Ma'arif

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Ma'arif
First issue
Editor
  • Sharif Hussain Qasmi
  • Ishtiaq Ahmad Zilli
  • Muhammad Ajmal Islahī
CategoriesTheology, Culture, Dawah, Literature, Education
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherDarul Musannefin Shibli Academy
Founded1916 (1916)
First issueJuly 1916
CountryIndia
Based inAzamgarh
LanguageUrdu
Websiteshibliacademy.org
ISSN0974-7346

Ma'arif (Urdu: معارف) is an Urdu literary magazine published by the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy in Azamgarh. Its first issue appeared in July 1916, and the publication has continued since. The magazine was initially proposed by Shibli Nomani, but following his death, it was established and launched by his student Sulaiman Nadvi.

Background

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Ma'arif was founded in July 1916 under the auspices of the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy, which had been formally established in early 1915 based on plans prepared by Shibli Nomani. While Nomani conceived the magazine, it was implemented posthumously by Sulaiman Nadwi, who became its first editor. The magazine was intended to serve as the Academy’s primary platform for scholarly engagement, addressing both classical and contemporary intellectual issues.[1]

The founding editorial board included Sulaiman Nadwi as chief editor, alongside Abdul Majid Daryabadi, Hafiz, and Abdul Salam Nadwi. The magazine’s scope encompassed a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, history, science, literature, poetry, and education. It also aimed to provide critical analyses of classical texts and curated scholarly extracts from journals published in Europe, Egypt, and Beirut.[1]

In its inaugural issue, Nadwi stated that the magazine sought to reinterpret and organize classical Islamic sciences through modern scholarly methods, document the historical development of Islamic knowledge, examine contemporary philosophical ideas, and offer reasoned articulations of Islamic beliefs. It also aimed to present biographies of notable scholars, emphasizing their independent reasoning (ijtihād) and intellectual works, and to review rare or little-known Arabic texts.[2]

Alongside its scholarly content, Ma'arif included literary essays, contemporary debates, and critical commentary to ensure accessibility for a broader readership. Its editorial philosophy was inspired by the integrative and reformative approaches of Abbasid-era scholars, aiming to preserve traditional knowledge while engaging with modern intellectual developments. Since its establishment, the magazine has functioned as a platform for academic inquiry, historical documentation, and intellectual discourse, contributing to the study of Islamic and Eastern scholarship.[3]

History

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Since its launch in 1916, Ma’arif has been edited primarily by Sulaiman Nadwi, who managed all editorial responsibilities independently for many years. In 1920, Abdul Majid Daryabadi temporarily assumed editorial duties during Nadwi’s trip to Europe, and in 1936, Moinuddin Ahmad Nadwi oversaw day-to-day editing while Nadwi served as Chief Officer of Religious Affairs in Bhopal. In 1937, Riyasat Ali Nadwi also contributed as editor, writing articles and reviews that had previously been prepared by Nadwi. By 1949, Moinuddin Ahmad Nadwi was formally listed as co-editor, although he had previously managed editorial tasks in practice. Ma’arif has been published continuously for over a century, making it one of the longest-running Urdu magazines.[4]

Editors

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The following is a list of editors and editors-in-chief of Ma'arif since its inception in 1916.

Period Name(s) Position Reference
1916 – 1949 Sulaiman Nadvi Editor-in-chief [5]
1920 (for eight months, during Sulaiman Nadvi’s visit to Europe) Abdul Majid Daryabadi Editor [6]
1947 (for one year) Riyasat Ali Nadvi Editor [6]
1949 – December 1974 Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi Editor-in-chief [5][7]
January 1975 – September 1979 Abdul Salam Qidwai Nadvi and Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman Nadvi Co-editors [5]
October 1979 – November 1987 Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman Nadvi Editor-in-chief [5]
December 1987 – February 2008 Ziauddin Islahi Editor-in-chief [5][8][9]
March 2008 – October 2021 Ishtiyaq Ahmad Zilli and Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi Co-editors [10][11]
November 2021 – March 2022 Zafarul Islam Khan and Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi Co-editors [12][13]
April 2022 Zafarul Islam Khan, Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi, and Kaleem Sifaat Islahi Co-editors [14]
May 2022 – February 2023 Zafarul Islam Khan and Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi Co-editors [15][16]
March 2023 – present Zafarul Islam Khan, Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi, and Kaleem Sifaat Islahi Co-editors [17]

Sources

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References

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  1. ^ a b Nomani, Khursheed (2004). Dar-ul-musannifin Ki Tareekh Aur Ilmi Khidmat (in Urdu). Vol. 2. India: Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy. p. 263.
  2. ^ Nomani 2004, p. 264.
  3. ^ Nomani 2004, p. 265.
  4. ^ Nomani 2004, p. 266–267.
  5. ^ a b c d e Shafique, Suhail (April 2006). "Foreword by Nigar Sajjad Zaheer". Ishāriyah “Maʿārif”, Azamgarh [Index of “Ma’arif”, Azamgarh] (in Urdu) (First ed.). Karachi: Qirtās, University of Karachi. pp. 14–16. ISBN 969-8448-69-1.
  6. ^ a b Nomani 2004, p. 267.
  7. ^ Shafique, Mohammad Suhail (June 2013). Wafiyāt-e-Maʿārif [Obituaries of Ma’arif] (in Urdu). Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi: Qirtās. p. 323. ISBN 978-969-9640-02-5.
  8. ^ Tariq, Mohammad (October 2013). Maulana Ziauddin Islahi: Hayāt o Khidmāt [Maulana Zia-ud-din Islahi: Life and Services] (in Urdu). Nizamabad, Uttar Pradesh: Shibli Children School. pp. 319–320.
  9. ^ Islahi, Ziauddin, ed. (February 2008). "Title page". Ma'ārif. 181 (2): Front.
  10. ^ Zilli, Ishtiyaq Ahmad; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (March 2008). "Title page". Ma'ārif. 181 (3): Front.
  11. ^ Zilli, Ishtiyaq Ahmad; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (October 2021). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 208 (4): Front.
  12. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (November 2021). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 208 (5): 3.
  13. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (March 2022). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 209 (3): 3.
  14. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq; Islahi, Kaleem Sifaat, eds. (April 2022). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 210 (4): 3.
  15. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (May 2022). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 209 (5): 3.
  16. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq, eds. (February 2023). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 210 (2): 3.
  17. ^ Khan, Zafarul Islam; Nadwi, Umair al-Siddiq; Islahi, Kaleem Sifaat, eds. (March 2023). "Table of Contents". Ma'ārif. 210 (3): 3.
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