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Obituary
Dr Muhammad Hamidullah (1908-2002)
The Prophet (peace be on him) has informed us that knowledge comes and
goes with the advent and exit of great scholars. This is precisely what is
signified by the famous Arabic proverb: mawt al-lim mawt al-lam (in the
demise of a scholar, the whole world is jolted by an experience of death). For
what would the worth of this world be if it is devoid of knowledge and its
bearers? If this proverb applies to anyone in our time in the truest sense, it
applies to Dr Muhammad Hamidullah ( raimahu llh) who left all of us the
students of Islam virtually orphaned on Tuesday, the 17th December, 2002
in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A.
Dr Hamidullah has now reached an altogether different realm where he
will, insh Allh, be enjoying the blissful fruit of his life-long labour in the
path of his Lord, the focus of his ardent love and devotion. But those of us
whom he has left behind in grief and mourning feel impoverished and have
been shocked by this tremendous loss. There are, however, grounds for
consolation in the fact that Allahs power is infinite. It is, after all, He Who
had produced such a great genius in the apparently weak physique and frail
form of Dr Hamidullah. It is He Who had made him shine on the horizon of
Islamic scholarship for the greater part of the last century by endowing him
with extraordinary talents and exceptional dedication. There is no reason to
believe that Allah would not produce other luminaries like Dr Hamidullah, or
even those who would surpass him.
If we were to reverse the above-quoted Arabic proverb which equates the
death of a great scholar with the death of all in the world, we would be able to
appreciate the role of the scholars of Islam in shaping the destiny of the
Muslim society. Thus, we can say that in the active and vibrant pursuit of a
scholar lies the dynamism and vibrancy of his entire milieu. Viewed from this
perspective, a true scholar of Islam is naturally moulded on the pattern of the
Prophet (peace be on him) whose spiritual successor he is rightly reckoned.
Such a scholar hardly ever indulges in petty and parochial politics played by
power-seekers. For a true scholar identifies himself with the perennial
objectives of Islam. He, therefore, transcends all trivial sectarian differences

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and paltry political divisions that might be visible around him. Indeed Dr
Hamidullah was a model par excellence of such a true and genuine Islamic
scholar in our times. Although he lived in an age characterized by overpoliticization of almost all social and cultural institutions, he kept himself
immune from the contaminations of the current political culture. Being born
and bred in the affluent and aristocratic atmosphere of Hyderabad, the cultural
metropolis of Muslim India, he could have easily secured a prominent place
for himself in the highest echelons of worldly power and influence if he had so
wanted. But he dedicated himself exclusively to the noble vocation of teaching
and learning right from the dawn of his career till the end of his life. During
his long span of active academic life spread over about 75 years, Dr
Hamidullah had opportunities to satisfy the common human urge to acquire
power, money and influence. Yet he invariably turned down tempting offers
of high offices and lucrative positions made to him from time to time.
If there lived any scholar in our time who consistently displayed the
highest qualities of integrity, moral rectitude and academic idealism the
kind that one reads about in books but rarely encounters in actual life then
Dr Hamidullah was surely such a scholar. The thoroughness of his vast
knowledge, the profundity and sharpness of his understanding, and the
meticulousness of his research were all combined with hard work and strong
dedication to provide a living evidence of the greatness of the Islamic scholarly
tradition.
Apart from his greatness as a scholar, writer, researcher, thinker, teacher,
preacher, author of books and mentor, Dr Hamidullah was a living
embodiment of the distinctive Islamic traits of human personality. To
mention just a few of the traits of his peronality: he spoke little except when it
was needed. He never talked of himself and always discouraged others from
doing so. That is why so little is known of his biographical details despite his
rich scholarly contribution. Personally speaking, I have never come across a
more humble person than him in all my life. In his extremely simple
demeanour, modest appearance, and unostentatious ways he testified to the
truth of the Prophets statement man tawa li llh rafaahu llh: (Allah
elevates those who humble themselves for Allahs sake).
Moreover, in his whole pattern of life, Dr Hamidullah provided a
practical proof of what has been stated in a number of sayings of the Prophet
(peace be on him) wherein he has stressed that: He who fills his heart with his
Lords love and fulfils his covenant with Him with sincerity, devotion and
perseverance, Allah endears him to His creatures, both in this terrestrial world
as well as in the celestial realm. A general Divine proclamation is issued in the
higher heavenly quarters to the effect that: Allah loves such and such person
and it is His pleasure and will that you all should love him and pray for him .

