Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi
Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi (also known as Ali Miyan; 5 December 1913 – 31 December 1999) was an Indian Islamic scholar and author of over fifty books in various languages. He was the theorist of a revivalist movement. In particular he believed Islamic civilisation could be revived via a synthesis of western ideas and Islam. He served as the seventh chancellor of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama.
Contents
- 1 Biography
- 2 Writings
- 3 Positions, honours and awards
- 4 Access to the Kaaba
- 5 Death
- 6 See also
- 7 References
- 7.1 Citations
- 7.2 Bibliography
- 8 External links
Biography
Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi was born on 5 December 1913 in Raebareli. His father, Hakim Syed Abdul Hai, wrote an 8-volumes Arabic encyclopedia called Nuzhat al Khawatir (biographical notices of more than 5,000 theologian and jurists of the Sub-continent). Ali received his early education at his hometown Takia, Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, India. His mother initiated his early training in Quranic studies then he later entered formal education in Arabic, Persian and Urdu. He received a B.A in Arabic literature from the University of Lucknow in 1927. He entered Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in 1929, studying most of the Islamic sciences there, and then studied briefly at the Darul Uloom Deoband during 1932. He went to La* to study tafsir with Ahmad Ali Lahori. His other teachers included Hussain Ahmad Madani, Hyder Hasan Tonki and Izaz Ali Amrohi.
He was a student of Abul A'la Maududi, and played a significant role in transposing Maududi's thought to Sayyid Qutb and to the Arab world in general, due to his effort in translating most of Maududi's books into Arabic. However, according to Julten Abdelhalim, "Abul Hasan Nadwi was known for his opposition to Maududi strategies; although they both agreed on the significance of the creation of the Islamic state, they differed on the means."
Writings
Abul H*an Ali Nadwi primarily wrote in Arabic, although also in Urdu, and wrote more than fifty books on history, theology, and biography, and thousands of seminar papers, articles, and recorded speeches.
His 1950 book Maza Khasiral Alam be Inhitat al-Muslimeen (lit. What did the world lose with the decline of Muslims?), translated into English as Islam and the World, was largely responsible for popularizing the concept of "modern Jahiliyya" The Islamist author Syed Qutb commended Nadwi's writings for his use of the word jahiliyya to describe not a particular age in history (as earlier Muslim scholars did) but a state of moral corruption and materialism.
He wrote 'Qasas al-Nabiyyeen' (translated as 'Stories of the Prophets') for his nephew that became famous among the Arabic learners and the book was soon included in the syllabi for teaching Arabic at various ins*utions around the globe. Being a fan of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Ali Nadwi also undertook the task of introducing Iqbal and his Islamic thoughts to the Arab world. Thus, he wrote 'Rawa'i' Iqbal' which was subsequently rendered in to Urdu as 'Nuqoosh-i-Iqbal'.
He wrote a detailed biography of his father in Urdu en*led 'Hayat-e-Abdul Haiy'. He also wrote a biographical account of his mother in 'Zikr-e-Khayr'. While he also penned his autobiography, 'Karawan-e-Zindagi', in 7 volumes.
An adherent of pan-Islamism, he opposed secular Arab nationalism and pan-Arabism. He also had a lifelong *ociation with the Tablighi Jamaat.
Dr. Shah has summarized some of his salient thoughts in the following words:
'Maulana Ali Nadwi sincerely and staunchly believed that the real threat to the modern world, especially the Muslim world, is neither the lack of material development nor the political disturbances, rather it’s the moral and spiritual decline. He firmly believed that Islam alone has the ability to overturn this and thus Muslims must wake up to make an effort in this regard. By staying back, he argued, the Muslims were not only failing themselves rather the entire humanity! He stressed on Muslims, especially those living in a Muslim majority countries (like Pakistan), to develop a society based on Islamic principles that could become a model (for its moral and spiritual values) for the rest of the world. He was a strong critic of nationalism and stressed upon working for the humanity, collectively. He also laid much emphasis on the crucial role women for upholding the teachings of Islam in a society.Instead of trying to shut their doors for the incoming western influence, he believed that the intellectual Muslims should study the contemporary Western ideologies and form their own ideology in its response, withholding the 'superior moral values of Islam'. He opposed 'Islamic groups' from clashing with the 'secular elite' in Muslim majority countries and instead encouraged for an 'inclusive approach' wherein the 'secular elite' could be gradually and positively called towards Islam, without causing any chaos in the society. Similarly, he also urged Muslims living as a minority to maintain peace and create a valuable position for themselves through hard work and exemplary morals.'
