Association Of Muslim Social Scientists Research Articles

Islamic Education Reform

The earliest ijtihad, in the face of societal changes, can be traced backto the period of Khalifah Umar bin al-Khattab. The methodology ofjuristic preference (istihsan) was developed later as one way of institutingIslamic reform. It emerged as a response to the inadequacy of themethod of mere deduction. Other forms of intellectual reform can beseen in the works of Al-Ghazali in Ihya’ ‘Ulkn al-Din and Tahafat al-Falsifah, and in Ibn Rushd’s response, Tahafat al-Tahafat.Many of these early efforts toward intellectual reform were individualand accidental in nature and did not reflect any methodological school orinstitution. Reformers and creative thinkers seemed as flashes in the historyof Islamic thought. As the European challenge to the Ummahmounted, and the cultural and scientific imitation failed, many Muslimreformers surrendered themselves to culturally copying Europe whilecontinuing to praise the heritage of the Ummah and the sublime valuesand concepts embedded in its legacy.The movement for Islamization of knowledge tried to dig deep intoIslamic intellectual tradition in order to provide Muslim thinkers with thecapabilities and potential for the reform of contemporary Islamic thoughtand methodology. The genesis of the movement can be traced to the birthof the Association of Muslim Social Scientists in the United States and -Canada (AMSS) in 1972, the establishment of the International Instituteof Islamic Thought (IIIT) in 1981, and the development of theIslamization of Knowledge program of the International IslamicUniversity of Malaysia (IIUM) in 1989.As a result of these efforts, the ideas of Islamization of knowledge andIslamic methodological reform have become central themes in the worksof Muslim scholars, who find that these concepts give direction and purposeto their work. If we use the metaphor of a seed to describe the roleof intellectual and methodological reform in developing and reformingsocieties, then political, economic, technological and all other contributionsand reforms can be seen as the fruits of civilization. The questionthat presents itself is, if the seed is there-meaning proper thinking ...

The Association of Muslim Social Scientists

The Association of Muslim Social Scientists

The Twenty-Second Annual Conference of the AMSS

The Twenty-Second Annual Conference of the Association of MuslimSocial Scientists (AMSS) was jointly organized by the Intemational Instituteof Islamic Thought (IIIT) and the AMSS and was held at the IIITpremises in Hemdon, VA. The open-theme conference featured eighteenpanels organized into fourtem sessions.The opening session consisted of the welcoming address by DilnawazSiddiqui, President (Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA), remarksby Mushtaqur Rahman, Conference Chairman (University of Iowa,Ames, IA), and the inaugural address of Taha al 'Alwani (President,IIIT). The second session, "Islamic Philosophy and Compamtive Approaches,"was chaired by Ja'afar Sheikh Idris (Institute of Islamic andArabic Sciences, Fairfax, VA). Presentations included "Islamic Theory ofKnowledge: A Reapptaisal" by Sirajul Husain (Islamic Research and DevelopmentCouncil, Cleveland, OH), "Islamization of the Creative Imaginationand Its Ramifications in the Visual Arts of Islam" by Halide A.Salam (Radford University, Radford, VA), and "The Concept of Free Willin the Comments of al Ash'ari, al Hilli, and Taftazani" by Anne E.Francisse (Seattle, WA).The third session had two concurrent panels: "Concept of Shzird andDemocracy in Islam," chaited by Mumtaz Ahmad (Hampton University,Hampton, VA) and "Culture and Communication," chaired by Ali Ramadan(IIIT). The first panel comprised Aziza a1 Hibri (University of Richmond,Richmond VA) and Ja'afar Shaikh Idris. Al Hibri pointed out thatshura (mutual consultation) is part of Islamic constitutional theory and reflectsthe divine dimension of an Islamic political framework-while democracyis one process of shzirti reflecting the human will in the politicalplane. Also featured was Hamid al-Ghazali (Islamic Center of Lawrence,Lawrence, MO), who gave a special report on the removal of an unjustleader from an Islamic institution that had been presented to the CircuitCourt of Jackson County, Missouri.The culture and communication panel had three presentors. ShamfRahman (Northern State Univedty, Aberdeen, SD) spoke on media typesand Muslim culture vis-8-vis Pakistani films and videos. Hussein Abiva(Chicago, IL) dealt with the role and importance of Sufi orders in Balkan ...