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What else can explain the fact that the number of Dr Hamidullahs friends and
admirers across the world is not easy to count, and this despite the fact that he
shunned publicity and self-projection throughout his life and lived for about
half a century almost in a hermit-like seclusion in Paris?
To have a glimpse of Dr Muhammad Hamidullahs life, he was born in
Hyderabad, Deccan in 1908. He was the youngest of the three brothers and
five sisters born to Muhammad Khalilullah, the Director of the Department of
Revenue of Hyderabad state. Until 1913, Hamidullah remained under the
loving care of his parents and elder siblings. At an early age he memorized the
Qurn and received his formal education at D r ul-Ulm. From 1922 to 1928
he studied at Nizam College, Hyderabad where he completed his
undergraduate studies. In 1928, he suffered the tragedy of his mothers death.
In the same year, he joined the famous Osmania University from where he
received M.A. and LL.B. degrees with specialization in International Law in
1930. Thereafter he proceeded to Germany for higher studies and completed
his doctorate at the University of Bonn in 1933, The topic of his thesis: was
Die Neutralitat im Islamischen Volkerrecht (Neutrality in Islamic
International Law), which was published in the famous journal ZDMG in
1935. In 1933 he joined the famous Sorbonne University of Paris and
completed his doctorate there in 1935. For this second doctorate he wrote a
thesis entitled Documents sur la Diplomatie musulmane a lpoque du Prophte et
des Orthodoxes Khalifes (Documents on Muslim Diplomacy at the Time of the
Prophet and the Orthodox Caliphs) . Hamidullah had wanted to go to
Leningrad University to obtain a third doctorate, but for a variety of reasons
he returned home in 1936. In the same year, he joined the faculty of Osmania
University and served his alma meter for about a decade, rising to the position
of Professor.
In 1948, Dr Hamidullah was sent by the Nizam of Hyderabad as
constitutional adviser of the Hyderabad state delegation to the United Nations
Security Council. In this capacity he travelled to Europe contributing his bit
to save Hyderabad from forcible annexation by India. While he was abroad,
his homeland fell in September 1948. Thereupon he opted for a refugee status
in France and remained so throughout the remaining years of his life, moving
across the world on travel documents issued to him by the Government of
France. For short periods of time, he did travel to other countries, especially
Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia. In Pakistan, he spent one full year as a
member of the Board of Talimat-i-Islamiah (194950). In Turkey for a number
of years he used to spend a few months every year teaching in the University
of Istanbul as a Visiting Professor. He also visited Malaysia and lectured at the
University of Malaya. Except for the last few years of his life, when he stayed
with his brothers grand daughter in U.S.A., he lived in France and worked

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for long as a Research Fellow in Centre Nationale de la Researche

