Fateh Ali Waisi

Sayyid Fateh Ali Waisi was a Sufi saint, preacher of Islam and a Persian-language poet. His epic poem Diwan-i-Waisi, written in Persian, gained widespread popularity. Due to its literary importance, the poem is included in the curricula of various universities, including Dhaka University.

Birth and identity

Fateh Ali was born in 1820 in Mallik Sobhan Hajipara, Chittagong District, Bengal Presidency, Company Raj. His father's name was Wares Ali, also a Sufi saint, who was martyred in the Battle of Balakot against the British.

Spirituality

As a child, Waisi went to the forests of the hilly region of Chittagong with his elder brother for spiritual enlightenment. He took oath of allegiance to Noor Muhammad Nizampuri, from whom he received the caliphate of the Qadiriyya, Naqshbandi, Chishti and Mujaddidi orders.

Diwan-i-Waisi

Waisi wrote his epic poem Diwan-i-Waisi in Persian. The book is written in spiritually charged ghazals and rhythms, expressing his love for the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Death

Waisi later moved permanently to Bengal Presidency's Murshidabad. He died in British Indian capital Calcutta in 1886 at the age of 66.