First published in 1950, titled
Madha Khasira Al-'alam Bi-inhitat Al-Muslimin
, in its original Arabic version, Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi's (1914-1999) magnum opus
Rise and Fall of Muslims: Its Impact on the World
is one of the most insightful post-war Islamic texts expounding the theme of Muslim renaissance by recounting, analytically and objectively, the story of many of the world's civilisations in relation to the rise and fall of Islamic civilisation and its impact on the humanity in general. In the book Sayyid Nadwi makes a bold attempt that departs from a conventional understanding of Islamic history, Muslims' predicaments and challenges that they encounter.
By connecting the fall of the glorious classical Muslim civlisation that once enlightened Europe and rest of the world, Sayyid Nadwi asks an important question: what has the world lost due to the changing fortunes of the collective Muslim identity? Shaykh Nadwi does not make sweeping generalisations but frames global dilemmas through the lens of Islamic teachings, rooted in Islam's universal vision, embracing people of all cultures and civilisations. As a preeminent scholar of history and the intellectual trends in the West and Islamic world, Shaykh Nadwi's in-depth knowledge marks a new approach in understanding the relations between Islam and the West.