Muhammad al-Majdhub
- Died
- 1420 AH
- Born in
- -
Muhammad al-Majdhub (1907–1999 CE / d. 1420 AH), whose full name is Muhammad Mustafa al-Majdhub, was a Syrian Islamic writer, poet, and educator who taught at the Islamic University of Madinah.
Early life and education
Al-Majdhub was born in 1907 CE in the coastal Syrian city of Tartus into a religious family. He developed a passion for reading during his childhood. His early education took place in traditional Quranic schools (kuttab), followed by Ottoman state schools and study under local scholars. Following the death of his father when al-Majdhub was fifteen years old, he assumed sole responsibility for supporting his family and continued to pursue further learning and culture primarily through independent study.
Career and literary activities
He began his career in teaching in 1936 CE at the onset of Syrian independence, progressing through the national educational system. In 1383 AH (c. 1963 CE), he joined the faculty of the Islamic University of Madinah, where he taught until 1403 AH (c. 1983 CE). During his two decades at the university, he served as an instructor in both the Faculty of Sharia and the Faculty of Da'wah and Usul al-Din, and participated in academic symposia and cultural assemblies.
Al-Majdhub began writing before the age of twenty, initially publishing a patriotic poem in a local periodical, which was soon followed by Fada'ih al-Mubashshirin ("The Scandals of the Missionaries"), a treatise responding to Christian proselytizing. In 1948 CE, he was awarded first prize by the Arab League for an anthem chosen from among one hundred submissions. He produced around fifty published or prepared works encompassing poetry, narratives, and cultural studies framed from an Islamic viewpoint. His verses articulated a broad concept of Islamic identity and unity extending across Muslim lands. Among his best-known biographical writings is 'Ulama' wa-Mufakkirun 'Araftuhum ("Scholars and Thinkers I Have Known"), which documents personal accounts and profiles of prominent contemporary figures.
Death
Al-Majdhub died in 1420 AH (1999 CE).
Answer updated
List of Works
Jawla fi Kitabay (al-Aghani) wa (al-Sayf al-Yamani) is a critical treatise that evaluates Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani’s Kitab al-Aghani (The Book of Songs) and reviews Walid al-A'zami’s critique of it, Al-Sayf al-Yamani fi Nahr al-Asfahani Sahib al-Aghani. The work examines the historical reliability of Kitab al-Aghani, addressing al-Isfahani's biographical background, transmission methods, and various historical accounts.
Shi'r Shawqi fi Mizan al-Naqd (The Poetry of Shawqi in the Scale of Criticism) is a critical literary treatise that offers a comprehensive thematic and stylistic critique of the poetry and verse dramas of the Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawqi. The work evaluates his political, social, religious, descriptive, and elegiac verse, as well as his contributions and technical innovations in Arabic theatrical drama.
Asahh al-Basha'ir fi Mab'ath Sayyid al-Awa'il wal-Awakhir (The Soundest Glad Tidings Regarding the Advent of the Master of the First and the Last) is a critical scholarly treatise examining pre-Islamic prophecies and historical reports concerning the advent of the Prophet Muhammad. It seeks to establish a balanced methodology by critically evaluating weak or fabricated biographical traditions while presenting authentic scriptural and historical foretellings.