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{{Short description|Bengali linguist (1885–1969)}}
{{distinguish|Mohammad Shahidullah|Mohammed Shahidullah}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=August 2016}}
{{Lead too short|date=December 2020}}
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{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name = Muhammad Shahidullah
| native_name = মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ
| native_name_lang = bn
| image = Mohammod Sohidullah.jpg
| caption = Shahidullah in a literary conference in [[Curzon Hall]], Dhaka (April 1954)
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1885|07|10}}
| birth_place = [[Basirhat|Peyara Village, Basirhat subdivision]], [[24 Parganas|24 Pargana]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]], [[British Raj|British India]]<ref name="banglapedia" />
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list | [[Sorbonne University]] | [[University of Calcutta]]}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Linguist
* philologist
* writer
* educationalist
}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1969|7|13|1885|7|10}}
| death_place = [[Dacca]], [[East Pakistan]], Pakistan
| children = 9, including [[Muhammad Takiullah]] and [[Murtaja Baseer]]
| spouse = Marguba Khatun
| awards = [[Independence Day Award]] (1980)
| honours = [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres|Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]] (1967)
| religion = [[Islam]]
| denomination = [[Sunni]]
| jurisprudence = [[Hanafi]]
| creed = [[Maturidi]]
| disciple_of = [[Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique]]
}}
'''Muhammad Shahidullah''' ({{langx|bn|মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ}}; 10 July 1885 – 13 July 1969) was a [[Bengali people|Bengali]] linguist, philologist, educationist, and writer. He played a vital role in Bangladesh's Language movement of 1952. He is primarily credited for being the one to justify why Bengali should be the state language of Pakistan over Urdu.<ref name=banglapedia>{{cite book |author=Badiuzzaman |chapter=Shahidullah, Muhammad |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Shahidullah,_Muhammad |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |editor=Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]] |year=2012 |edition=Second}}</ref>

In 2004, he was ranked number 16 in the [[BBC]]'s opinion poll ''[[Greatest Bengali of all time]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=BBC Listeners' Poll – Bangabandhu judged greatest Bangali of all time |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/04/16/d4041601066.htm |newspaper=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |date=16 April 2004 |access-date=2018-01-11}}</ref> According to linguist [[Pabitra Sarkar]], Shahidullah is one of the best scholars of linguistics that South Asia ever produced.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sarkar |first=Pabitra |author-link=Pabitra Sarkar |date=2022-07-18 |title=Dr Muhammad Shahidullah: A tribute |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/in-focus/news/dr-muhammad-shahidullaha-tribute-3072711 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621195537/https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/in-focus/news/dr-muhammad-shahidullaha-tribute-3072711 |archive-date=2024-06-21 |access-date=2025-05-10 |work=The Daily Star |type=Opinion |language=en}}</ref> A residential hall at Dhaka University has been named after him since 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall |url=https://www.du.ac.bd/hall/HSH |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Dhaka University}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
[[File:Shahidulla.jpg|thumb|Young Shahidullah]]
Muhammad Ibrahim was born on 10 July 1885 in the village of Peyara in the erstwhile Bengal Presidency's [[24 Parganas]] district. His mother, Harunnesa, later changed his name to Muhammad Shahidullah.<ref name="Sen1998p4-5">{{cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Subhadra Kumar |title=Muhammad Shahidullah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sB9bjaxizogC |year=1998 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=81-260-0492-4 |pages=4–5}}</ref> His father, Mafizuddin Ahmed, was a warden of the shrine of [[Pir Gorachand]].<ref name="banglapedia" /> Shahidullah was their sixth child. He grew up with three brothers and three sisters.<ref name="Sen1998p4-5" />

Shahidullah passed his school final entrance exam in 1904 from [[Howrah Zilla School]]. In 1906, he passed the FA exam from [[Presidency College, Kolkata|Presidency College]] in [[Kolkata]]. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in [[Sanskrit]] in 1910 from [[City College, Kolkata]], and his Master of Arts degree in 1912 in comparative philology from the [[University of Calcutta]]. He earned his PhD degree from [[University of Paris|Sorbonne University]] in 1928 for his research on the dialects of the [[Charyapada]].<ref name=banglapedia/> He was the first Bengali Muslim to receive this doctorate degree. He was also a ''[[murid]]'' (disciple) of [[Mohammad Abu Bakr Siddique]], the inaugural [[Furfura Sharif|Pir of Furfura]], from whom he received mystic education and ''[[Khalifah (Sufism)|khilafah]]'' (spiritual succession).<ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:ফুরফুরা শরীফের যুব সংস্কারক |url=https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/details/article/409720/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%99%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%97-%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |author=Abdul Qayyum, Hasan |work=[[Janakantha]] |date=15 March 2019 |language=bn}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=15 March 2019 |author=Abdul Qayyum, Hasan |script-title=bn:যুগসংস্কারক মওলানা আবু বকর সিদ্দিকী (রহ) |url=https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/36847/%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%93%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B9 |access-date=2022-04-14 |work=[[The Daily Ittefaq]] |language=bn}}</ref>

