Mawlānā Abdul Majid Daryabadi | |
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Personal details | |
Born | Dariyabad, Barabanki British India | 16 March 1892
Died | 6 January 1977 84) Barabanki, India | (aged
Political party | Khilafat Movement |
Parent |
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Alma mater | |
Main interest(s) | Comparative religion, Tafsir, Biography, Orientalism, Modernism, Islamic philosophy, Psychology, travelogue, Sufism, Journalism |
Notable work(s) |
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Religious life | |
Denomination | Sunni |
Jurisprudence | Hanafi |
Creed | Maturidi |
Senior posting | |
Disciple of | Ashraf Ali Thanwi |
Abdul Majid Daryabadi (16 March 1892 – 6 January 1977) was an influential Islamic scholar, philosopher, writer, critic, researcher, journalist, and Quranic exegete active in the Indian subcontinent during the 20th century. [1] [2] He was deeply concerned with modernism, comparative religion, and orientalism in India. [3]
In his early life, Daryabadi identified as a "rationalist" and distanced himself from religion for nearly nine years. However, he later re-evaluated his beliefs and became a devout Muslim. [4] He was closely associated with the Khilafat Movement and was actively involved with prestigious institutions such as the Royal Asiatic Society, Aligarh Muslim University, Nadwatul Ulama, and the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy. [2] He was a disciple of Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Hussain Ahmad Madani, both prominent Islamic scholars of the time.
Throughout his career, Daryabadi edited the Urdu weekly Sidq-e-Jaded, a publication widely respected across the Indian subcontinent for its inspiring message and distinctive style. [2] Known for his expressive writing, often marked by humor and sarcasm, [2] he continued to edit the journal until his death. Under the guidance of his mentor, Ashraf Ali Thanwi, Daryabadi authored the Tafseer-e-Majidi , a Quranic commentary first written in English and later translated into Urdu. [2] This tafsir sought to purify Muslim thought by promoting an understanding of Islam based on original teachings, free from external influences, and encouraged a thoughtful review of past scholarly interpretations. [3]
In recognition of his contributions, Daryabadi received the Arabic Scholar Award from the Government of India in 1967. In 1975, Aligarh Muslim University awarded him an honorary Doctorate in Literature. He died in January 1977. [2]
Abdul Majid Daryabadi was born in Daryabad to Abdul Qadir (1848–1912) and Bibi Nasirun Nisa, both of Qidwai ancestry. [5] [6] His father, Abdul Qadir, was a follower of the Qadiriyya Sufi Order. Daryabadi's mother was also of Qidwai descent, and her father was the elder brother of Mufti Mazhar Karim Qudwai (Abdul Majid's paternal grandfather), making Daryabadi's parents cousins.
Daryabadi's maternal grandfather resided in Lucknow, which became a second home for him, as his father had also been born there. [7] Abdul Majid was the youngest of five siblings. In his autobiography, Aap Biti, he noted that only one elder brother, Abdul Majid (d. 1951), and one elder sister, Zarifunnisa (later known as Bibi Sakina, d. 1945), were still alive during his later years. [3]
Daryabadi grew up in a religious environment and initially studied Arabic and Persian under his father's guidance. [8] In 1902, he began formal schooling at Sitapur High School, where he studied until 1908. [8] In July 1908, Daryabadi was admitted to Canning College in Lucknow, which was then affiliated with Allahabad University. [8] He pursued a B.A. (Honours) in Philosophy, with a curriculum that included English, metaphysics, ethics, and psychology. [8] Daryabadi developed a keen interest in psychology, while his Arabic studies included classic works by Ibn Khaldun, Mutanabbi, and others. [8]
In April 1912, he traveled to Allahabad to complete his B.A. exams, graduating with second-class honors in June. During this period, Daryabadi identified as a rationalist and agnostic, which marked a departure from his religious upbringing.