EDITORIAL

The news of Professor Mahmoud Abu Saud’s death has saddened usall. For several decades, he has been a prominent figure in the seminarsand conferences of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS),the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), the Islamic Societyof North America (ISNA), the American Muslim Council (AMC), andother Islamic and interfaith organizations. His passionate commitment tothe reconstruction of Islamic thought, as well as his tireless involvementin writing, lecturing, and touring from country to country and from cityto city, were a great inspiration to our young scholars. As a learnedscholar, Social scientist, and, in particular, an economist, friend, and mentor,he will be missed in many forums. He served as a referee for theAmerican Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (AJISS), and his commentswere always objective and straightforward. His ideas, ideals, and intellectualand moral heritage will continue to inspire his friends andstudents. We pray that Almighty Allah will cover him with His mercyand also grant us patience and help us to emulate some of his extra-The growth and development of MISS was one of the aspitations ofthe late Mahmoud Abu Saud. Our constant struggle to enhance the intellectualcontent of the journal will be a source of reward to the departedsoul of that great mujdhid. For verily “we belong to Allah and to Him wereturn.“This issue begins with Mahmoud Dhaouadi’s paper on Islamicknowledge and the rise of the new science. In the last few decades,Mahmoud Dhaouadi argues, western science has begun to shift from whatis called classical science to new science. This vision of the emergingnew science promises to heal the division between matter and spirit andto do away with the mechanical dimension of the world. However, theprocess of reconciliation between religion and science in modem westernculture still faces a great many hurdles. Islam, on the other hand, looksat knowledge and science as a continuum whereby divine and humanknowledge and science both cooperate with and complement each other.He gives examples from the practices of classical Muslim scholars, suchas Ibn Khaldin, who based their research on this approach. Knowledge ...

The 20th Annual Conference of the AMSS

The third decade of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists' (AMSS)existence witnessed the collective effort by some of its members to identify majorareas for inclusion in its research agenda. Besides taking stock of past performance,the main determinants included those recent events in the ummah whichhave affected it as a whole and the ensuing problems calling for immediateattention.Following established tradition, the AMSS and one of its sister professionalorganizations, the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE),convened their conferences at the same time and place.This year's banquet speaker was H.R.H. Crown Prince Hasan bin Talalof Jordan, whose address was delivered in his absence by Mohammad A.Hamadan, former Minister of Education of Jordan. The main thrust of PrinceHasan's address was the need for cooperation among the ummah's varioussegments in the service of professional and human resource development. TheIsma'il and Lamya al Fariiqi Memorial Lecture was given by Zafar I. Ansari,Director General, Islamic Research Center, Islamabad, Pakistan. The AMSEkeynote speaker was Ali Nayfeh, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,Blacksburg, VA. Nayfeh suggested practical ways of fostering scientificand technological advancement in the ummah through intra-ummah as well asinternational collaboration.The main program consisted of seventeen thematic panels organized intoeleven sessions. The opening session was chaired by Sayyid M. Syeed, GeneralSecretary of the AMSS. It consisted of the welcome speeches of S. ImtiazAhmad, Conference Chair and President of the Islamic Society of NorthAmerica (ISNA); Sulayman Nyang, President of the AMSS; and MohammadZohdy, President of the AMSE. The Convention Chair also read out the felicitousmessages received from the White House, the State House, and the localgovernment. The program preview was given by its co-chairs, Mumtaz Ahmadand Dilnawaz Siddiqui (AMSS), and Sayed A. Nassar (AMSE).The second session had two concurrent panels: 1) "History of Muslim Communitiesin North America;' organized and moderated by Salahuddin Malik,State University of New York (SUNY ) at Brockport, Brockport, NY, and 2)'J\ndragogy: Education of Adults;' which was chaired by Mushtaqur Rahman,University oflowa at Ames, Ames, IA. The history panel featured Anwar Dil,U.S. International University, San Diego, CA, who traced the history of Muslim ...

