Dhaka witnessed its largest spiritual gathering on Friday as hundreds of thousands of devotees from across Bangladesh and abroad converged in Arambagh for the World Ashek E Rasul (SAW) Conference 2025.

The daylong event marked the 76th birth anniversary of Hazrat Syed Mahbub-e-Khoda Dewanbagi (Rh), the revered spiritual reformer, Sufi guide and freedom fighter whose legacy continues to inspire millions.

Conference convener Imam Professor Dr Qudrat E Khoda (MZA) strongly condemned the recent attacks on mazars, darbars and khanqas nationwide. Calling for unity over division, he urged Bangladeshis to uphold harmony and protect the country’s long-standing Sufi heritage.

As the spiritual successor to Dewanbagi Huzur, Imam Qudrat E Khoda currently leads the Mohammadi Islam movement.

The conference brought together prominent Islamic scholars, Supreme Court justices, university academics, researchers and professionals from various fields. Speakers reflected on the peaceful philosophy of Sufism and revisited Dewanbagi Huzur’s lifelong struggle for spiritual reform.

Addressing the vast congregation, Imam Qudrat E Khoda recalled how Dewanbagi Huzur had taken up arms during the Liberation War before dedicating the remainder of his life to guiding people away from worldly desires and toward spiritual purification.

“Even when the world stood against Dewanbagi Huzur Kebla, he never stopped spreading the peaceful message of Sufism,” he said.

Qudrat E Khoda added that Mohammadi Islam—rooted in moral integrity and inner transformation—has now spread to more than a hundred countries, shaping the lives of millions seeking spiritual awakening.

“Mohammadi Islam is a call to noble character: honesty, truthfulness, commitment to the righteous path and abstention from injustice,” he noted.

Imam Qudrat E Khoda emphasised that those who desecrate the shrines of Sufi’s fail to embody the true character of Islam.

“To become a person of character, one must approach the saints of Allah,” he said. “Just as a student must learn from a teacher, one can only reach Allah by seeking the guidance of His chosen friends.”

From 3:30am to 3pm, the conference grounds remained vibrant with muraqaba, milad, hamd-naat, Jumu’ah prayers, supplications, Islamic discussions, scholarly lectures and the unveiling of a commemorative publication. Devotional chants of “Ya Rasulullah, Ya Habiballah” echoed across the venue, capturing the collective reverence for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Speakers also highlighted the powerful influence of Hazrat Syed Mahbub-e-Khoda Dewanbagi (Rh), noting that his teachings—centred on divine connection, moral clarity and spiritual elevation—continue to transform lives worldwide.

Born on 14 December 1949 in Brahmanbaria, he played a leading role in the 1969 mass uprising and later served as an organiser during the Liberation War. In 1974, he left military service to pursue spiritual training under Imam Sultan Ahmad Chandrapuri (Rh), eventually receiving khilafat.

In 1985, he established the Dewanbag Darbar Sharif in Narayanganj, becoming widely known as Dewanbagi. Over subsequent decades, he founded 11 darbars and more than a thousand khanqas and jaker assemblies across Bangladesh and in over a hundred countries.

His four core teachings—self-purification, heart awakening, meditative prayer and becoming an Ashek E Rasul—continue to shape the spiritual journey of followers around the world.

Before his passing on 28 December 2020, Dewanbagi Huzur entrusted the leadership of Mohammadi Islam and the global network of darbars and khanqas to Imam Professor Dr Qudrat E Khoda (MZA).

As founder of the humanitarian Qadr Foundation, the Imam is now widely regarded as the principal guardian of the movement, carrying forward Sufism’s message of peace and moral renewal across continents.