Quick Info
| Profession | Journalist, Writer, Translator, Diplomat, Political Theorist |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Pakistani (formerly Austro-Hungarian) |
| Date of Birth | XX/XX/1900 |
| Age | Unknown |
| Birthplace | Austro-Hungarian Empire (modern-day Ukraine/Poland) |
| Date of Death | XX/XX/1992 |
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Austro-Hungarian born Muslim convert and polymath who became a prominent intellectual, diplomat, and Islamic scholar. Born as Leopold Weiss to Jewish parents, he converted to Islam in 1926 and became Muhammad Asad. He lived in nearly a dozen countries across the 20th century and played a significant role in Pakistan's early history. |
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| Notable Achievement | Author of 'The Message of the Qur'an', regarded as one of the most influential Qur'an translations of the modern era alongside Pickthall and Yusuf Ali translations |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Languages | Fluent in classical Arabic and multiple European languages |
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Personal Life
| Conversion | Converted to Islam in 1926 at age 26 after living with Arab Bedouin tribes |
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| Inspiration | Inspired by the simplicity of Bedouin life in central Arabia |
| Beliefs | Strong supporter of Palestinian cause; opposed to Zionism |
Family
| Parents | Jewish parents |
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| Original Name | Leopold Weiss |
Career
| Early Work | Journalist and traveler in the Middle East |
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| Key Influence | Befriended Muslim poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal in India, who persuaded him to help elucidate intellectual premises of the future Islamic state |
| WWII | Interned by British government for five years at outbreak of World War II |
| Pakistan Service | Received Pakistani citizenship on 14 August 1947 |
| Government Positions |
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| Diplomatic Mission | Sent on secret mission to Kuwait in 1929 by Ibn Saud to trace financial and military assistance to Ikhwan rebel Faysal al-Dawish |
| Literary Works |
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Served as a secret agent for Ibn Saud on a mission to Kuwait in 1929 | |
| 2. Helped draft Pakistan's first constitution | |
| 3. Influenced several Western converts to Islam including Murad Hoffman, Muhammad Knut Berstrom, Maryam Jameela, and Jonathan Brown | |
| 4. Championed women's rights in his writings | |
| 5. Died in southern Spain in 1992 | |
| 6. Claimed to be Pakistan's first passport holder |