==Career==
Shahidullah began his career by teaching at [[Jashore Zilla School|Jessore Zila School]] in 1908. After working as the headmaster of Sitakunda High School for some time in 1914, he practiced law at Bashirhat in 24 Parganas. In 1915, he was elected as vice-chairman of the town's municipality.

At the invitation of [[Ashutosh Mukherjee|Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee]], he joined the [[University of Calcutta]] as Sharatchandra Lahiri Research Fellow (1919–21) under [[Dinesh Chandra Sen]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ahasan |first=Nazmul |date=20 February 2018 |title=Shahidullah, a linguist and language activist |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/amar-ekushey-2018/shahidullah-linguist-and-language-activist-1537948 |website=The Daily Star}}</ref> In 1920, he published "one of his most important papers titled “Outlines of an Historical Grammar of the Bengali Language” in the Journal of the Department of Letters of the University of Calcutta."<ref name=":0" />

In 1921, he joined the [[University of Dhaka]] as a lecturer in 1921 in Sanskrit and Bangla. During his period at the University of Dhaka, he did research on the origins of the Bengali language. In 1925, he presented his thesis that Bangla as a language originated from Gaudi or [[Magadhi Prakrit]]. He was principal of Bogra Azizul Huq College from 1944 to 1948. He then returned to the University of Dhaka, serving as head of the Bangla Department and dean of the Faculty of Arts. He taught part-time at the Law Department (1922–25) and the International Relations Department as a teacher of French (1953–55). He worked as head of the Bangla and Sanskrit Department of the University of Rajshahi (1955–58).<ref>{{cite news |title=Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah: Exploring the roots of Language |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-193687 |work=The Daily Star |access-date=22 February 2018 |language=en |date=11 July 2011}}</ref>

He served as an editor for the [[Islami Bishwakosh]] project for a while.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/nagorik-sangbad/article/1668028/%E0%A6%A1.-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%8D%E2%80%8C%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8B-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC |script-title=bn:ড. মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ্‌র কৃতিত্ব ভোলার মতো নয় |author=Muhammad Zafar Ali |date=10 July 2020 |work=[[Prothom Alo]] |language=bn}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jugantor.com/todays-paper/features/islam-and-life/69362/%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9E%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%B8-%E0%A6%A1.-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8 |script-title=bn:জ্ঞানতাপস ড. মুহম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ অকাতরে বিদ্যা বিলিয়েছেন |author=Sharif Uddin Peshawar |date=13 July 2018 |work=[[Jugantor]] |language=bn}}</ref>{{Clarify timeframe|date=April 2026}}

Muhammad Shahidullah's mastery of different languages was widely regarded as impressive and outstanding. He was fluent in 24 languages and had working knowledge of 18 languages. Some of the notable languages are [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Urdu]], [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Arabic]], English, French, [[Assamese language|Assamese]], [[Odia language|Oriya]], [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Hindi]], [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], [[Nepali language|Nepali]], [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]], [[Tibetic languages|Tibetan]], [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]], [[Sanskrit]], [[Pali]], etc.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ahasan |first=Nazmul |date=February 21, 2018 |title=Shahidullah, a linguist and language activist |script-title= |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/amar-ekushey-2018/shahidullah-linguist-and-language-activist-1537948 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref>

