Ila al-Islam min Jadid
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Dar Al-Qalam for Publishing and Distribution
Ila al-Islam min Jadid (To Islam Anew) is a collection of lectures, essays, and treatises by the Indian Islamic scholar Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi (1332–1420 AH / 1913–1999 CE), calling for the spiritual reawakening of Muslims and their return to the comprehensive message and global mission of Islam.
Background and Composition
The lectures and treatises included in the work were originally composed and delivered on various occasions that differed in time, location, and topic. When it was proposed to publish them together in a single volume, al-Nadwi initially hesitated, questioning whether a unifying link connected them. Upon re-examining the texts, he found that they shared a single overarching purpose: the call back to Islam anew (al-da‘wah ila al-Islam min jadid). He subsequently accepted the proposal, assembled the writings under this title, and completed the preface to the first edition while residing in Cairo in 1370 AH (1951 CE).
Purpose and Scope
The collection aims to awaken religious consciousness among Muslims, restore their confidence in their principles, purpose, and role in human history, and prepare them to undertake global moral and spiritual leadership. While addressing the Muslim community as a whole as the bearer of the final divine revelation, the work directs special attention to the Arab world, emphasizing that the dawn of Islam first emerged from its lands and that its central geographic position places upon it a distinct responsibility to convey the Islamic message to other civilizations.
Contents
The volume includes several early addresses and essays, most notably:
- "Ila Mumaththili al-Bilad al-Islamiyyah" ("To the Representatives of Islamic Countries"): An address written in 1947 CE for Muslim and Arab delegates participating in the Asian Relations Conference held in Delhi upon the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. In this treatise, al-Nadwi addresses delegates from countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Indonesia, arguing that the historical purpose of the Muslim community was not merely material sustenance, trade, industry, or political rule, but the realization of the Quranic mandate in كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ ("You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah" [Quran 3:110]). This treatise was also among the author's earliest writings to circulate in the Hijaz during his first pilgrimage journey in 1947 CE.
Publication and Revisions
The first edition of the book was printed in Cairo in 1370 AH (1951 CE). Al-Nadwi noted in the preface to the second edition that this initial printing suffered from numerous typographical errors and textual corruptions due to a lack of editorial care by the publisher, though it nonetheless gained wide circulation in Islamic circles and quickly sold out.
For the revised second edition, dated 1 Muharram 1387 AH (10 April 1967 CE) from Da'irat al-Shaykh Alam Allah al-Hasani, al-Nadwi restructured the collection, incorporating newer articles and lectures that aligned with the book's core theme. At the publisher's request, two pieces concerning the Palestine issue—"al-Awamil al-Asasiyyah li-Karithat Filastin" and "Irtibat Qadiyyat Filastin bi-al-Wa'y al-Islami"—were omitted from this edition, as they were designated for inclusion in al-Nadwi's subsequent dedicated work, al-Muslimun wa-Qadiyyat Filastin (Muslims and the Palestine Cause).
Answer updated