Following his B.A., Daryabadi hoped to pursue an M.A. in philosophy, available at only two institutions at the time: Banaras Hindu University and Aligarh Muslim University. He enrolled at Aligarh but failed his first-year examinations. [8] Later, he transferred to St. Stephen's College in Delhi in 1913. However, his studies were cut short when his father died while performing Hajj in 1912. [8] Financial constraints forced Daryabadi to leave his studies and enter the job market. [9] During this time, he studied Buddhism and Theosophy but gradually returned to Islam under the influence of Ashraf Ali Thanwi and poet Akbar Allahabadi. He later became involved in the Khilafat Movement, serving as the president of the Oudh Khilafat Committee. [9]
Although Daryabadi did not attend a traditional madrasah, he was well-versed in Arabic literature due to his education at Canning College. He graduated with strong knowledge in Arabic, English, psychology, philosophy, and logic. [9] At around age 15 or 16, he published two articles, "Mahmud Ghaznavi" and "Ghadha-i Insani", in Wakil, a weekly magazine in Amritsar. Recognizing his scholarly potential, Wakil published the articles as a booklet and conferred upon him the title of "Maulana". [9] However, Daryabadi did not accept this title at the time, as he was exploring rationalism and referred to himself as "Mr. Abdul Majid". Eventually, he returned to Islam, influenced by figures like Haji Warith Ali Shah, Akbar Ilah Abadi, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jawhar, and Rishi Bahgwan Das. Daryabadi's later contributions to Islamic literature, particularly his Tafsir, solidified his reputation as a scholar. [9]
After ending his studies, Daryabadi pursued a career in journalism. [10] He initially worked for publications such as Udh Panch in Lucknow, Al-Hilal in Kolkata, Jamindar in Lahore, and Hamdard in Delhi. In 1925, he founded his own weekly magazine, Sach, in Lucknow, where he served as editor until 1933. [10] In 1933, he ceased publishing Sach to dedicate himself to writing an English translation and commentary on the Quran. He later relaunched Sach as Sidq, eventually renaming it Sidq-e-Jadid in 1950, a publication he continued to edit until his death in 1977. [10]
Daryabadi's unique writing style and his editorial work in Sidq-e-Jadid gained him recognition as an eminent journalist and Islamic scholar. [11] His prolific output includes over sixty published works, as well as contributions to prestigious Urdu journals such as Ma'arif of Azamgarh, Al-Nazir, Hamdam of Lucknow, and Hamdard of Delhi. [11] He was also affiliated with institutions like the Royal Asiatic Society in London, the Hindustani Academy, and the Nadwatul Ulama of Lucknow. His commentaries on the Quran, written in both Urdu and English, are among his most celebrated contributions to Islamic scholarship. [11]
Daryabadi's reputation as a scholar and writer earned him a position at Osmania University in Hyderabad. [11] He served as a translator in the Department of Translation from September 1, 1917, to July 31, 1918, focusing on philosophy and logic. Although his tenure lasted only eleven months, his contributions were recognized by the government of Hyderabad, which supported the publication of his works. [11] He received a lifetime pension from Hyderabad in appreciation of his services to Urdu literature. His early works, including pamphlets like Ghaza-i Insani and Mahmud Ghaznavi, reflected his early rationalist leanings and were published by the Anjuman-i Taraqqi-i Urdu. [11]
Upon his return to Islam, Daryabadi developed close associations with devout Muslim intellectuals such as Akbar Allahabadi, Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Hussain Ahmad Madani, and Ashraf Ali Thanwi. [11] Inspired by Thanwi, he embarked on an English and Urdu tafsir (Quranic commentary) project, comparing Islamic teachings to those in other religious texts like the Bible and the Jewish Encyclopedia. His Tafsir-ul-Quran in English and Al-Quran al-Hakim in Urdu are significant contributions to comparative religion and Islamic scholarship. He devoted much of his life to Islamic writing, publishing extensively on Islamic philosophy, Sufism, and Quranic interpretation. [11]
Daryabadi came from a family devoted to Islam, and after his return to the faith, he developed an interest in Sufism. [12] In search of spiritual guidance, he initially considered taking an oath of allegiance with Mohammad Ali Jauhar, but ultimately took the oath from Ashraf Ali Thanwi in 1928. Later, he renewed his oath under Hussain Ahmed Madani with Thanwi's permission. His search for a spiritual guide is detailed in his book Murshid ki Talash ("In Search of a Spiritual Guide"). [12]
In 1966, Daryabadi received the Arabic Scholar Award from the Government of India. In 1976, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Literature from Aligarh Muslim University, which was presented to him by the Indian President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Additionally, the Hyderabad State granted him a lifetime pension for his contributions to Urdu literature.
