# Maulana Muhammad Hanif (1952 – 2023)

> Scholar and creator of the Hanifi Rohingya script · Rathedaung, Rakhine State

- Known for: Scholar and creator of the Hanifi Rohingya script
- Born: 1952, Northern Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, Myanmar
- Died: 10 November 2023
- Place: Rathedaung, Rakhine State
- Fields: Language and script, Education, Religion
- Page: https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-hanif/

## Summary

A Rohingya scholar remembered for creating the Hanifi script, a writing system he devised in the 1980s to represent the sounds of the Rohingya language. Written from right to left with 28 characters, it is used in Rohingya schools, refugee camps and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing, and has become a key tool for preserving Rohingya identity and culture. Born in 1952 in northern Rathedaung Township into a family of religious scholars, he died on 10 November 2023.

## What he did

- **1952** — Born in northern Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, into a family of religious scholars.
- **Studies** — Pursued extensive Islamic and linguistic studies.
- **1980s** — Created the Hanifi script, written from right to left with 28 characters, to represent accurately the unique sounds of the Rohingya language.
- **Legacy** — The script came to be used in Rohingya schools, refugee camps and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing, giving the Rohingya a standardised way to document their language, history and traditions.
- **2023** — Died on 10 November.

## Biography: A script for the Rohingya language

Maulana Muhammad Hanif is a respected Rohingya scholar best known for developing the Hanifi script, the very first writing system for the Rohingya language. Born in 1952 in northern Rathedaung township, Rakhine State, Myanmar, he came from a family of religious scholars and pursued extensive Islamic and linguistic studies. He died on 10 November 2023.

In the 1980s, Hanif created the Hanifi script to accurately represent the unique sounds of the Rohingya language. This script, written from right to left with 28 characters, has become a key tool in preserving Rohingya identity and culture.

The Hanifi script is widely used today in Rohingya schools, refugee camps, and diaspora communities to teach reading and writing. Hanif’s work gave the Rohingya people a standardized way to document their language, history, and traditions.

His legacy lives on through the Hanifi script, which remains central to Rohingya cultural preservation and education.

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From Rohingya Famous People, https://people.rohingya.ro/people/muhammad-hanif/ (updated 2026-11-04)