Ijteba Nadwi

Muḥammad Ijteba Nadwi (29 September 1933 – 20 June 2008) was an Indian Islamic scholar, who formerly headed the Arabic departments of Jamia Millia Islamia, Kashmir University and the Allahabad University.
Born in Basti in 1933, Nadwi was an alumnus of Nadwatul Ulama, Damascus University and Aligarh Muslim University. He was an author of Arabic and Urdu language books. His works include "Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi: al-Daaiya al-Hakeem wa al-murabbi al-Jaleel" and "Islam aur Huquq-e-Insani". He died on 20 June 2008 in New Delhi.
Early life and education.
Nadwi's grandfather Sayyid Jafar Ali was a disciple of Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed. He had participated in the Battle of Balakot in 1831 and later relocated to Basti, Uttar Pradesh.
Nadwi was born on 29 September 1933 in Majhawwa Meer, a village located in the Basti district. He began studying at Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow and graduated in the traditional "dars-e-nizami" in 1955. Nadwi graduated from the Damascus University in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arabic literature. He got an M.A (1964) and PhD (1976) from the Aligarh Muslim University. Nadwi's teachers include Mustafa al-Siba'i, Hasan Habanaka, Ali al-Tantawi, Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi and Rabey Hasani Nadwi.
Career.
Nadwi was appointed as a teacher of Arabic language, literature and Islamic jurisprudence at the Nadwatul Ulama in 1960. In 1965, he joined the then Department of Arabic, Iranian and Islamic Studies of Jamia Millia Islamia as a faculty member and later became an Associate professor and then the Head professor.
In 1979, Nadwi was appointed as an Associate professor at the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. He taught at the Islamic University of Madinah until 1987 and returned to India in 1987. He served as the rector of Jamiat ul-Hidaya in Jaipur for a short while before joining the Arabic department of University of Kashmir as Head professor in 1988. He later became the Head professor in the Arabic department of the University of Allahabad in March 1990, from where he retired on 30 June 1994.
Nadwi was among the founding members of World League of Islamic Literature ("Rābtah Adab-e-Islāmi") and served as the president of its branch in India. He was also a member of the executive council of Nadwatul Ulama. Aiming to aid in research and translation of Arabic language, literature and Islamic teachings, he founded "Markaz Ilmi" in New Delhi.
Literary works.
Nadwi wrote books including "al-Ameer Syed Siddiq Hasan Khan: Hayatuhu wa Aasaruhu" (), "Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi: al-Daaiya al-Hakeem wa al-murabbi al-Jaleel" (), "al-Imam Ahmad ibn Abdul Rahim: al-maroof bih al-Shah WaliUllah al-Dehlawi" (), "Al-Tabeer wal Muhadatha", "Aurat Islam Ki Nazar Mai" (), "Islam aur Huquq-e-Insani" (), "Nuqush-e-Tabinda" and "Tarikh Fikr-e-Islami".
Death and legacy.
Nadwi died on 20 June 2008 in New Delhi, after having a heart surgery. He was buried in the Jamia Millia Islamia cemetery. Muhammad Idrees wrote "Contribution of Dr Muhammad Ijteba Nadwi to Arabic Literature" Qasim Adil wrote "Dr. Ijteba Nadwi: A Great Scholar of 20th Century in India". 