Positions, honours and awards
- 1962 Founding member/Secretary of the first inaugural session and foundation of Muslim World League in Mecca.
- 1980 King Faisal Award
- Founding Chairman of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
- 1984 President of 'League of Islamic Literature'.
- 1999 'Islamic Personality of Year' award established by Sheikh Mohammed of United Arab Emirates.
- 1999 Sultan of Brunei Award
After his death, the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI), Pakistan, arranged a seminar in his honor and published the speeches and articles presented therein as ‘Maulana Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi – Hayat-o-Afkar Kay Chand Pehlu’
Access to the Kaaba
In 1951, during his second pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah the key-bearer of the Kaaba (Islam's holiest building), opened its door for two days and allowed Abul H*an Ali Nadwi to take anyone he chose inside.
He was given the key to the Kaaba to allow him to enter whenever he chose during his pilgrimage.
Death
Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi died on 23 Ramadan, 1420 AH (31 December 1999) in Raebareli, India at the age of 85.
See also
- Abul A'la Maududi
- Sayyid Qutb
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Ahmad, Peer Maqsood (1992). Contribution of Maulana Syed Abul H*an Ali Nadwi to Arabic Language and Literature (Thesis) (in Urdu). University of Kashmir. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- Amini, Noor Alam Khalil (February 2017). "Yaktāye Zaman Hadhrat Mawlānā Sayyid Abul Hasan". Pas-e-Marg-e-Zindah (in Urdu) (5th:ed.). Deoband: Idara Ilm-o-Adab. pp.:524–562.
- Mukhtar, Asad; Mehtab, Ahsan, eds. (February 2019). "Mufakkir-e-Islām Mawlānā Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi" . Fikr-e-Inqelab (in Urdu). New Delhi: All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Haq. 7 (162).
- Nadwi, Bilal Abdul Hai Hasani (2013). Sawaneh Mufakkir-e-Islām (in Urdu) (3rd:ed.). Raibareli: Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed Academy. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- Zawahir, M. Nafeel M. (2008). Comparative study on Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi's political thought, with particular reference to his contempararies, Abul A'la Mawdudi and Sayyid Qutb (Thesis). University of Wales.
External links
- Central Mosque Website
- English books (103) for download by Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi
- Muhammad Abduh
- Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī
- Qazi Hussain Ahmad
- Muhammad Asad
- H*an al-Banna
- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
- Necmettin Erbakan
- Muammar Gaddafi
- Rached Ghannouchi
- Safwat Hegazi
- Muhammad Iqbal
- Alija Izetbegović
- Ali Khamenei
- Ruhollah Khomeini
- Abul A'la Maududi
- Abul Hasan Nadwi
- Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani
- Yusuf al-Qaradawi
- Sayyid Qutb
- Tariq Ramadan
- Ata Abu Rashta
- Rashid Rida
- Navvab Safavi
- Ali Shariati
- Haji Shariatullah
- H*an Al-Turabi
- Malcolm X
- Ahmed Y*in
- Zia-ul-Haq
- Ziaur Rahman
- Muhammad Rizieq Shihab
- Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab
- Nasiruddin Albani
- Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz
- Muqbil bin Hadi al-Wadi'i
- Safar al-Hawali
- Rabee al-Madkhali
- Muhammad Al-Munajjid
- Zakir Naik
- Salman al-Ouda
- Ali al-Tamimi
- Ibn al-Uthaymeen
- International propagation of Salafism and Wahhabism
- Islamic religious police
- Petro-Islam
- Sufi–Salafi relations
- Islam in South Asia:· North Africa