Muhammad Hamidullah: A Polyglot Islamic Scholar

Muhammad Hamidullah, born in 1908 in Hyderabad, India, and deceased in 2002 in Jacksonville, United States, was a prominent 20th-century Islamic researcher and scholar.

Education and Expertise

Hamidullah received a comprehensive education, obtaining degrees in law and theology. He mastered over 20 languages, which allowed him to access numerous primary sources in their original languages.

Academic Contributions

His research covered various fields:

• Islamic History: He wrote extensively on the life of Prophet Muhammad and the early days of Islam.
• Islamic Law: His works on Islamic jurisprudence are widely recognized.
• International Relations: He studied the concept of international relations in Islam.

Major Works

Among his most famous works are:

• "The Prophet of Islam"
• "Introduction to Muslim Law"
• A translation of the Quran into French

Legacy

Muhammad Hamidullah is considered one of the most influential Muslim intellectuals of the 20th century. His writings continue to be studied and cited in Islamic academic circles and beyond. His scholarly approach and linguistic mastery helped bridge Islamic and Western traditions, contributing to a better understanding of Islam in the international academic world.