Daryabadi spent his last days at Khatun Manzil in Lucknow, where he was gravely ill. Despite his condition, many people from diverse backgrounds came to visit him. [3] Among his frequent visitors were Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi and professors from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama. His final visitor was Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi, the principal of Darul Uloom Deoband, who met with Daryabadi the day before his passing. [3]
On January 6, 1977, at 4:30 a.m., Abdul Majid Daryabadi died at the age of 85. In accordance with his last wishes, his first Namaz-e-Janazah (funeral prayer) was led by Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow, attended by a large gathering. His body was then transported to his ancestral home in Daryabad, where a second Namaz-e-Janazah was held after the Maghrib prayer, led by Hafiz Gulam Nabi. He was laid to rest in his family's graveyard next to his forefather Makhdum Abkash. [3]
Daryabadi had influential and notable family ties. His brother-in-law, Khan Bahadur Sheikh Masood-uz-Zaman, served as a member and the last deputy president of the Legislative Council in the United Provinces under British rule before the council was dissolved. [4] Another sister married Nawab Nazir Yar Jung, a judge of the Hyderabad High Court. Their daughter, Hamida Habibullah, was married to General Enaith Habibullah, making her the mother of Wajahat Habibullah of the Saidanpur taluqa in Awadh.
Daryabadi's son-in-law, Hakeem Abdul Qavi Daryabadi, was a well-regarded Urdu journalist, [5] while another son-in-law and nephew, Muhammad Hashim Kidwai, was a distinguished author, academic, and former MP, who also taught at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). [6] Among his grandchildren, several have made their mark in academia and journalism: Saleem Kidwai, a political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Abdur Raheem Kidwai, an English professor and author at AMU; Shafey Kidwai, an award-winning critic and professor at AMU; Rasheed Kidwai, a well-known political analyst and journalist; and Nafay Kidwai, a prominent columnist and journalist who received the highest honor from the UP Urdu Academy. [7] [8]
On June 2, 1916, Daryabadi married Aftun Nisa, daughter of Shaykh Yusufuz-Zaman, a former magistrate. [3] In 1930, he briefly entered a second marriage, which ended in divorce. Daryabadi remained with his first wife, Aftun Nisa, with whom he had daughters and sons, although his sons tragically died in early childhood. [3]
This section relies largely or entirely on a single source .(July 2025) |
Abdul Majid Daryabadi was born into a noble family. His father was a pious Muslim. [13] As a child, he was raised and educated in a religious environment. [14]
The 20th century was a time of freethinking and rationalism. During college he encountered the rationalist school of the West and became a rationalist and an agnostic. Gradually suspicion and disbelief started in his thought and faith. He read the books of atheists and orientalists, such as the Greek philosophers Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and Dicard. He had especial zeal for the writings of Bacon, Hume, Locke, Mill, Baikal, Spenser, Huxley, Darwin, and William James; [14] he read William James' The Book of Psychology and The Principles of Psychology . [14]
This education upset his Islamic beliefs, and he converted to atheism. [14] He was a rationalist and an agnostic, and though a Muslim by name, not a practising Muslim. [14] In 1910, while filling out his intermediate final examination form, he wrote "Rationalist" instead of "Muslim" under the option of religion. [14] In that time, he felt shame to introduce himself as a Muslim. During these college years, Daryabadi wrote books on philosophy, wherein he focused on rationalistic and Western philosophical thoughts. [14]
This period lasted approximately ten years (1909–1918) of his young life. During this time, he still supported debating, writing, and discussing Islam. In his memoirs, Daryabadi wrote:
