Farid Uddin Masood

Allamah Farid Uddin Masood
Masood in 2019
Grand Imam, Sholakia National Eidgah
Chairman, National Religious Madrasa Education Board of Bangladesh
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 October 2016
President, Bangladesh Jamiyatul Ulama
Incumbent
Assumed office 2014
Personal details
Born	(1950-03-07) March 7, 1950 Hijlia, Pakundia, Kishoreganj
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Children	4
Alma mater	Darul Uloom Deoband Al Jamiatul Imdadiya, Kishoreganj
Parents	Abdur Rashid (father) Sayeda Zebunnisa (mother)
Main interest(s)	Hadith Fiqh Tasauf Education Literature
Notable idea(s)	Fatwa of Peace for Humanity
Notable work(s)	National Religious Madrasa Education Board of Bangladesh Bangladesh Jamiyatul Ulama Lajnatut Talaba Iqra Bangladesh Madrasa Jamiatul Islah Al Madania Islamic Research Council Islahul Muslimin Parishad
Religious life
Denomination	Sunni
Jurisprudence	Hanafi
Movement	Deobandi
Senior posting
Influenced by Asad Madni, Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandhlawi, Qazi Mu'tasim Billah

Farid Uddin Masood (born 7 March 1950) is an Islamic scholar in Bangladesh known for his role as the Imam of Sholakia National Eidgah, Chairman of the National Religious Madrasa Education Board of Bangladesh, President of Bangladesh Jamiyatul Ulama, Director of Iqra Bangladesh, and former Director of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh. He has made significant contributions in various areas, such as serving as a key member of the Lajnatut Talaba for the expansion of Bengali Islamic literature. As the Co-chair of the Bangladesh Qawmi Madrasa Education Commission, he played a pivotal role in obtaining recognition for the equivalency of Qawmi madrasa certificates. He is renowned for his Fatwa of Peace for Humanity against terrorism and suicide bombings, which has been endorsed by over 100,000 scholars. He has authored and translated more than a hundred books and serves as the editor-in-chief of the Monthly Patheo.

Early life

Masood was born on 7 March 1950 in Hijlia in Pakundia Upazila of Kishoreganj district. His paternal residence was in Belanka under Tarail Upazila in the same district. His father, Abdur Rashid, was a teacher by profession and his mother was Sayeda Zebunnisa. In his personal life, he is the father of one daughter and three sons.

He completed his primary education under his father. Then he enrolled in Al Jamiatul Imdadiya, Kishoreganj. Later, with the aim of acquiring higher education, he went to Darul Uloom Deoband in India. In 1976, he obtained the first position and completed his studies in Hadith at Deoband. Among his teachers at Deoband were notable figures such as Sharif Hasan Deobandi, Muhammad Ali, and Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandhlawi. He has received the permission for Baiat from Asad Madni.

Career

After completing his Takmil fil Hadith from Al Jamiatul Imdadiya, Kishoreganj, in 1969 he began teaching there. When the Bangladesh Liberation War started, he actively participated in the war. After the independence, he started teaching at Jamia Islamia Darul Ulum Madania in Dhaka. Later, he moved to Darul Uloom Deoband and then joined Jamia Arabia Imdadul Uloom Faridabad as a muhaddith. He taught at institutions like Jamia Shariyyah Malibagh and Jamia Madania Baridhara, and currently he is serving as Sheikhul Hadith at Jamia Iqra Bangladesh.

In 1977, he joined Islamic Foundation Bangladesh and served as a director. Afterwards, he was appointed as the chairman of the Islahul Muslimin and also served as the chairman of the Islamic Research Council Bangladesh.

Currently, he is the Imam of the Sholakia National Eidgah, the President of the National Religious Madrasa Education Board of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Jamiyatul Ulama, the Director of Iqra Bangladesh, a special adviser to the The Asia Foundation, the Foundation for Global Policy Studies, the Islamic Research Council of Bangladesh, the Chairman of Iqra Multimedia Worldwide Limited, and the editor of the Monthly Patheo.

Literary works

He started writing from his student life. Workers Rights in Islam is one of his notable books. In addition to writing for various national dailies such as The Azad and The Daily Ittefaq, he also wrote editorial pieces under the pseudonym Faran Rashidi in The Daily Ittefaq. He has a significant role as a cornerstone of the Bengali Islamic literature, as a member of the organization called Lajnatut Talaba, which demanded the expansion of the Bangla language. Qazi Mu'tasim Billah was the main inspiration for him. He has authored 31 books, including 12 translated works. Additionally, he started a Bengali Islamic magazine called Monthly Patheo.