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Syed Abul Ala Maududi was born in 1903 AD, and correspondingly in 1321 AH, at Orang Abad, Deccan, India, in a Syed Family, whose founder was Khawaja Qutbudin Maudud Chishti---a confirmed Saint, of his day, and spiritual teacher of Usman Harooni, Khawaja Moeenuddin Chishti Ajmeri’s Shaikh, another divine of his times. Syed Abul Ala being descent of Syed Qutbudin Maudud Ahmad Chishti, takes the suffix of Maududi. He was reared in a profoundly religious family both his mother and father were very pious and devout Muslims. Therefore they brought up Syed Abul Ala Maududi in a environment, tenaciously religious in tone and tenor. As such, he was tutored at home by his father himself instead of sending him to a formal School. Syed Maududi was taught Urdu, Persion, Arabic, Islamic Jurisprudence, Hadith(Saying of the Prophet PUBH), by a Private tutor at home. His education at home spans over 11 years.

His father paid special attention to his Character building and brought him up, in line with principles of Quran and Sunnah. He also was very particular about the language of young Syed Maududi. He never passed a slang words to him nor allowed his pronunciation deviate slightly from the standard one, and if ever Syed Maududi uttered a word in conflict with the standard he was corrected then and there. Syed Maududi’s father was wont to tell him stories of the Prophet PBUH and historic facts with a message from the annals of Islamic and Indian history. Apart from this, he was familiarized with the lives of the Saints and spiritual leaders. All this impressed young Maududi a lot and ingrained concepts of good and evil, moral values of sacrifice, greatness and superiority of Islam, in him inspiriting him to follow the path of Good.

For formal education Syed Maududi was admitted to eight class directly in Madrassa Furqania, Orang Abad. Where he excelled his class mates, in all respects, despite being the youngest of the all. It was the time when Syed Maududi was attracted to Physic, Chemistry and Mathematics, and he studded the subjects in depth. He passed the examination of Molvi (Metric), and got admission in Molvi Alam (Intermediate). Meanwhile his father shifted to Bhopal where he suffered a severe paralysis attack and died leaving no property or Bank Balance, as he belonged to a middle class family. Therefore, Young Maududi had to dissever his education due to financial hardship.

Father’s death brought young Maududi to reckon with the Economic realties of life. As he was a gifted penman, so he chose Journalism as his profession, and edited the papers ‘ the Madeena’ Bajnour, the ‘Taj’ Jabal Pur and organ of Jamiat Ulma Hind—Al Jamiat from Dehli. During his Editorship of Al jamia Dehli, he penned down honest, threadbare, incisive, analytical and visionary editorials and analysis, which speak of his worth as a top Journalist. Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar had also proffered him to work for his Daily Hamdrad, but Syed Maududi declined the offer, However, due to political differences with the Leadership of Jamiat Ualma Hind, Syed Maududi had to leave Al Jamiat as well later.

Iqbal’s poetry had impressed Syed Maududi from his early Childhood. His father also taught him history of India, this back ground helped him a lot in his journalistic career. His hatred for the foreign rulers, i.e, the English. And larger interests of the Muslims of India, prompted his participation in Khelafat Movement etc, Emigration from India Movement and Satya Gera Movement etc. Indian Muslims enthusiastically supported their Turk Brethren. Syed Mududi also tried to purge the Muslim Society of its moral evils, and at the same, time warned them of their Political mistakes and suggested them corrective measures too. In his opinion malady of the Indian Muslims was the deviation from Islamic teachings hence, he wrote an essay wherein he gave his said finding and proposed that the Muslims could gain might only if they followed Islam in letter and spirit. When Jamiat Ulma-e-Hind entered into alliance, with Congress in 1925, Syed Maududi resigned in protest as Editor of the Al Jamiat---a Jamiat organ, for he opposed the concept of one Nation theory. (comprising of Hindus and Muslims).

During the days of his editorship of Al Jamiat a Hindu named Sawami Shardanand launched Shuddhi Movement which purported to convert Muslim to Hinduism by force. Obviously, the movement had been propelled up out of disgust, animosity, religious bigotry and bias. The said Shardanand also wrote a blasphemous book against the Prophet of Islam. Which evoked strong reaction, and as a result thereof, he was killed. Hindu Politician and the press propagated that Islam was spread by sword. Which pained Syed Maududi. Moulana Muhammad Ali Johar made a speech appealing the Muslim penmen to counter the propaganda against the Islam by writing a treatise on Jehad. Syed Maududi accepted the chalange and authored an all encompassing book titled Al Jehad Fil Islami(Jehad In Islam) on the subject, which was applauded widely, and this since has become a classic.

