Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
Allama Sayyed Abul Hasan Nadwi ‘May Allah have mercy on him’ (Part 67)
In the Depths of the Quran
Imam Nadwi, in the early stages of his academic and intellectual life, exerted immense effort and dedication to learn the Holy Quran. Wherever he sought out the scholars of interpretation, he eagerly absorbed knowledge from them and developed a profound love and attachment to the Holy Quran. So much so that after graduating from the school curriculum, he spent a period memorizing the Book of Allah.
“Whoever holds the Quran is freed from punishment in the Hereafter and from trials in this world.”
However, Imam Nadwi did not merely content himself with the superficial meanings of the Quran. He dove deeply into the vast ocean of meanings and noble concepts within the Holy Quran. With his pure thoughts and sharp mind, he extracted invaluable insights that perhaps no other interpreter or scholar had ventured into.
Mawlana Nadwi benefited greatly from the Holy Quran. He stated in his writings, articles, and valuable works: “I am the smallest seeker of knowledge of the Holy Quran, and after that, whatever success Allah has granted me, the Quran has played the greatest role in it. Whatever I have achieved is all due to the blessing of the Quran.”
On another occasion, he said: “I have benefited the most from the Holy Quran, and after that, from history. I regard history as the interpretation of the Holy Quran.”
Mawlana Nadwi extracted subtle points from the Quranic verses in ways that perhaps no one else had thought of. Along with his wisdom, insight, and spiritual strength, he expressed the Quranic truths in every gathering and assembly.
Mawlana Abdullah Abbas Nadwi writes: “I learned the Quran from Mawlana, and I heard his speeches. His reasoning from the Quranic verses and drawing conclusions from them was such that it required divine wisdom and a God-given mentality. I always heard him say… The relationship between Mawlana Nadwi’s life and the Quran was divine, like the relationship between body and soul.”
Mawlana Nadwi’s view of the Holy Quran was accompanied by a grandeur beyond expression. He saw the Quran as a message for everyone, in every era. Thus, depending on the situation and rank, he would extract the spiritual gems of the Quran and express them for the people.
Dr. Abdullah Abbas Nadwi also points this out and writes: “For example, I will mention some of his methods of reasoning from some of his speeches, where it becomes clear how much certainty, trust, and deep passion he had for the Quran. Throughout his life, he would take messages for the Ummah from the Quranic verses—messages that neither the early scholars nor the later ones reached. For instance, he would reason from the story of Prophet Ya’qub, saying that when he gathered his children at the end of his life and asked: ‘What will you worship after me?’ This question indicates that a Prophet’s greatest concern is whether his children will remain steadfast in faith or become materialistic. The question is: Will you choose faith, or will you worship the world? Will you bow down to the commands of Allah, or will you follow the glitter of the world? And no one before him had made such a delicate reasoning.”
Dr. Abdullah Abbas Nadwi believes that the interpretation method of Mawlana Nadwi is neither an imitation of Shah Waliullah Dihlawi’s interpretation nor a complete adherence to it. However, just as Shah Waliullah’s approach is based on the public reminder and global invitation of the Holy Quran, Mawlana Nadwi’s perspective also leans in the same direction.
Since the Holy Quran was revealed as guidance for all the worlds, it is clear that it contains messages of reform for all humanity. Imam Nadwi also believed that the Holy Quran is a book of invitation and guidance for all people and in all times.
Allama Nadwi writes: “Indeed, the Quran is a book of invitation and guidance before it is a book of laws and Sharia. Despite our great reverence and appreciation for laws and Sharia, the priority and dominant theme of the Quran revolves around guidance and invitation. Therefore, in my limited and deficient studies, I believe that the Quran, before being a book of laws and Sharia, is a book of guidance and invitation because guidance is the foundation of faith.”
From this perspective, Allama Nadawi greatly benefited from the Holy Quran in various fields of invitation, reform, and religious guidance. This is especially evident in his works. Even in the field of children’s literature, he wrote books like “Qasas al-Nabiyyin” and “Al-Qira’a al-Rashida,” drawing inspiration from the Quran, in which many appropriate and abundant interpretations of Quranic verses can be found.
