Ahmad Abdul Qader

Ahmad Abdul Qader (born 31 July 1955) is a Bangladeshi Islamic scholar, politician, and writer. He previously served as the Central President of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. Following ideological differences with Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, he voluntarily resigned from Chhatra Shibir and later founded the organization Islami Jubo Shibir. He publicly questioned Jamaat-e-Islami’s role during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

He later came under the influence of prominent Deobandi scholars, including Muhammadullah Hafezzi, Azizul Haq, Syed Fazlul Karim, and Muhammad Uddin Khan. After leading and participating in various Islamic movements through organizations such as Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and Islami Oikya Jote, he currently serves as the Secretary-General of Khelafat Majlis. He also served as a Nayeb-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.

In addition, he is a professor at Darul Ihsan University and the founder of the national voluntary organization Nusra. Several of his books are included in the organizational syllabus of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Majlis.

Political career

Qader has been involved in Islamic movements since his student life. He served as the Central President of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir. In 1982, when Chhatra Shibir was declared an affiliated organization of Jamaat-e-Islami, ideological disagreements led him to resign voluntarily. In 1983, he founded Islami Jubo Shibir and became its founding president.

In 1984, he was one of the initiators and a central committee member of the Combined Struggle Council led by Muhammadullah Hafezzi, formed by 13 political parties. In 1987, he was among the founders of the Islamic Constitutional Movement (now Islami Andolan Bangladesh). On 8 December 1989, the then Khelafat Movement and Islami Jubo Shibir merged to form Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, with Abdul Gaffar as Ameer and Masud Khan as Secretary-General.

Until 1996, Qader served as the founding Joint Secretary-General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis. He was also a liaison committee member of the Four Party Alliance formed in 2001 and served as Acting Secretary-General of Islami Oikya Jote. From 1996 to 2004, he held the position of Vice President in both Islami Oikya Jote and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis.

In 2005, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis split into two factions for policy reasons. Since then, he has continuously served as Secretary-General of Khelafat Majlis. On 15 November 2020, he was elected Nayeb-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh.

In April 2021, he was arrested in connection with cases filed against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders following incidents in 2013 and 2021.

Publications

Qader has authored a total of 35 books, of which 27 have been published:

  1. Sonali Path
  2. Islam and the Solution to Poverty
  3. Civilizational Crisis: A Guideline
  4. Liberation, Peace and Progress
  5. Truth, Beauty, Revolution and Youth
  6. Materialist Civilization at the Edge of Decline
  7. Khilafah: Principles and Characteristics
  8. Muslim Unity and Solidarity
  9. Islam and Poverty Alleviation
  10. Fundamentalism
  11. The Life and Ideals of Prophet Muhammad in the Contemporary Context
  12. What Is Jihad and Why?
  13. Islamic Movement
  14. Islamic Movement and the Struggle of the Oppressed
  15. Why Is the Establishment of an Islamic State Necessary?
  16. Islamic Revolution
  17. Islamic Revolution: Path and Method
  18. Mass Movement for an Islamic Revolution
  19. Islamic Movement and the Ulama
  20. The Ideal Worker
  21. The Ideal Organization
  22. The Path of Faith Stained with Blood
  23. Nation, Language, Culture and Independence
  24. Khilafah System in the Modern Era
  25. Religion and Secularism
  26. The Muslim World: Society, Politics and Islam
  27. New Crusade, New Jihad
Forthcoming
  1. Feminism: Science and Islam
  2. World Peace, Welfare and Islam

He has also published over one hundred articles and more than ten research papers. Notable conference papers include:

  1. The Role of Waqf in Poverty Alleviation
  2. Rural Development in Bangladesh
  3. Poverty Alleviation in Bangladesh
  4. Fundamentalism in the Muslim World
  5. Labour Rights in Islam
  6. Missionary Activities in Bangladesh
  7. Public Administration in Nahjul Balagha
  8. Secularism in the Muslim World
  9. From Nation-State to Ummah-State