Screntifique, Paris. While he lived as an emirg in France, he continued to
strive for the liberation of Hyderabad. In 1980, he gave his famous series of
lectures which were subsequently published as Khubt-i Bahwalpr. (Its
English translation titled The Emergence of Islam was subsequently published
by the Islamic Research Institute). In 1985, Dr Hamidullah received
International Hijrah Award amounting to Rs. one million which he donated
to Islamic Research Institute.
In January 1996, he fell sick and was hospitalized in Paris. Since he had
not married, he had no children, nor were there any relatives of his in Paris to
look after him. His grand-niece, Sadida Athaullah, therefore brought him to
her home in USA and nursed him during the last years of his life. For this
dedicated service all the students of Islamic learning owe her a debt of
gratitude because she thereby fulfilled a duty that in fact devolved upon them.
Since 1996, however, he was unable to continue his academic work because his
memory had been impaired. It seems that Allah wanted him to enjoy a few
years of restful life free from his routine of hard work in this world before
rewarding him amply in the Next.
One of the most conspicuous qualities of Dr Hamidullah was his
generosity: generosity with his time, money, knowledge and whatever else he
possessed. For he was ever ready to share all this with others. He helped others
to his utmost capacity. He was delighted to receive any visitor in his home
almost at any hour. He promptly replied to all the letters sent to him from
any part of the globe. Students and scholars from every nook and corner of
the world wrote to him regularly. They corresponded with him not only to
elicit academic guidance and advice, but also to seek his assistance and help.
Whenever any researcher wrote to him enquiring about any work or
manuscript or printed material, Dr Hamidullah would send him the material
or the information that he needed, and he did all this, of course, at his personal
expense. But when it came to his own self, he abstained from accepting
favours, big or small. Dr Hamidullah also spent his money generously to help
widows, orphans, and the needy. For this purpose, he maintained a list of such
people along with their addresses, and sent regular financial help to them.
Dr Hamidullah led an extremely simple and austere life. He lived in Paris
not far from Sorbonne. This was a small apartment on the fourth floor of an
old mansion, constructed in the traditional style. He lived all alone amidst
heaps of books and papers, with no secretary to assist him in his work, nor
any attendant to look after him or his house.
Pakistan and its various governments, institutions and universities had the
honour of inviting and hosting Dr Hamidullah several times. Owing to his
heavy academic pre-occupations, however, he accepted only a few of these

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invitations. During these visits, his whole luggage did not exceed a small bag,
which he always insisted on carrying himself. He did not particularly cherish
the invitations of the rulers and appeared ill at ease in the glamorous
surrounding of courts, palaces, posh hotels and opulent state guest houses.
One would almost always see Dr Hamidullah in serious, even somewhat
pensive mood, though occasionally he would make some light, goodhumoured remarks. Despite his scholarly pre-occupation, there was no
distance between him and an ordinary Muslim, whose joys and sorrows he
fully shared. He even participated in popular events organized by the Muslim
community of France to express solidarity with Islamic causes, such as those
of Palestine, Kashmir, or Algeria.
So rich is Dr Hamidullahs legacy that Muslim scholars will surely remain
occupied for quite some time assessing the enormity of his contributions to
Islamic scholarship. I am confident that such efforts will not only bring out
his scholarly achievements, but also the impact that he had on the lives of a
large number of people who came into contact with him. For perhaps more
than the works he wrote or the words he uttered, his saintly life led a great
many people to God and goodness. Indeed the number of such people,
especially the French, who were inspired by Dr Hamidullah to find their selffulfilment in Islam is counted in thousands. Some of these men and women
rose to considerable prominence in many walks of life, including scholarship.
For these services he sought no worldly reward, nor any formal recognition.
The true recognition of his life-long labour of love and devotion shall, insh
Allh, will be made on the Day of Judgement by Him for Whose sake he had
devoted every moment of his life and every ounce of his energy. It is only this
final recognition that mattered to Dr Hamidullah; every thing else was utterly
meaningless.
While we are all engaged in paying our tribute to him, I am sure that in
these very moments Dr Hamidullah must be receiving his reward from Allah
Who never fails His true seekers, nor ever disappoints His sincere servants for
He alone knows and is fully appreciative of the true value of the righteous
deeds of His servants. May Allah grant him eternal peace and the highest
station in Paradise, and confer upon him the proximity of Prophets and saints
and martyrs and true believers. mn.
Muhammad al-Ghazali

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