Munshi Muhammad Sadeq Ali (, Sylheti Nagri: ), born as Sri Gaur Kishore Sen (), was a prominent Bengali Muslim writer, poet and district judge from 19th century Bengal.[ which gained immense popularity in the Sylhet region and would later be transcribed in the Bengali alphabet.]
Early life
Muhammad Sadeq Ali was born in a Bengalis Baidya family around 1800 as Shree Gour Kishore Sen.
In August 1818, he was taught the basics of Islam by Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf. Sadeq grew an interest in the Arabic language and , and so he studied under Mir Munshi Abul Fazl, a detective of the Kulaura.
He formally accepted Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Sadeq Ali. He also mentions that he was a follower of the Hanafi madhhab.[
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Career as a writer
Sadeq Ali decided to take a reformist stance against the common Bengali Muslim literature of Sylhet which had used religious syncretism with Hinduism, in particular Vaishnavism, and Sufi Baul elements. Sadeq Ali then published his Mahabbatnama based on the story of Yusuf and Zulaikha taking inspiration from the earlier version by Shah Gharibullah of West Bengal.[
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Sadeq Ali later composed another puthi about the prophetic biography called Halat-un-Nabi in 1855, focusing more on scripture rather than more popular folk beliefs. It became a household item in every Bengali Muslim homestead in Greater Sylhet region, making it the most popular and widely printed book in the Sylheti Nagri script.[ Sadeq Ali wrote Radd-i-Kufr in 1874.]
Death and legacy
Long after Sadeq Ali's death in 1862,[ the Bangladesh Liberation War took place in 1971. A fire took place in Bandar Bazar, Sylhet town destroying the Islamia Press, which was the largest Sylheti Nagri printing press. However, Bengali script versions of the Halat-un-Nabi puthi continued to be in production and circulation.]
See also
