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Biography
1903 – 1979
Founder, Jamaat-e-Islami — Scholar, Reformer, Revivalist
“Al-Jihad fil-Islam is an outstanding work that presents the Islamic law of war and peace with rare clarity and depth. I have read it with the greatest satisfaction.”
Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi (also spelled Mawdudi; 25 September 1903 – 22 September 1979), widely known as Maulana Maududi, was a 20th-century Islamic scholar, journalist, philosopher, and revivalist. Born in Aurangabad in the former princely state of Hyderabad (Deccan), now in India, he wrote more than 120 books and treatises on Islamic thought, law, politics, and Qur'anic exegesis.
His magnum opus, the six-volume Tafhim-ul-Quran (Tafheem-ul-Quran), is among the most widely read modern commentaries of the Qur'an. In 1941 he founded Jamaat-e-Islami, which became a major Islamic movement in South Asia. He died in Buffalo, New York, on 22 September 1979, and was buried in Lahore.
Read Maududi publishes this biography alongside the digital library of his works — books, Tafheem-ul-Quran, audio narrations, and lectures — so readers can go from his life to his writings in one place.
Abul A'la Maududi was born on Rajab 3, 1321 A.H. (September 25, 1903 C.E.) in Aurangabad, a well-known town of the former princely state of Hyderabad (Deccan), now in India.
The family had a long-standing tradition of spiritual leadership. Several of Maududi's ancestors were associated with Sufi orders, most notably Khwajah Qutb al-Din Maudud (d. 527 A.H.), a distinguished figure of the Chishti order, from whom the family derives its name. His forefathers migrated from Chisht to the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent towards the end of the ninth century A.H., bringing with them a rich legacy of spirituality and religious scholarship.
He was born into a respectable family whose paternal lineage is traced back to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). This noble ancestry formed an important part of the family's identity and heritage.
His father, Ahmad Hasan (b. 1855 C.E.), was a lawyer by profession and a deeply religious and devout man. He was known for his commitment to faith, discipline, and moral values.
The environment of piety, discipline, and moral responsibility within the household played a defining role in shaping Maududi's character and outlook. These early influences laid the foundation for his future intellectual and spiritual development.
Everything you need to understand Maududi's influential works and Islamic thought
Maududi received his early education at home under the supervision of his father. He later joined Madrasah Fawqaniyah, an institution that attempted to combine modern Western education with traditional Islamic learning. He completed his secondary education successfully and proceeded toward higher studies at Dar al-'Ulum, Hyderabad.
His formal education was interrupted by the illness and death of his father, but his pursuit of knowledge never stopped. Through self-discipline and intellectual curiosity, he continued learning independently. By the early 1920s, he had gained proficiency in Arabic, Persian, and English alongside his mother tongue, Urdu.
While he benefited occasionally from guidance by scholars, the bulk of his intellectual development was self-driven. His moral uprightness and deep commitment to propriety reflected the strong religious upbringing instilled by his parents.
Following the disruption of his formal education, Maududi turned to journalism to support himself. As early as 1918, he was contributing to a leading Urdu newspaper. By 1920, at the age of seventeen, he was appointed editor of Taj, published from Jabalpore. Later, he moved to Delhi, where he served as editor of Muslim (1921–1923) and subsequently Al-Jam‘iyat (1925–1928), both associated with the Jami‘at-i ‘Ulama-i Hind. Under his leadership, Al-Jam‘iyat emerged as one of the most influential newspapers among the Muslims of India.
Through editorial leadership and public writing, he shaped debate on Muslim identity, colonial politics, and the role of Islam in modern life. This early public career prepared the ground for his later scholarly works and for founding movements that sought a comprehensive Islamic revival.
Between 1920 and 1928, Maududi translated several works from Arabic and English while also contributing original writings. During this period, he steadily developed his intellectual and scholarly capabilities through writing, research, and publication.
His first major scholarly work, Al-Jihad fil-Islam, began as a series of articles published in Al-Jam‘iyat in 1927 and was later released as a book in 1930. The work presented a comprehensive exposition of the Islamic law of war and peace.
The discipline and piety of his upbringing continued to inform his scholarly method: rigorous study, moral seriousness, and a refusal to separate intellectual work from lived Islamic ethics. These habits sustained a lifetime of writing and reform.
The journal that shaped a movement & the ideas that redefined Islamic revivalist thought in the 20th century.
After resigning from Al-Jam‘iyat in 1928, Maududi moved to Hyderabad and devoted himself to research and writing. In 1933, he launched the monthly journal Tarjuman al-Qur’an, which became the principal platform for presenting and spreading his ideas.
Through Tarjuman al-Qur’an, he explored the relationship between Islam and the modern world. He explained Islamic principles, values, and worldview while critically examining Western philosophical and social ideas through the lens of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Maududi developed a unique method of analyzing political, social, and economic issues in light of Islamic teachings. His writings combined deep scholarship with clarity and relevance, connecting classical Islamic knowledge to contemporary challenges.
