Ma'arif


Ma'arif 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

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.
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.
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 and intellectual works, and to review rare or little-known Arabic texts.
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.

History

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.

Editors

The following is a list of editors and editors-in-chief of Ma'arif since its inception in 1916.
PeriodNamePositionReference
1916 – 1949Sulaiman NadviEditor-in-chief
1920 Abdul Majid DaryabadiEditor
1947 Riyasat Ali NadviEditor
1949 – December 1974Moinuddin Ahmad NadviEditor-in-chief
January 1975 – September 1979Abdul Salam Qidwai Nadvi and Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman NadviCo-editors
October 1979 – November 1987Sabahuddin Abdur Rahman NadviEditor-in-chief
December 1987 – February 2008Ziauddin IslahiEditor-in-chief
March 2008 – October 2021Ishtiyaq Ahmad Zilli and Umair al-Siddiq NadviCo-editors
November 2021 – March 2022Zafarul Islam Khan and Umair al-Siddiq NadviCo-editors
April 2022Zafarul Islam Khan, Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi, and Kaleem Sifaat IslahiCo-editors
May 2022 – February 2023Zafarul Islam Khan and Umair al-Siddiq NadviCo-editors
March 2023 – presentZafarul Islam Khan, Umair al-Siddiq Nadvi, and Kaleem Sifaat IslahiCo-editors