in between discuss the various kinds of mystical journeys, the biography of Mawlana Sayyid Ahmadullah, the Maizbhandariyya path, the ecstatic statements and miracles of the founding shaykh of the tariqa, and other related issues.
In chapter one, Hazrat Delaor Husayn introduces many forms of vilayat or sainthood. He states that God blessed Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be peace) with two great mercies: nabuwwat (prophethood) and vilayat (sainthood). The term nabuwwat means transmitting message. Nabuwwat is also a special attribute, one that cannot be acquired. God bestows this attribute to whomever He chooses. The term vilayat, on the other hand, derives from the word wala,[^4] meaning achieving closeness or nearness.[^5] It is a relationship of love. Vilayat is of two types: vilayat-e-iman and vilayat-e-ahsan. Any faithful person may attain the stage of vilayat-e-iman, but vilayat-e-ahsan is the closest mysterious relationship with God, and a power. Thus, only prophets and saints (*awliya*) could attain the stage of vilayat-e-ahsan. The state of nabuwwat ended with the demise of the Prophet Muhammad, but vilayat-e-ahsan would continue up until the end of time (VM 12).
Husayn argues that those who control their carnal self and fight against their ego in order to attain nearness to God can be defined as malamiyya wali or saint. He notes that Bu Ali Qalander[^6] is related to the Qalandariyya path[^7] and was a follower of a doctrine called tawhid-e-adyan (unity of religions). The doctrine insists that, though there are differences among the various world religions in their outward expression, the core of all religions is the same, as the objective of all the religion is God. Other notable scholars and sufis who are connected to this doctrine are Muhy al-Din ibn al-'Arabi, Amer ibn al-Fares, Jalal al-Din Rumi, Abd al-Karim Jili, and Abu Yazid Bistami (VM 13–14).
Moreover, there are three hierarchical stages of vilayat: vilayat-e-sughra or those who acquired the status above the ordinary believers; vilayat-e-wasta or those who acquired an intermediary status above the angels; and vilayat-e-'uzma or the highest level of power, the possessor of which is able to exert power and influence upon the entire creation. The wali who possesses ghawthiyat or the supreme authority to rescue is known as ghawth al-azam or the savior. He is a bi 'l-isalat or natural and born wali, and by the will of God he emerges as the beneficial savior (*mangalmoy trankarta*) of the creation (VM 14).
Husayn substantiates his argument by saying that one might understand the above categories by observing the nature of prophethood of Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad. Prophet Abraham belongs to the Muhammadi category, whose method of vilayat is known as shahudiyya or observational method — after observing the sun, moon and other objects, he came to believe in the existence of a supreme permanent power, Allah. On the other hand, prophet 'Isa or Jesus belongs to the Ahmadi category, described in sufi literature as the wujudiyya (self-reflective or self-visioning) method. He notes that the Muhammadi prophethood combines the shariat or disciplinary and tariqat or mystical paths together, and that Prophet Muhammad is regarded not only as the last prophet but also as maraj al-bahrain or the point of confluence for both Ahmadi and Muhammadi streams (VM 19).
*This article is the first in a three-part series. Part 2 examines the doctrine of tawhid-e-adyan and the spiritual genealogy of Mawlana Ahmadullah. Part 3 analyses the social and historical dimensions of the Maizbhandariyya discourse.*
Notes
[^1]: The Bengali word dharmanirapeksata is translated as secularism in the Constitution of the country (Article 12). For a discussion on secularism in South Asian context, see Riaz 2004, 21–22.
[^2]: Jahan 1972.
[^3]: I have used the eighth edition of the book.
[^4]: Waw-lam-ya.
[^5]: For details, see Cornell 1998, xvii–xx.
[^6]: Sharaf al-Din Bu 'Ali Qalander Panipati (d. 1324?).
[^7]: See Karamustafa 2006, 91. It was probably Abu Sa'id Abi'l-Khayr (d. 1049) who blended the Malamati and the Qalandari modes of mysticism together. For details, see Toussulis 2010, 82–89.
Works Cited (Selected)
Cornell, Vincent J. 1998. Realm of the Saint: Power and Authority in Moroccan Sufism. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Husayn, Sayyid Delaor. 2001. Velayat-e-Mutlaqa, eighth edition. Chittagong: Anjuman-e-Mottabe'in-e-Ghawth-e-Maizbhandari.
Jahan, Rounaq. 1972. Pakistan: Failure in National Integration. NY: Columbia University Press.
Karamustafa, Ahmet T. 2006. God's Unruly Friends: Dervish Groups in the Islamic Middle Period 1200–1550. Oxford, UK: Oneworld.
Riaz, Ali. 2004. God Willing: The Politics of Islamism in Bangladesh. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Toussulis, Yannis. 2010. Sufism and the Way of Blame: Hidden Sources of a Sacred Psychology. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books.
