ʿAbd al-Majīd Daryābādī

ʿAbd al-Majīd Daryābādī (1892–1977) was a prominent South Asian Muslim scholar, journalist, and writer, known for his contributions to Islamic thought and sīrah literature in Urdu. Born in Daryābād (in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India), he received a modern education and was initially influenced by Western philosophy and skeptical thought. However, after a period of intellectual crisis, he returned to a firm commitment to Islam, which deeply shaped his later writings and scholarly outlook.

Daryābādī’s work is marked by a synthesis of traditional Islamic scholarship and modern intellectual engagement. As a sīrah writer, he sought to present the life of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ in a manner that was both faithful to classical sources and accessible to contemporary readers. His sīrah-oriented reflections appear in works such as Zikr-e-Rasūl and his various essays on the life, character, and mission of the Prophet. These writings emphasize the moral, spiritual, and civilizational dimensions of the Prophet’s life, often addressing modern doubts and misconceptions. His style is reflective, analytical, and apologetic in tone, aiming to defend and articulate the relevance of the Prophet’s example in the modern world.

In addition to sīrah literature, Daryābādī made significant contributions in Qurʾānic studies, most notably through his English translation and commentary Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-Ḥakīm. This work reflects his attempt to present the Qurʾān in an intellectually accessible form while engaging with classical exegesis and contemporary questions. He was also an active journalist and editor, associated with influential Urdu periodicals through which he engaged in religious, social, and intellectual debates of his time. His legacy lies in his role as a bridge between classical Islamic tradition and modern intellectual currents in South Asia. As a sīrah writer, he occupies an important place among twentieth-century Muslim scholars who sought to reinterpret and communicate the Prophet’s life for a changing world.

¹ Tahsin Fārūqī, “Mustašriqīn kā uslūb-e sīrat nigārī aur Mawlānā ʿAbd al-Mājid Daryābādī (Orientalists’ Approach to Sīrah Writing and Mawlana Abdul Majid Daryabadi),” Fikr-o-Naẓar 52, no. 2 (2014): 33–58. 2 Ali Altaf Mian, “ʿAbd al-Mājid Daryābādī and Reforming Institutional Sufism in Colonial India,” Journal of Islamic Studies 34, no. 1 (2023): 42–65. 3 Tahsin Firaqi, “ʿAbd al-Majid Daryābādī and Orientalists’ Biographies of the Holy Prophet,” Oriental College Magazine (2012): 1–20. 4 Muhammad Bozorgzadeh and Mehrnaz Goli, “ʿAbd al-Majid Daryābādī and His Interpretation,” Journal of Subcontinent Research 3 (2020): 55–78.