"Urs" Sharif

Khwaja Enayetpuri's teachings are highly respected and maintained by thousands of people in this sub-continent, and every year on the occasion of Urs (annual occasion commemorating his death) hundreds of thousands of people congregate at the Mazar (shrine) from far and near to observe the day with due solemnity. The recitation of the Qur’an, Milad Mahfil, prayer for blessings and above all ‘Zikr-e-Qulb’ mark the Urs program.
Now, is 'Urs' Islamic? This question is often raised by fundamental Muslims. We would like to shed some light on this issue.

'Urs' is an Arabic word. In dictionary, a number of meanings are observed. Dictionary meanings of the word 'urs' include walima, marriage, flowery nuptial bed, etc. The above mentioned meanings are found in Logate Sayedi, Logate Firoji or Meshbahul Logate. Besides, the term 'urs' has two other meanings:
1. Union 2. Religious function organized on the occasion of anniversary of death of Awli-Allah or Pir-e-Kamils to have sawab resani (blessing) on their holly souls. In the book 'Perso-Arabic elements in Bengali' edited by Dr. Sheikh Gholam Maqsud, the following meanings are observed: anniversary in memory of a saint. In the Bangla Dictionary, edited by Dr. Enamul Huq and published by Bangla Academy, the following meaning has been given: Holy functions at the mausoleum of Awli-Darbesh.
The etymological meaning of the word 'urs' is union. Awli-Allah or the saints of the mystics of the secret knowledge of Allah go in close contact with Allah just after their death and unite with Him. This union takes place between the lover and the beloved, between universal soul and the pure soul. This union is a very happy one. And, since death helps to materialize this union Prophet Muhammad (sm) said: "Death is such a bridge that brings about union between friends." This great happy spiritual union is the good luck of the prophet and representatives of the prophets, that is, the Awli-Allah, for they hold the status of friendship. They fight with Nafse-Ammara, defeat Nafse-Ammara in this Jihade Akbar (great war against nafs or self), get them free from the servitude of the world, and set at naught all physical attractions and attachment to the material world. The Sufi reaches the highest stage of spirituality and comes closer to the nearness of Allah, attains the pleasure of Allah and holds the status of friendship with Allah. That is why, the mystics enjoy good fortune to become united with the divine soul, i.e. Allah the Exalt just after their death. This is a highly joyous and spiritual union. This spiritual union is willed, for death paves the way of this glorious union. And the day on which the pure soul of the saint unites with the Divine Soul, some religious festivities are observed for conveying sawab resani on the pure soul of the saint. This is known as 'Urs'. This word has one more meaning. Angels - Munkar and Nakir- will ask different questions to the deceased inside the grave. If a believer is able to answer properly to the questions raised by Munkar and Nakir, then they tell the deceased person: "Sleep like that Dulhan (son-in-law) whom none but his or her beloved can awaken". Here 'Urs' has been used to mean the flowery nuptial bed. Perhaps, for that reason another meaning of 'Urs' is having a nuptial night. However, the religious rite organized by the 'Darbar' (monastery) of Awli-Allahs which is called 'Urs' basically on the anniversary of death of the Awli-Allahs to convey sawab resani on the soul of the Awli-Allahs is a highly religious Majlis (congregation). We are also familiar with 'Fateha-e-yazdaham' -the death anniversary of the great Sufi Hazrat Abdul Quader Jilani(r). This is a function which is very much full of Barakat (bounteous) and Fazilat (prestigious) and considered fully Islamic. The Fateha which is held on the birth and death anniversaries of Hazrat Muhammad (sm) is 'Fateha-e-Duazdaham' and corroborates the validity of 'Urs' as an Islamic ritual.

(Source: special supplement published in the Daily Star on the occasion of Urs of Hazrat Khwajababa Faridpuri, 1999).(Note- Pic1- 1947, Pic-2 - 44 years ago, pic-3- current)

Hazrat Khwaja Yunus Ali ( Khwaja Enayetpuri)

Hazrat Khwaja Yunus Ali, popularly known as Khwaja Enayetpuri, was born at Enayetpur in the district of Sirajgonj, the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1886 and died in 1951. His father, Mawlana Khwaja Abdul Karim whom Enayetpuri lost at the age of five, was greatly influenced by Sufism. His forefathers were originally from Baghdad, and migrated to Delhi, then to Enayetpur. He possesses a highly dignified lineage. His father, Khwaja Abdul Karim, is believed to have studied volumes of works on Sufism in his childhood and thus was known as a great saint. He was greatly enlightened in the light of Sufism the foundation of which is traced in the passages of the Qur’an. He left this world while Khwaja Enayetpuri was only five years old. It is believed that almost all of the ancestors of Khwaja Enayetpuri were well educated. What we know from relic papers is that Khwaja Enayetpuri came of a very aristocratic Semitic Muslim family whose roots were traced back to the famous Fatema dynasty. Once many Muslims of the Syed community of Baghdad migrated to India when a dire famine broke out as an epidemic in Baghdad. Amongst many, Sheikh Ismail and Sheikh Bahadur belonging to the Semitic tradition mentioned above came to Delhi and lived there for several years under the patronage of the emperor. As time went on, they wandered from one place to another in want of food and shelter and finally moved towards Bengal while the British seized the whole sub-continent. Having visited many places in pursuance of a suitable habitat they reached the village Aminpur, Pabna; and with the assistance of a dignified man, some of their successors took shelter at Enayetpur in the district of Sirajgonj. The widely renowned saint Enayetpuri of Enayetpur Darbar Sharif was a direct descendant of them.

Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College & Hospital

Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College & Hospital (KYAMCH) is set on a land of a total area covering 87 Acres (approx.) on the bank of the river Jamuna with a panoramic view and pollution free atmosphere in Enayetpur, under Sirajgonj.

Enayetpur is the holy birthplace of the Great Saint of this sub-continent Hazrat Khwaja Yunus Ali(R) . Millions of followers visit Enayetpur throughout the year to pay their respect. Enayetpur is situated 147 Kms from capital Dhaka and 22.5 Kms from Jamuna Bridge linking Northern and Southern part of the country.

• 586 Beded Hospital

• Equipped with 21 clean room OR

• Operating theaters accessible only through Air Shower for sterilization

• Fully equipped ICUs and CCUs

• Fully equipped General Ward

• Central Medical Gas Supply System with all beds

• 400 rooms for Guest accompanying patients

• Central Sterilization Supply Department (CSSD) to decontaminate reusable instruments and linen

• Water treatment Plant for pure drinking water

• Fully Automatic Laundry System

• Nurse Call System

• Incinerator for waste management

• Fully Computerized Hospital Information System to smoothen hospital activities both operational and managerial

• Surgeons, Physicians and Nursing staff are caring to the patients, turning their profession into passion

• Five star service all the way

• Invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiac procedures

• Full fledged facilities in Orthopedic, ENT, Ophthalmology, Pediatric, Obstetric & Gynecology, Urology, Gastroentology, Skin & VD, Laboratory & Imaging, Pharmacy, Mortuary

• Priority care in post operative in neo natal and ante natal period
  

For the first time in Bangladesh, Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College & Hospital (KYAMCH), located on 87 acres of land, out of city hustle & bustle in a pollution free picturesque surrounding on bank of river Jamuna, the holy birth place of Hazrat Khwaja Yunus Ali (R) Enayetpuri

At KYAMCH we mean and deliver Five-Star service you have never experienced before. It has a track record of hundred percent successes in invasive and Non-Invasive Cardiac procedures.

We ensure affordable world class Medicare facilities at your doorstep.

Welcome to our village

Enayetpur is a thana in Sirajgonj, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. The river Jamuna is passing just beside it. Enayetpur is famous for an Islamic saint named Shah Sufi Khaja Yunus Ali Enayetpuri. This thana has also some villages which are famous for handloom. Here the sharees(female dress), Lungis(male dress) are produced. Among the villages Gopalpur, Rupnai, Khukni, Gopinathpur are main. Most of the people here are related with the loom.

Recently a rich hospital named "KHAJA YUNUS ALI MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL" is providing health services to the people of the whole district as well as other part of the country.

It is the location of Enayetpur High School.

WORLD SPACE WEEK-2008 CELEBRATED AT ENAYETPUR

Space Art Contest inside Space Gallery compound of Mohakash Bhavan

World Space Week is a Programme of the United Nations aimed at creating Space Awareness among the School Students which is celebrated annually in October and being participated by about 50 countries around the world www.worldspaceweek.org Since 2003, Bangladesh has been participating in this Celebration and the main event of this Programme is held at Enayetpur. This year, the Celebration of World Space Week

Water Rocket launched over the Lake

was held at Enayetpur on 12 and 13 October in a spectacular dimension. On the morning of 12 October, Space Art Contest was held within the compound of Space Art Gallery of Mohakash Bhavan, at noon , Water Rocket , Air Rocket and Balloon Rocket Contests were held at Lake side near Balur Math and in the evening a Sky Observation Camp was arranged by Science Museum , Dhaka on the spar over river Jamuna which is flowing by the eastern side

Students enjoying the Launching of Balloon Rockets.

of the village. Students participated in their respective Contests and at the evening were thrilled to observe the surface of the Moon clearly through the 12 Inches diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope .

On the morning of 13 October, thousands of Students from 26 Schools and 1 College of different areas of Bangladesh brought out a colourful Rally wearing Badges and Caps and hoisting Banners, Posters and Rocket Models in their hands.

Rally with Banners, Posters and Rocket Models on the street of Enayetpur

They started from Balur Math strolled the street of Enayetpur and assembled at the premises of Mohakash Bhavan. There the students participated in Space Dance, Space Narrations, Space Quiz, Space Debate etc. Science Museum also arranged a Space Quiz and offered Prize Bonds to successful Contestants. Then the Teachers and Guests delivered their lectures and the Celebration ended at 3pm after distribution of Prizes, mainly the books on Astronomy and Space Science to the successful Contestants.

