A F M Khalid Hossain

Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain
Born	(1959-02-02) February 2, 1959 Madarsha Union, Satkania Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh
Other names	Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain
Occupation(s)	Islamic scholar, professor, editor, adviser
Years active	1987–present
Known for	Adviser for Religious Affairs of Yunus interim government; Vice President of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh; Education Adviser of Islami Andolan Bangladesh
Notable work	Over 20 books, editor of At-Tawheed and assistant editor of Balagh al-Sharq, contributor to Islami Bishwakosh and Sirat Encyclopedia

Abul Fayez Muhammad Khalid Hossain—commonly referred to as Dr. A F M Khalid Hossain—was born on 2 February 1959 and is a distinguished Islamic scholar from Bangladesh. Since 8 August 2024, he has been serving as the Adviser for Religious Affairs within the Yunus interim government. This appointment marks a historic moment as he is the first Islamic scholar to assume this advisory position in Bangladesh. He holds the position of Vice President at Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and acts as the Education Adviser for Islami Andolan Bangladesh. Earlier in his career, he led Islami Chhatra Samaj, which is the student organization affiliated with the Nizam-e-Islam Party.

In the academic realm, Khalid Hossain is a visiting professor at the International Islamic University Chittagong and was previously an adjunct professor at the Asian University of Bangladesh. He served as the head of the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Omargani M.E.S. College. His editorial roles include being editor of At-Tawheed and assistant editor of Balagh al-Sharq. He regularly contributes columns to four national newspapers and has authored more than 200 research papers, including publications in The Muslim World League Journal. His bibliography comprises 20 books, and he significantly contributed to editing volumes three through nine of the second edition of the Islami Bishwakosh as well as the Sirat Encyclopedia, both projects undertaken by Islamic Foundation Bangladesh.

Life account

Born on 2 February 1959 in Madarsha Union, located in Satkania Upazila of Chittagong District, Khalid Hossain hails from a Bengali Muslim lineage; his father, Muhammad Habibullah, was himself an Islamic scholar. His early education began at Babunagar Government Primary School. He completed his Alim certification in 1971 and Fazil in 1973 at Satkania Mahmudul Uloom Alia Madrasa. Between 1973 and 1975, he pursued Hadith studies at Chittagong Chandanpura Darul Uloom, obtaining a Kamil degree from the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board in 1975. His religious education involved studying major Islamic texts under renowned scholars. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Islamic History and Culture from the University of Chittagong in 1982, followed by a Master’s degree in 1983. In 2006, he completed his Ph.D. focusing on The Sermons of the Prophet Muhammad: A Socio-cultural Study. His spiritual mentors included Abdul Halim Bukhari, while he received Sufi guidance from Jamir Uddin Nanupuri, Shah Ahmad Shafi, and Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi.

Khalid Hossain began his professional journey in 1987 as a lecturer specializing in Arabic language and literature at Satkania Alia Mahmudul Uloom Fazil Madrasa. From 1992 until January 2019, he held the role of professor and head of the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Omargani M.E.S. College. Since 2007, he has been the editor of At-Tawheed, a monthly religious and literary periodical published by Al Jamia Al Islamia Patiya. Additionally, he served as Khatib at Hazrat Uthman Jame Mosque in Halishahar A-Block and taught at Al Jamiyatul Arbiyatul Islamia Ziri. His teaching experience also includes positions as an adjunct professor at the Asian University of Bangladesh and instructing roles at institutions such as Al Jamia Al Islamia Patiya and Jamia Darul Ma'arif Al-Islamia. Between 1973 and 1984, he contributed as a correspondent for newspapers including Daily Sangbad and The Bangladesh Times.

On 2 January 2021, Khalid Hossain was appointed Education Adviser to Islami Andolan Bangladesh. Later, on 31 August 2023, he was elected vice-president of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh. He assumed a visiting professorship in the Department of Quranic Sciences and Islamic Studies at the International Islamic University Chittagong on 8 July 2023. Following political developments in 2024 with the establishment of an interim government under Muhammad Yunus, Khalid Hossain was appointed Adviser for Religious Affairs on 8 August 2024.

Literary works

Khalid Hossain's inaugural article, titled The Life and Work of Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA), was published in At-Tawheed. Presently, he holds the position of editor for At-Tawheed and acts as assistant editor for the Arabic periodical Balag al-Sharq, both affiliated with Al Jamia Al Islamia Patiya. Additionally, he is a frequent contributor to four national newspapers. His editorial contributions encompass volumes of the second edition of the Islami Bishwakosh and the Sirat encyclopedia, both issued by Islamic Foundation Bangladesh. He also authenticates the Bengali translation by Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi. In 1989, he wrote Khatib-e-Azam Maulana Siddique Ahmad: The Source of a Revolution and has authored more than 20 books since. His translated works include Maslak-e Ulama-e-Deoband, Muslims in India, and the third volume of Karwan-e-Zindagi. Among his edited publications are Sirat-e Ayesha (Ra.), Rise of Global Islam, Aso Nari Porda Kori, and Prayers for Men and Women. His compilations feature titles such as Nive Jawa Dipshikha and Selected Essays-1. The most recent of his works, Islamic Regulations, was launched on 15 February 2025, with its cover revealed by Faruk-e-Azam at an event in Dhaka.