Abul A'la Mawdudi is a well-known thinker and caller to Islam who lived from 1903 to 1979. He began his undergraduate studies at Darul Uloom in Hyderbad, but after his formal education was disrupted by the death of his father, he continued his studies outside formal institutions, studying independently as well as receiving instruction and guidance from a number of scholars. He spent ten years working for various Indian newspapers, and, taking an interest in politics and activism, eventually formed the Jamat-i-Islami in 1941. He traveled to a large number of cities and countries, speaking at lectures and conferences about Islam. Mawdudi is the author of more than 100 books on various Islamic topics and sciences. Perhaps his largest and most influential work is “Tafhim-ul-Quran,” a translation and interpretation of the Qur’an into the Urdu language. Many of Mawdudi’s works have been translated and are available in the English language.