Summary of the Proceedings of the Fourth International Economics Seminar

The theme of the Fourth International Islamic Economics Seminarwas "Economic Growth and Human Resource Development in an IslamicPerspective." It was a joint undertaking of the Association of Muslim SocialScientists (AMSS) and the International Institute of Islamic Thought(IIIT). The program was divided into five sessions: a) Human ResourceDevelopment in an Islamic Perspective; b) Human Resource Developmentin a Comparative Perspective; c) Issues in Human Resource Development:Case Studies from Selected Muslim Countries; d) Human Resources, EconomicDevelopment, and Government Policies in Muslim Countries; ande) Business Sector and Human Resource Development. This latter sessionalso dealt with the role of financial institutions in human developmentfrom an Islamic perspective. Welcoming and opening remarks were madeby Sultan Ahmad of the World Bank and Sayyid Syeed of the AMSS ...

Report on the Third Seminar on Islamic Economics

The Third Seminar on Islamic Economics, held under the sponsorshipof the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and the Associationof Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), took on an international character withdelegates in attendance from as far east as Malaysia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabiain addition to participants from Canada and the United States. This year'stheme for the conference, "Resource Mobilization and Investment in an IslamicFramework;' evoked considerable interest among both academicians andpractitioners of the Islamic economic reform movement. Evidence of thisinterest was seen in the large number of research papers received on thesubject although, regrettably, funding limitations prevented many a scholarfrom participating in the meetings.The first day's sessions opened with brief remarks from Sayyid M. Syeed,general secretary of the AMSS, and Zaidi Sattar, program director for theseminar. Their remarks, while highlighting the significant strides made inthe past decade in research on Islamic economics, pointed to the substantialfinancial and logistical constraints that remain in the advancement of futureresearch in the area. IIIT and AMSS were commended for their past rolein this endeavor, and hopes were expressed for a more vigorous role in thefuture.The highlight of the opening session was the thoughtful inaugural addressby Taha Jabir al ‘Alwani, President, IIIT, who emphasized the importanceof the “human” element in the organization and management of economicresources as “. . . man is both intellect ready for thought, and hands readyfor action.” Citing from the Holy Qur’an and the works of Islamic scholars,he stressed that Islamic thought has much to offer in the emancipation ofthe ummah from the debilitating influence of colonialism. Development ofthe mind, he argued, is as critical to a society’s growth process as is thedevelopment of economic resources ...

Strategies for an Islamic Perspective of History and Historical Writing

The idea of holding the first History Seminar, which was introducedat the 18th Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists(AMSS), came to realization in Buffalo, New York on Dhu al Qi‘dah 1-2,1410/May 26-27, 1990.A total of fifteen papers were presented by Muslim historians comingfrom across the United States. Taha J. Al-‘Alwani’s opening address waspresented by Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, the General Secretary of the AMSS.Al-‘Alwani, who is the President of the International Institute of IslamicThought (IIIT), challenged Muslim historians to devise concepts andmethodologies based on the wisdom of the Qur’an that will demystify humanglobal history and make it possible to present solutions and alternatives totoday’s problems. He asked historians to look for the unifying factors thatcan make sense out of human history and to think about mankind’s reactiveor proactive role in the historical process which might lead to universal goals.The banquet speaker, Professor Pareshan G. Khattak, Vice Chancellorof the Azad Kashmir University at Muzaffarabad, a historian himself, dedicatedhis address to an account of the Kashmiri Muslim struggle for freedom andits place in current history.The first session included two papers designed to present an overviewof issues to be considered at the conference. The seminar coordinator, AftabAhmad Khan of Buffalo State College, spoke on “Establishing Some Principlesand Guidelines for Islamization of History,” in which he focused on the needfor Muslim self-reliance in the writing and interpretation of their own historyas well as that of the rest of the world with the aim of exposing the worldunifyingconcepts and reflections of tawhid. He called for the adoption ofa five point program toward beginning the process of Islamization of history.This was followed by Professor Akbar Muhammad of SUNY at Binghamton,who presented a paper entitled “On Islamic History, Muslim History, andthe Social Milieu.”Focusing on the legacy of certain individual historians or thinkers, threepanelists presented the ideas of men spanning North Africa, the Middle East,and South Asia. Ausaf Ali of Los Angeles spoke on Ibn Khaldun, Ibrahim ...

