Ismail Hossain Siraji

Syed Ismail Hossain Siraji
Syed Ismail Hossain Siraji
Born	13 July 1880; Sirajganj, Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Bangladesh)
Died	1931 (aged 50–51)
Language	Bengali

Syed Ismail Hossain Siraji (Bengali: ইসমাঈল হোসেন সিরাজী) (1880–1931) was a Bengali writer and poet. He was born in Sirajganj in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh). He added the suffix Siraji in honour of his home region.[1]

Early life

As a young boy, Ismail Hossain Siraji learnt Persian in school and studied Sanskrit at home and was well versed Sanskrit grammar and literature, studied Sanskrit dictionaries as well as Hindu scriptures like Vedas, Manusmriti and Upanishads. [2]

Career

He earned his living by writing and making public speeches. He acquired a great reputation as an orator. He was an advocate of Muslim interests, but was not a communalist. Hindu-Muslim amity based on equal sharing of resources was his belief. He was active in many parties and organisations, such as, Indian National Congress, Muslim League, Anjuman-i-Ulamah-i-Bangala, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Swarajya Party and Krishak Samiti. He regularly contributed to The Kohinoor magazine.[1]

He went to Turkey in 1912 with a medical team during the Balkan War.

Shibli Nomani and Allama Iqbal influenced Siraji. Like them, he felt that it was necessary to harmonise religious and secular thought to awaken the Indian Muslim community.

Muslim Enlightenment of Bengalis

Siraji is one of the most prominent figures in the Bengali Muslim Reawakening during the British occupation. He encouraged Muslims to get a good education (especially women whose place in society was merely in the house) and the learning of the English language (many didn't learn the language because they thought that it was the language of the British). He believed in religious tolerance. He also thought that Hindu-Muslim unity would be needed to create a strong Bengali society that would be able to fight against tyranny. His writings often handled these sort of issues. His views were unpopular at first, and during his speeches, he would at times have objects thrown at him.

Works

Poems

Anal Prabaha (1900)
Uchchhas (1907)
Udbodhan (1907)
Naba Uddipana (1907)
Spain Bijoy Kabya (1914)
Sangit Sanjibani (1916)
Premanjali (1916)
Mahashikhkha Mahakabya (vol-1 1969, vol-2 1971)

Novels

Ray Nandini (1915)
Tara Bai (1916)
Feroza Begum (1918)
Nooruddin (1919)

Travelogue

Turoshko Bhromon(1913)

Essays

Stri shikhkha (1907)
Sajati Prem (1916)

References

Rana Razzaq (2012). "Shiraji, Ismail Hossain". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
Kabir, Nurul (27 October 2013). "Colonialism, politics of language and partition of Bengal PART XXVII". New Age. New Age. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.

External links

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[bpedia-1] Rana Razzaq (2012). "Shiraji, Ismail Hossain". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

[2] Kabir, Nurul (27 October 2013). "Colonialism, politics of language and partition of Bengal PART XXVII". New Age. New Age. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.