Hazrat SHAH JALAL (R) History

In 1765 greater Sylhet was under the control of British Rule. But at that time the Sri Hatta state & Tripura state was not demarcated. After a long years in 1867 then ruling government make a proposal to divide Sylhet District under four Mo Ho  Kumas (known as: mohokuma) under Gazette Notification. These are Habiganj,Sunam Ganj, Karimganj & sadar Sylhet. It was divided in 1877. But Sadar Mo Ho Kuma  was a large in size in 1882 it was again divided in to two Mo Ho Kumas. One is sadar Sylhet and other is Dakshin Srhatta (South Sylhet- in english). During the year of partition in 1947 the Borolekha Thana of Karimganj district was attached with this Dakshin Srhatta Mo Ho Kuma.

Great and Famous sain Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] named Sylhet. It has a interisting story. Though there are various stories about naming of Sylhet. But we'll use only two. Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] came to Sylhet approx 700 years ago. There  is a Hindu king named "Raja Gour Govindo" ruled Greater Sylhet area. When he  knew the coming of Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] by informer he ordered to fell thousands of Stone [locally known as Shil] in Surma River. The soldiers of Gour Govindo fell thousands of stone at the river to stop Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] entring Srihatta. When Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] reach at the banks of Surma River he ordered all stones 'Shil-hot'. All stones fell on the river make a passage to Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] and his followers to enter Srihatta. Then Srihatta became Shilhot and gradually Sylhet.

Another theme is in this northern side of greater India, all cities are named using Shil. Like Shilong,Shilet, etc. It may have links with the naming of Sylhet.

The Picture of the Mazaar of Hazrat Shah Jalal [R:] is on the picture section

In 1960 AD then Pakistan Government  made Sylhet is a District which was attached with Chittagong Division

The people of greater sylhet made historic role on Libaration War in 1971.  They fought  & actively took part in Liberation war  to free their motherland. The War Time Bangladesh Commaner in Chief is Major AG Osmani who born in this Sylhet.

In 1994 AD after lots of Strikes then Government issued a Gazette Notification where Sylhet got seperate Division with 4 district attached with it. These are Sylhet,Moulvibazar,Sunamganj,Habiganj.

Greater Sylhet Division has largest NRBs [Non-Resident Bangladeshies] then any ther Districts whole Bangladesh. 750000 NRB's lives in United Kingdom alone. First Bangladeshi went to United States on 1912 from Moulvi bazar. The government od Bangladesh get largest remittence from this area.

Win of Sylhet

 Dduring the conquest of Sylhet a tribal chieftain named Gour Govinda ruled the Sylhet area, which was called Gaur Kingdom, and then predominantly inhabited by tribal people of Mongoloid origin. Govinda himself was of Tepra tribe of Tripura. Sheikh Burhanuddin, a Muslim who lived in the area under his control once sacrificed a cow to celebrate the birth of his son. A crow snatched a piece of the dead meat and it fell from its beak onto the house of a Brahmin Hindu, for whom cows were sacred. According to another tradition, the piece of flesh fell on the temple of the king himself, which he took as a great offence. On the orders of the king, Burhanuddin's hands were said to have been cut off and his son killed. Burhanuddin went to the Sultan of Gaur, Shamsuddin Firuz Shah, to whom he submitted a plea for justice. The Sultan accordingly sent an army under the command of his nephew Sikandar Khan Ghazi. He was, however, stopped by rains and flooding. The Sultan then ordered his Sipah Salar (armed forces chief) Nasiruddin to lead the war.

At this time, Shah Jalal (R) was requested by Nizam Uddin at the behest of Sultan Firoz Shah to travel to Sylhet along with Sikander Khan Ghazi to rescue Sheikh Burhan Uddin. With 360 followers, including his nephew Shah Paran, he reached Bengal and joined the Muslim army in the Sylhet campaign.

Knowing that Shah Jalal was advancing towards Sylhet, Raja Gaur Govinda, the king, removed all ferry boats from the river Surma, thereby cutting off any means of crossing into Sylhet. Legend has it that Shah Jalal crossed the river Surma by sitting on a Jainamaz (prayer rug)[3]. Upon reaching the opposite bank, he ordered the Azan (call to prayer) to be sounded, at which the magnificent palace of Gaur Govinda shattered. With Shah Jalal's help, the Hindus were completely defeated and crushed by the Muslim Army.

However, an inscription from Sylhet town, dated 1512-13, says that it was Sikandar Khan Ghazi who had actually conquered the town in the year 1303-4.

it was then later told, Shah Jalal found a match for the earth his uncle once gave him, and following to his uncle's wishes, he settled down in Sylhet, near Choukidhiki. It is from here that he preached Islam and became a celebrated Muslim figure in Bengal. He and his disciples traveled and settled as far as Mymensingh and Dhaka to spread the teachings of Islam, such as Shah Paran in Sylhet, Shah Malek Yemeni in Dhaka, Syed Ahmad Kolla Shahid in Comilla, Syed Nasiruddin in the region of Pargana Taraf, Haji Daria and Shaikh Ali Yemeni. An expedition to Chittagong was led by Khwaja Burhanuddin Qattan and Shah Badruddin. An expedition to Sunamganj was led by Shah Kamal Qattani, whose shrine is located in Shaharpara, Sunamganj.

Hazrat Shah Jalal and his 360 disciples

I am doing some research on Hazrat Shah Jalal (RA) and the 360 awliya who were with him during the conquest of Sylhet in modern day Bangladesh. The Sheikh was originally from Yemen and travelled to the region on the command of his sheikh. During his travels many people joined him. I am trying to get his biography in English and possibly biographies of the 360 awliya who were with him. There are books in Bangla, but they are difficult to get hold of.

Hazrat SHAH JALAL (R)

Hazrat Shah Jalal
Shrine of Saint Hazrat Shah Jalal is the most historical interest in Sylhet town. Today, more than six hundred years after his death, the shrine is visited by innumerable devotees of every caste and creed, who make the journey from far away places. Legend says, the great saint who came from Delhi to preach Islam and defeated the then Hindu Raja (king) Gour Gobinda, transformed the witchcraft followers of the Raja into catfishes which are still alive in the tank adjacent to the shrine Swords, the holy Quran and the robes of the holy saint are still preserved in the shrine.