Maza Khasir al-Alam bi-Inhitat al-Muslimin
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Iman
Maza Khasir al-Alam bi-Inhitat al-Muslimin (English: What Did the World Lose by the Decline of Muslims?) is a historical and civilizational treatise written by the Indian Islamic scholar Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE), analyzing the global consequences of the rise and subsequent decline of Islamic civilization .
Composition and Publication
Al-Nadwi began writing the book in 1944 CE and completed it in 1947 CE . An Urdu translation was published in India before his first pilgrimage to Mecca in 1947 CE . The first Arabic edition appeared in 1950 CE . The book featured a well-known introduction by the Egyptian author Sayyid Qutb . When al-Nadwi visited Egypt for the first time in 1951 CE, the work had already circulated among religious, academic, and literary circles, establishing his reputation in the Arab world .
Themes and Content
The work examines human history through the lens of moral and spiritual leadership:
- The Pre-Islamic Era: Al-Nadwi surveys the condition of major sixth-century civilizations, including the Eastern Roman Empire, Sasanian Persia, India, and Arabia, characterizing them as immersed in spiritual decline, polytheism, tyranny, and moral collapse prior to the advent of Islam .
- The Transformative Role of Islam: The book outlines how the prophetic mission redirected humanity away from superstition and tyranny toward monotheism, justice, and human dignity, creating a balanced society led by the early Muslim community .
- Muslim Decline: Al-Nadwi traces the turning point in Muslim civilization to the transition from the Rightly Guided Caliphate to hereditary dynastic rule, accompanied by internal spiritual decay, neglect of moral duties, and political fragmentation .
- The Rise of Western Hegemony: The work analyzes how European nations filled the void left by Muslim decline, creating a materialist order detached from spiritual values and divine guidance, which the author argues resulted in widespread conflict, exploitation, and moral crisis .
- The Call for Revival: In its concluding sections, the work argues that the Muslim world must undergo a comprehensive spiritual and intellectual renewal to reclaim its role in guiding humanity toward ethical and divine principles .
Reception and Translations
The book received widespread acclaim across the Arab and Islamic worlds upon its appearance . Sayyid Qutb described it as among the finest works written on the subject in classical or modern times, commending its comprehensive understanding of the Islamic spirit and its approach to interpreting history from an Islamic perspective . The scholar Muhammad al-Mubarak counted it among the most significant Islamic books of the twentieth century . In 1980 CE, al-Nadwi was selected to receive the King Faisal International Prize in Service to Islam, with the award citing this book among his major contributions .
The book was translated into English by Asif Qidwa’i under the title Islam and the World, published by the University of the Punjab in Lahore . Multiple Urdu editions were also issued in Lucknow .
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