Perhaps in October 1911, a big conference was organized in Lucknow. Great speakers and missionaries gathered there. The famous debater Dr. Zuemer was there, a man proficient in Arabic as in English. I went there to meet Dr. Zuemer with his friend Abdul Bari Nadvi. Discussions started, father of Church asked on Islam insulting.[ verify phrasing ] Nadwi answered in Arabic, but I answered in English in favour of Islam. [14]
Later in his life, after he returned to Islam, Daryabadi felt shame about his earlier rationalistic writings. About his suspicion, the famous Urdu poet Akbar Alahabadi said, "Changing of teaching will change the mind." [14]
![]() | This section may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may only interest a particular audience. Specifically, excessive examples of influential people. Consider keeping only those with specific or notably influence.(July 2025) |
In 1918, Daryabadi took to studying Buddhism and Theosophy, [14] before rebecoming a Muslim under the influence of Ashraf Ali Thanwi (1863–1943). At the time, he was also influenced by renowned Indian writers and scholars, including Sibli Numani (1857–1914), the famous Urdu poet Akbar Allahabadi (1846–1921), Muhammad Ali Jawhar (1878–1931), Abdul Bari Nadawi (1886–1976), Sulayman Nadawi (1884–1953), Bagwan Das (Banaras), and Gandhi (1869–1948), [14] as well as the mathnawi (poems) of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi. [15]
He was inspired and influenced spiritually by Abdul Ahad Kasmundawi, Abid Husayn Fatehpuri, and Husayn Ahmad Madani (to take the oath of allegiance on him), Iqbal, Haji Muhammad Safi Bajnuri (d.1951 at Makka). [14] In his memoirs he wrote about the famous poet Akbar Alahabadi, saying:
One day he told me that why I had Arabic in my college course? Have I any relation to! I replied him that now I have no time to read and write on it. He replied me that the literary status of the Quran is being recognized to the people of Europe, he heard that the last fifteen Para of the Quran are included in the course of literature in Garman University. He advised me that to leave it and try to understand it and I might have relation to the Quran and whatever I like the part of the Quran to read daily. This was his part of Tabligh. [15]
On one occasion, Daryabadi praised philosopher John Stewart Mill in front of Akbar Alahabadi, saying "He is not at present physically alive, but he is present in the whole world. In all languages, Mill was the greatest person." [15] Alahabadi replied, "Write down now what you think about Mill and date it today. In ten years time, I will ask you about your praise of Mill." Three years later, Daryabadi discarded his rational approach, and returned to the Islamic faith. After his return, he felt ashamed by his earlier rationalism and writings. [15]
He wrote about his disbelieving life and his turning point back to Islam in his work Muasirin ('Contemporaries'), saying that "It was 1909 through reading English books written by agnostics, I had turned from a good believer to a heretic ... My apostasy has been continued till 1918 ... At that time, I read the English Quran Commentary by Muhammad Ali of Lahore. It convinced me that the Quran is no collection of hearsay stories, but a collection of deep and sublime truths, and if it was not heavenly, it was almost heavenly." [14]
As a follower of Imam Abu Hanifah's teachings, Daryabadi's mazhab (school of thought) was Hanafism. [15] This is one of the four schools of thought recognized by Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah (Sunnism). Daryabadi interpreted his tafsir in the Hanafi school of thought. [15]
Daryabadi was involved in the movement against English rule. Previously, his grandfather was jailed for nine years in 1857 for his involvement against the English. [15]
When the demand of freedom of India was waving, his thinking was changed and inclined to the Congress.[ incomprehensible ] The writings of dailies and weeklies such as the Al-Hilal and Muslim Gusset favoured the movement for Indian independence.[ relevant? ] Curious, he joined the independence movement in Lucknow. [15] His curiosity in politics ran from 1913 to 1916. In December 1916, the annual meeting of Congress was organized tumultuously in Lucknow, which he joined as a spectator. [15]
