Shah Amanat

Amanat was born into a Muslim family of Iraqi Arab origin. His forefathers migrated from Baghdad to Bihar and they also were descended from Abdul Qadir Gilani.[2] His father's name was Niyamat. Amanat later migrated to Bengal.[3][4] In Murshidabad or Dhaka's Laxmibazar, Amanat became a disciple of and pledged bay'ah to a Kashmiri scholar by the name of Shah Abdur Rahim Rizvi,[5] for a number of years.[6] Abdur Rahim was the grandson of Khwaja Masum, the son of Ahmad Sirhindi.[7] Amanat travelled across the subcontinent to learn about Islam in places such as Delhi, Lucknow and Kashmir.[8]

One day, Abdur Rahim advised Amanat to migrate to Chittagong. Amanat built himself a small cottage in a forest area in Chittagong to live in. He managed to get a job as a punkah wallah at the Chittagong Judge Court, and preferred a simple lifestyle without attracting much attention. He would attend prayers at Yasin Khan's Qadam Mubarak mosque. It was from this career at the court, that he was nicknamed Khan Saheb.[3] However, after people realised his true identity, Amanat began dedicating more of his public life towards religious propagation.[9] His first disciple was Shah Sufi Muhammad Dayem of Dayera Sharif, Azimpur who later left for Azimabad and Phulwari Sharif.[10]

Amanat died in 1809 and was buried near his cottage in a mazar (mausoleum). It is currently in the city of Chittagong; east of the Laldighi and north of the Central Jail road.

In Halishahar, there is a school named after Amanat called the Shah Amanat Shishu Niketan. There is also a power and energy company called Shah Amanat Prakritik Gas Co. Ltd. owned by S. Alam Group of Industries.[11] Shah Amanat International Airport was named after him.[12]

• 
  Shah Amanat Hall at the University of Chittagong.
• 
  Shah Amanat International Airport, Patenga
• 
  Shah Amanat Bridge