Syed Ahmad Ullah(1826 – 1906)
Syed Ahmad Ullah (or Syed Ahmad Ullah Maizbhandari), considered a Bangladeshi Sufi saint, was the founder of the Maizbhandari Sufi Order based in Chattagram district, the first such order to originate in Bangladesh. It reportedly has over 10 million followers. The order is known for its gatherings for spiritual listening and devotional music, which are important in Bengali Sufi traditions.
Syed Ahmad Ullah (or Syed Ahmad Ullah Maizbhandari) was born in Maizbhandar, Chittagong in Bangladesh. He founded the Tarika-e-Maizbhandari or the Maizbhandari Sufi order, a Sufi Tariqa (religious order) based in Chittagong (now Chattagram) District, Bangladesh.
Five hundred and eighty six years before his birth, a renowned religious scholar and spiritual leader Hazrat Mohiuddin Ibnul-Arabi predicted the birth of this renowned Sufi. He also predicted that the whole world would be enlightened by the knowledge and spiritual power of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Ahmadullah Maizbhandari (KA).
A research report prepared by the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) of Australia reported the order has over ten million followers.
Maizbhandari Order is a liberated Sufism order established in 19th century by Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Ahmadullah Maizbhandari. (1826-1906). This Maizbhandari order is renowned for its open spiritual method or Sufi way where any one can join despite caste, creed, sex, religion. It is based on humanity and love which connects creator and creation. This order is a progressive age befitting, multi dimensional, conservatisms less, comprehensive, unlimited freedom, humanitarian model of religious equality and is free from communalism. Maizbhandari order is a model of practicing Shariah, Tariqah, Hakikah & Marifat.
According to German scholar Hans Harder, the order based in Maijbhandar “is a powerful religious institution whose very popularity and influence defy any notions of marginality. It has been able to draw adherents from all sections of society, including the urban middle class, and have managed to assert their perspective on Islam vis-à-vis pressure from reformist quarters while keeping in touch with the religious mainstream in Bengal.”
In terms of literature, there has been “a sizeable textual output from within the movement since the beginning of the twentieth century, including hagiographies and theological treaties, in the form of monographs, leaflets and journals”.
The order is known for its gatherings for spiritual listening and devotional music, which are important in Bengali Sufi traditions, There are over 10,000 such songs, transmitted orally at first but now on CD and video, and they have come to form their own distinct genre of music in Bangladesh.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Ahmad_Ullah
http://www.maizbhandarmainia.org/maizbhandari_order.php
Further reading: http://www.maizbhandarmainia.org/maizbhandari_order.php