Space Dance by School Students

The main attraction of the Celebration was the tumultuous reception offered to F. R. Sarker, the General Secretary of Bangladesh Astronomical Society, National Coordinator of WSWA and the First Zero Gravity Flyer in Bangladesh . He attended the Meeting wearing his uniform of Zero Gravity Flight and described his experience in Zero Gravity simulation during his Flight on 24 May , 2008 from Las Vegas , USA . He also replied various

A partial view of WSW Meeting at the premises of Mohakash Bhavan, Enayetpur

questions asked by the students about Zero Gravity Flight. F. R. Sarker explained the necessity for Space Education and Research and emphasised that Space is going to be the most vital arena for employment and business in near future.

Among those who delivered their lectures in the Meeting were Dr. Rezaur Rahman, former Chief Scientific Officer of Atomic Energy Commission and the Honourable Member of Bangladesh Astronomical

Speakers are seated at the Dais of the Meeting

Society, Ibrahim Khalullah Nabi, Coordinator of Bangladesh Math Olympiad Committee, Prof. Lokendra Nath Ghose, Principal , Khamargram College, Abdul Matin, Senior Teacher, Enayetpur High School, Masudur Rahman, an official of Science Museum, Saidul Islam, Space Enthusiast , A. F. M. Hasan, Upazilla Education Officer, Gaibandha, and Wahiduzzaman Wahid, the Principal, ICL School and the Secretary of Local Organising Committee for the Celebration of World Space Week .

WORLD SPACE WEEK-2007 CELEBRATED AT ENAYETPUR

WORLD SPACE WEEK-2006 CELEBRATED AT ENAYETPUR

n Bangladesh, schools were closed for Ramadan during the time of the celebration of World Space Week 2006, but the functions were very qualitative and spectacular. This year, celebrations were held in Enayetpur and in Dhaka. Enayetpur The main event of the World Space Week 2006 was held on October 5 at Enayetpur in the premises of Mohakash Bhavan (Space House), where hundreds of students from 16 schools participated. Organizers were aware of the problem created by mass participation during World Space Week in 2005, so this year a limited number of students from each school was invited. The venue was decorated with colourful clothes neatly rapped over bamboo sticks offering a traditional look. There were three contests: Space Arts, Space Debate, and Space Quiz. Winners of these three Space Contests were given attractive prizes. The function was followed by a Space Video Show including a video clip of Anousheh Ansari, the first woman space tourist, speaking from inside the International Space Station where she had visited in September 2006. About 200 students below class V participated in the Space Art Contest. They sat over sheets of cloth spread over the lawn of Mohakash Bhavan and drew space-related pictures. Samples of those pictures were supplied to them earlier to get prepared on it. It was one of the most exciting events of the Celebration as the kids concentrated their indomitable enthusiasm on the drawing of Space Art and completed it within the specified time. It was followed by Space Debate in which a dozen of students presented their elaborate lectures on the Sun and the planets of our Solar System. The third and the most interesting event was the Space Quiz. Students were asked space-related questions and had to reply instantly. Dozens of students raised their hands almost simultaneously and answers were flawless, in spite of being in a part of the globe where there is no facility for space education. Students of the following Schools participated in the celebration of World Space Week-2006 at Enayetpur: KYAMCH Public School Enayetpur ICL School Enayetpur Khwaja Enayetpuri Cadet Coaching Enayetpur Kabatunnessa Kindergarten Enayetpur Alhaj Siddique High School Chala Shohagpur Pilot Girls High School Mukundogati Syamkishore Pilot High School Mukundogati Alimuddin-Osman Ghani High School Randhunibari Mukti Biddya Niketan Doulatpur New Light Model School Khamargram Imperial Public School Gopalpur Islamia Shishu Academy Goprekhi Sunrise Kindergarten Chandangati Child Fair Kindergarten Chandangati Khamargram College Khamargram Lecturers at this function were Dr. A. R. Khan, the President of Bangladesh Astronomical Society and a former Professor of Applied Physics Department, University of Dhaka, Dr. Ali Asgar, Head of Biotechnology Department, Gono University, Savar and the former Head of the Physics Department, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Dr. Sadre Ula, Professor of the Electronics and Computer Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA and Energy Advisor to the State of Wyoming, Mr. F. R. Sarker, General Secretary, Bangladesh Astronomical Society and the National Coordinator in Bangladesh for Spaceweek International Association, Mr. Saidul Islam, Head Master, Shohagpur Pilot Girls High School, Mr. Shahjahan Ali Mollah, Principal, Khwaja Enayetpuri Cadet Coaching, Ms. Shajeda Khatun Lopa, Principal, KYAMCH Public School, Mr. Wahiduzzaman Wahid, Pricipal, ICL School, Mr. AFM Hasan, Belkuchi Upazila Education Officer, Mr. Lokendra Nath Ghose, Principal, Khamargaon College, Mr. Saidul Islam, Mr. Khairul Anam Sheikh, Mr. Alim-Al Razi, Mr. Mosharraf Hossain Khan, Members of Bangladesh Astronomical Society.