Shah Amanat Shrine (শাহ আমানত মাজার)

The Shah Amanat Shrine is the tomb of Shah Amanat (Amanatullah Khan), an 18th-century Sufi saint of Chattogram, in the Kotwali area of the old city just east of Laldighi, Bangladesh. Pilgrims and local people visit throughout the day, and it suits travellers who want to see one of the city's most visited religious sites.

Who was Shah Amanat?

Shah Amanat came from a family of Iraqi Arab origin whose ancestors moved from Baghdad to Bihar and traced their line to Abdul Qadir Gilani. He became a disciple of the Kashmiri Sufi scholar Shah Abdur Rahim Rizvi in Murshidabad and studied in Delhi, Lucknow and Kashmir. On his teacher's advice he moved to Chittagong, lived in a simple cottage and worked as a punkah puller at the judge's court, which earned him the nickname Meah Saheb. He prayed at the Qadam Mubarak mosque of Nawab Muhammad Yasin Khan. Banglapedia records that a karamat, a spiritual feat, revealed his standing, after which he left the court to devote himself to meditation.

Khanqah Amanatiya and the hereditary custodians

He set up the Khanqah Amanatiya to teach the Naqshbandi, Mujaddidi, Qadiri, Chishti and Madari orders, and it became a leading Sufi centre in the region. He died in 1773 and was buried near the khanqah. His family still runs the shrine through hereditary custodians known as Sajjada Nashin, and holds a Persian deed of endowment from Anwar Khan, described as his son. The free meal service, or langar, was expanded under Shahzada Aliyar Khan as visitors grew.

Blessings, Ramadan crowds and visitors of all faiths

Banglapedia ranks him among the great saints of Chattogram, and people come to seek blessings, notably in court cases. Thousands gather on the 27th night of Ramadan. The shrine draws people of different faiths. His name is on Shah Amanat International Airport in Patenga, a hall at the University of Chittagong and many local businesses and buses.