Waz Mahfil

Waz Mahfil (alias: Waz, or Tafsir-ul-Quran Mahfil) is a traditional Islamic preaching event in Bangladesh that combines the Arabic words 'waz', meaning "giving advice", and 'mahfil', meaning "gathering". It is a gathering of Muslim devotees and common listeners for sermons on Islam, has long been one of the primary means of preaching Islam in Bangladesh. Waz Mahfils are typically held in open spaces, such as playgrounds, paddy fields, street corners, or public grounds, and usually last from evening until midnight.^[1][2][3] It is the most popular medium of discussing teachings of Islam and Tafsir in the subcontinent especially in Bangladesh. However, apart from preaching Islam through Waz Mahfil, various political, social and contemporary issues of the country are also discussed here.^[4][5][6] Ibrahim Ali Tashna is regarded as the founder of Waz Mahfil(previously known as Islamic Jalsa) in the country. In 1906, he organized Islamic Jalsa or Waz Mahfil in the open ground to spread Islamic knowledge among the common people. Thousands of people from far and wide used to attend the event he introduced. The news of this new type of event spread quickly in Sylhet and Assam region as a result, Waz Mahfil started being organized in different places.