He was related to Muhammad Ali Jauhar's journals Comrade (in English) and Hamdard (in Urdu), and read his writings with interest. [15] He submitted some translations of English articles that critically discussed political methods. [15] After English authorities arrested some anticolonial dissidents in 1917, Daryabadi became involved in politics out of feelings of national duty. [15] In 1919, the Khilafat Movement arranged meetings and processions in many places. [15]
Daryabadi was inclined to Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jauhar. [16] He got an opportunity to meet Gandhi in 1922, in the annual function of Khaja Ajmiri (1141–1236). In that time, Jauhar was in jail. [16] After he was released in August or September 1923, Daryabadi met him at Bhuwali. When Jauhar was elected as president of Congress in December 1923, Daryabadi went to Aligarh and translated his speeches into Urdu. [16] In 1931, after the death of Jauhar, he left politics and devoted himself to journalism and writing books on Islam. [16] Later, Jauhar's younger brother, Shawkat Ali, sent a letter requesting Daryabadi to return to politics and organize a movement against the British Raj to establish the rights of Muslims. [16]
During colonial rule, a person in Punjab claimed to be an apostolic prophet. [16] Daryabadi emphasised the belief in the finality of prophethood (according to the Quran, Muhammad is the last prophet of God [16] ) and rejected any claim for the office of prophethood after Muhammad. Daryabadi drew from Quranic quotes, as well as the example of the historical figure Musaylmah, to explain why the Punjabi was a false prophet. [16]
Daryabadi wrote more than fifty books and booklets on Islam, the philosophy of Islam, and psychology. [16] His writings are authentic, attractive, rational, and deep. [16] [ editorializing ] Initially employed as a journalist, he worked for Udh Panch (estd. 1877, Lucknow), Al-Hilal (estd. 1912, Kolkata), Jamindar (estd. 1912, Lahore), and Hamdard (estd. 1913, Delhi). He later worked as an editor of a weekly newspaper Sach (estd. 1925, Lucknow; later became Sidq and then Sidq-i-Jadid) until the end of his life. [16]
He contributed literary articles to the prestigious Urdu journals Ma'arif of Azamgarh, Al-Nazir and Hamdam of Lucknow, and Hamdard of Delhi. In addition, he was the member of the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy of Azamgarh, and later became the head of its Managing Committee. [16] He was also associated with the Royal Asiatic Society London, Hindustani Academy, Court of the Muslim University Aligarh, Khilafat Committee, and the Nadwatul Ulama of Lucknow.
Most of his work was published in Lucknow, Lahore, and Karachi, with additional publications in Delhi, Kolkata, and Madras. [17] [18] [19] [20]
He was a prolific writer, Islamic scholar, and interpreter and commentor of the Quran in English and in Urdu. [16] A versatile writer, his writings are divided into many subjects, which are categorised below:
Before he returned to Islam, Daryabadi wrote many books in philosophy, in which he focuses on rationalism and Western philosophy. [19]
Daryabadi wrote an autobiography in 1978 named Aap Biti. Abdul Qavi Desnavi published a special number on Daryabadi in the Lucknow edition of Naya Daur. He also published a review on Daryabadi in Maasreen published in Sahir Bombay Vol. 51 – No. 7 in 1980. [9] In 2008 Md. Shams Alam, a research scholar from the Department of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu of University of Madras, published a research paper on Daryabadi entitled "Moulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi ki ilmi wa adabi khidmath" (The scholarly and literary service of Maulana Abdul Majeed Daryabadi). [10]
On 15 January 2005, the Shah Waliullah Institute, Delhi, and National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) jointly organised a national seminar on the life and services of Daryabadi at Rajinder Bhawan, New Delhi. Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai, governor of Haryana presided over the seminar. Participants presented 17 scholarly papers on different aspects of his life and services. [11] On 20 March 2022, the AMU Old Boys Association and the Sidq Foundation jointly organised a seminar named "Urdu Journalism & Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi" at the Islamic Centre of India, Aishbagh, Lucknow. [12]
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