At this point, the question arises: What method did Mawlana Nadwi follow in interpreting the Quran, and from where did he derive this method? To answer this, it is better to refer to Imam Nadawi’s own writings. He, after recalling his journey to Lahore and meeting Mawlana Ahmad Ali Lahori, writes: “After returning from Lahore and finishing my studies in Hadith, I turned fully to the interpretation of the Quran and its study. Before that, I had read some interpretations of Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and the writings of Mawlana Hamid al-Din Farahi. From then on, I devoted all my time to studying interpretations, and whenever a problem arose, I tried to solve it through other interpretations. During that time, I read the Tafsir Jalaalayn word-for-word, Ma’aalim al-Tanzeel by al-Baghawi, and Al-Kashaf. I also memorized half of the Tafsir Madarik al-Nisfi word for word, while the other half I reviewed. When I was entrusted with teaching Tafsir at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, I had the opportunity to study this science more deeply, and during this time, I greatly benefited from the Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani by Al-Alusi.”
Allama Nadwi also mentions the great Tafsir of Fakhr al-Razi, referring to the injustice done to him and then praises the Tafsira of Al-Bahr al-Muheet by Abu Hayyan, Al-Manar by Rashid Rida, and E’raab al-Quran. He continues to describe how he benefited from the Majidi Tafsir written by Mawlana Abdul Majid Daryabadi and writes: “For every student of the Holy Quran, studying this Tafsir is very beneficial, especially for those who do not have access to the primary sources or do not find time to refer to them.” Finally, he speaks highly of the Tafsir of Tabari and the translation of the Quran by Shah Abdul Qadir, expressing his deep appreciation for them.
Bilal Abdulhai Hasani writes about him: “Mawlana Nadwi learned the Quran from many great scholars, yet he says: The main door to understanding the Quran opens when a person, without any human mediation or veil, directly communicates with the Speaker of the words. The path to this connection is through frequent recitation of the Quran, performing the Nawafil, and benefiting from the guidance of great scholars who are genuinely familiar with this divine speech and have felt it deeply in their hearts and veins.”
This outlook led Imam Nadawi to deeply ponder the Quran and its profound meanings. He would speak and reason about the Quran in every ceremony and gathering. There were even times when a reciter would read a verse, and Imam Nadwi would deliver a detailed lecture on that very verse. This intellectual and spiritual connection with the Quran allowed him to present insights that amazed and astonished others.
He once said: “In the matter of my speeches, discussions, articles, and writings, I am indebted to the Holy Quran. I have benefited from it and gained much from it.” (Audio: The Story of My Childhood with the Quran – My Harvest from the Holy Quran)
From Mawlana Nadwi’s perspective, two things proved to be very useful for benefiting from the Quran: 1. The sciences of Prophethood and association with individuals whose temperament aligns with Prophethood. The lives of these individuals reflect the words “Kana Khuluquhu al-Quran,” and their methods and behavior manifest the complete teachings of the Quran. 2. Following the path tread by the Prophets (peace be upon them), which illuminates the Quran and makes it understandable.
Mawlana Nadwi, through his vast experiences and arduous struggles, reached these truths. He realized during his teaching career that students and pupils were unfamiliar with many of the fundamentals and principles necessary to study and benefit properly from the Quran. As a result, they were either detached from the miraculous essence and message of the Quran or had only a superficial and rudimentary understanding of it. This shortcoming led Imam Nadwi to conduct extensive studies to fill this gap and produce valuable written works.
Mawlana Sayyed Muhammad Rabi’ Hasani Nadwi writes about him: “Mawlana Sayyed Abulhasan Ali Nadwi had a remarkable literary taste in understanding the Arabic expressions and words of the Quran. When explaining Quranic verses, he clarified some words beautifully and eloquently, allowing the miracle of the Quran to become evident through them. This is a rare quality found in very few individuals.”
Continues…
[1]. Biography of the Islamic Thinker, page 499.
[2]. Ibid., page 507.
[3]. Nazarana’ of Faith, page 7.
[4]. Ibid.
[5]. Ibid.
[6]. They narrate to you from Abu al-Hasan al-Nadawi, page 249.
[7]. Nazarana’ of Faith, page 9.
[8]. Biography of the Islamic Thinker, page 500.
