A Global Legacy

Syed Maududi’s influence extends far beyond Pakistan’s borders. His books, especially the 6-volume Tafhim-ul-Qur’an, have been translated into many languages and read worldwide. Leading Islamist thinkers in the Arab world took notice: even Egypt’s Hasan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb studied his writings. In Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini met Maududi and helped bring his works into Persian circulation. By the mid-1960s, Maududi’s complete corpus was available in Turkey and influenced local scholars. Study circles at universities and madrasas — from Cairo to Madinah — have discussed his ideas. Several Western seekers also found guidance in his thought (for example, the American-born Maryam Jameelah and Jamaican-Canadian Dr. Bilal Philips). Even today, Islamist movements around the world echo Maududi’s terminology and goals. His intellectual presence remains alive: Jamaat’s international links and contemporary Is