Allama Iqbal termed the book the best on the title of Jehad and Islamic Law of war and peace, and recommended the same as an essential reading to everyone.

After resigning as Editor Al jamiat, he went to Haidar Abad where the authored quite a few books on Islam, and at the same time continued his critical review of the plight of the Muslims of India. To remedy the situation, he brought out a monthly Tarjmanul Quran in 1932, which is extant. Through the columns of this monthly, he at first tried to inculcate in the minds of Muslims, that Islam was complete code of life, with affective guidance in every respect of life, and persuaded them to shun the apologetic and imitative attitude towards the West. In 1935, he wrote the Veil (Purdha) an authoritative work in its own right, which furnished an answer to those who were lured by the slogan of women emancipation. He wrote essays under the title of The Issues (Tanqihat)and the Understandings(Tafhimat) which gave the Muslim Youth a heart who cast away the shackles of Western civilization.

The Congress propaganda that the Muslims and Hindus were but one nation was suicidal for the cause of the Muslims, in fact against the very spirit of Islam itself and if espoused was bound to undo the separate identity of the Muslims of the Sub-continent besides, landing them in to perpetual slavery. Sensing well in time the danger, Syed Maudoodi wrote extensively against the propaganda. His two works in this behalf are worth mentioning: The Question of Nationality and Muslims and the Present Political Conflict in two volumes.Syed Maududi in these books vehemently proved that the Muslim and the Hindus were two different nations by every sense of the term, for the both had their own concept of God, religion culture civilization and history.Truth of the matter, is that the argument was so persuasive, that by the 1940 even the Muslim League,leadership adopted the it and contested the case of the Muslims in light thereof. Resolution of Pakistan was passed enshrining therein, the same doctrine.Muslim League circulated the said books in large number. It was this awakening, which later resulted, into the achievement of Pakistan.Thus Syed Maududi,played a cardinal role in the movement for Pakistan as a thinker.

Period from 1935 to 1947 was crucial for specially for the Muslims of sub Continent as they found themselves at the cross roads, they were awed by the Hindu majority, that if the power was transfered to the Congress the Muslim minority will be at the mercy of Hindus.

If on the contrary, would be lucky to get Pakistan ---a separate homeland for themselves, the Muslims minorities in India would be precariously placed. Another question that taxed their brains was whether Muslim League leadership ostensibly none practising would be able to give Paksitan, a genuinely Islamic State, which seemed a far cry.Thus to give Pakistan a team, which could help the rulers shape Islamic system of Government, Syed Maududi decided to setup Jamaat-e-Islami. On Syed Maududi’s call Islamists from all over the country gathered on 26th August 1941 at Lahore, and hence, Jmaat-e-Islami was founded. Total 75 participants of the founding congregation, elected Syed Maududi as first Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, unanimously. Thenceforward, Syed Maududi spent all his energies in rebutting the Congress thesis, that Hindus and Muslims were one nation, on the basis of one country, and produced a plethora of literature which silenced the exponents of one nation theory.

After creation of Pakistan luckily for the Muslims of Pakistan, Syed Maududi migrated to Pakistan, and worked restlessly for the promulgation of an Islamic Constitution. Syed Maududi confided to the then Chief Minister of Punjab that Pakistan should pre-emptorily cut off the only road link between India and Kashmir near Pathan Kot, but the myopic leadership turned a deaf ear to it, and lost Kashmir once and for all. Had this advice been acted upon today Kashmir would have been part of Pakistan.

Quid-e-Azam had a very high regard for Syed Maududi, he considered Maududi as sincere honest and competent man, Quaid and his very close relationship with Iqbal. He was aware that it was Iqbal who had persuaded Maududi to settle in Punjab. Once before the creation of Pakistan a delegation of Jamaat called on Quaid in Dehli, and he expressed his appreciation of Maududi and his work and remarked, “Muslim League is trying to meet the emergency while Jamaat-e-Islami after the achievement of Pakistan will begin its work. He also eyed the Jamaat work as commendable.

First ever country to be carved out in the name of Islam, Pakistan came in to being on 14th August 1947, and those at the helms of affairs were, duty bound to enforce Islamic system, as it was its very rai-son de’tre.

Irony of the fate is that Syed Maududi had to demand the enforcement of Sharia. Though the demand should have been met, but not only it was browbeaten, but the mover was put behind the bars days after the death of Quaid-e-Azam in October1948. Jamaat organ ‘Kausar’, ‘ Jahan Nau’ and daily ‘ Tasneem’ were banned, so that no voice for Sharia could be raised.