==Noteworthy books==
* Sindabad Saodagarer Galpa (The Stories of the Merchant Sindbad, 1922)
* Bhasa O Sahitya (Language and Literature, essays, 1931)
* Bangala Byakaran (Bangla Grammar, 1936)
* Diwan-i-Hafiz (Poems of Hafiz, translation, 1938)
* Shikwah O Jawab-i-Shikwah (Questions and Their Answers, translation from Iqbal, 1942)
* Rubaiyat-i-Omar Khaiyam (Quatrains of Omar Khayyam, translation, 1942)
* Essays on Islam (1945)
* Amader Samasya (Our Problems, essays, 1949)
* Padmavati (Volume I editor, 1950)
* Bangla Sahityer Katha (History of Bangla Literature, Volume I in 1953, Volume II in 1965)
* Vidyapati Shatak (Collection of Vidyapati's Songs, text analysis, 1954)
* Bangla Adab Ki Tarikh (History of Bangla Literature, essays, in Urdu, 1957)
* Bangla Sahityer Itihas (History of Bangla Literature, 1957)
* Bangala Bhasar Itibritta (History of Bangla Language, 1959)
* Amarkabya (Unforgettable Poetical Works, 1963)
* Sekaler Rupkatha (Fairy Tales of Ancient Time), 1965<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londoni.co/index.php/58-history-of-bangladesh/biography/dr-muhammad-shahidullah/254-dr-muhammad-shahidullah-advancement-of-bangla-language-awards-passing-burial-biography-of-muslim-and-bengali |title=Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah - advancement of Bangla language, awards, passing & burial - biography of Muslim and Bengali |website=Londoni}}</ref>
* Les Chants Mystiques de Kanha et de Saraha [The Mystic Songs], 1928, Adrien Maisonneuve.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Shahidullah |first=Muhammad |date=1928 |title=Les chants mystiques de Kāṇha et de Saraha |trans-title=The Mystic Songs of Kanha and Saraha |language=fr |url=https://archive.org/details/shahidullahleschantsmystiques/page/n1/mode/2up |access-date=October 25, 2022}}</ref>

==Family==
Shahidullah had seven sons and two daughters - Mohammad Raziullah, Mohammad Safiyullah, Mohammad Waliullah, A K Mohammad Zakiyullah, Mohammad Taqiullah, Mohammad Naqiullah, Mohammad Bashirullah, Mohzuza Haque ({{nee|Khatun}}), Masrura Haque ({{nee|Khatun}}). Zakiyullah, established a school named ''Dr. Shahidullah Gyanpith'' in [[Old Dhaka]] and a research library named ''Dr. Shahidullah Memorial Library and Language Research Center'' in Senpara Parbata, Mirpur, [[Dhaka]]. Naqiyyullah studied at [[George Washington University]] in the United States, and settled in [[Cairo]], Egypt, after serving as a pathologist in Saudi Arabia. Bashirullah, known popularly as [[Murtaja Baseer]], is an [[Independence Award]] winning painter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.londoni.co/index.php/58-history-of-bangladesh/biography/dr-muhammad-shahidullah/252-dr-muhammad-shahidullah-early-life-of-gyantaposh-education-family-life-career-biography-of-muslim-and-bengali |title=Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah - early life of Gyantaposh, education, family life, career - biography of Muslim and Bengali |website=Londoni}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
[[File:Dr Shahidulla's tomb.jpg|thumb|Shahidullah's tomb at the [[University of Dhaka]] campus]]
Shahidullah was made professor emeritus by the University of Dhaka (1967) for his lifetime contribution to research on language and literature. He was also awarded the [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres|Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]] by the [[French government]] in 1967 for his academic contribution to language and literature.<ref name=banglapedia/> In 1980, the [[government of Bangladesh]] awarded him the [[Independence Day Award|Independence Award]] posthumously.

==Eponyms==
* [[Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall]]
* Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Academic Building, [[Rajshahi University]]
* [[Chandraketugarh Sahidullah Smriti Mahavidyalaya]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{citation |author=Khondkar Serajul Huq |chapter=Muslim Sahitya-Samaj |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Muslim_Sahitya-Samaj |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |editor=Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]] |year=2012 |edition=Second}}

{{Bengal Renaissance}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shahidullah, Muhammad}}
[[Category:1885 births]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:Bengali educators]]
[[Category:Presidency University, Kolkata alumni]]
[[Category:Translators of Omar Khayyám]]
[[Category:Linguists from Bengal]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian linguists]]
[[Category:Linguists from Pakistan]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Dhaka]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:University of Paris alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance]]
[[Category:City College, Kolkata alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Independence Award]]
[[Category:Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]
[[Category:Honorary Fellows of Bangla Academy]]
[[Category:19th-century Bengali people]]
[[Category:20th-century Bengali people]]
[[Category:Bengali Muslim scholars of Islam]]
[[Category:Writers from Dhaka]]
[[Category:People from South 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Writers from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Bengali-language writers]]
[[Category:Bengali writers]]
[[Category:Jashore Zilla School alumni]]

Muhammad Shahidullah - Revision history

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