The Eighteenth Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists

The Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists(AMSS) has acquired a certain niche for itself in the academic life of Muslimsin North America. Each year the Conference is attended by Muslim andseveral non-Muslim scholars from across North America and overseas.The 18th Annual Conference was held in conjunction with the 15th AnnualConference of the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers (AMSE).This provided an opportunity for exchange of ideas among specialists fromvarious disciplines. It was coordinated by the AMSS Vice President Dr.Salahuddin Malik. In all, some forty papers on Islam and Muslims werepresented followed by interesting discussions.Dr. Taha J. Al- 'Alwani, President of the International Institute of IslamicThought (IIIT) was the keynote speaker at the Banquet. The Isma'il and Lamya'al Fariiqi Memorial Lecture was delivered by Dr. Ralph Braibanti of DukeUniversity. One highlight of the Conference was the well-attended InterfaithTrialogue which was addressed by Dr. James Evans of Colgate Divinity School,Dr. Tamara Sann of St. John Fisher College, Rabbi Judea Miller of Rochester,NY, and Dr. Jamal Badawi of Halifax University, Nova Scotia, Canada.The Conference, which was spread over twelve sessions, included eighteenpanels on a variety of subjects.The First Session comprised two panels: Business and Economics inIslam where Dr. Ausaf Ali reflected on the "Systemized Theory of the IslamicEconomy." Dr. M. E. Biraima's paper, which was presented in his absence,discussed "A Qur'anic Model For a Universal Economic Theory." Dr. HishamAhmad of the University of Chicago spoke about the "Qur'anic Perspectiveon the Creation and Distribution of Wealth and Economic Justice," whileMohamed R. Bouz.akuk of the University of Oklahoma spoke on "lbn Khaldun:The Economist."The parallel panel on Language and Education featured Dr. M. A. WaheedFakhri of Chicago State University who introduced the 1989 survey of fulltimeIslamic Schools in North America. Dr. Ni'mat H. Barazangi of Cornellspoke on "North American Parents and Children: Theoretical Model forIslamization of Education," and Dr. Kamal Nimer of the Islamic Saudi Academyfocused on adult education ...

Editorial

Our first contributor is Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian Minister ofEducation. He has described in very convincing style the need to differentiatebetween science and non-science. The values, politics, ideology, power, prestigeand polemics of science play an important role in it. In shaping a contemporaryphilosophy of science, Anwar Ibrahim emphasizes the need to infuse the entiresystem of science, its method, its processes, and its goals with the ethicaland value concerns of the world-view of Islam. Our study of the history ofscience in Islam should help us to understand what was original and Islamicabout Islamic science and how the Muslim scientists infused their wrk withIslamic ethics and values and interpreted their task through Muslim eyes.The purpose of developing a contemporary philosophy of Islamic science,according to Anwar Ibrahim, is to help our scientists to construct a globalfoundation for contemporary Islamic knowledge and science. This would allowthe development of a pragmatic philosophy which takes the ethical concernsof Islam into the laboratory. This kind of theory should help prioritize certainresearch, and formulate science policies for Muslim societies.This theory should be able to demonstrate to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike that science not only helps in meeting the intellectual andphysical challenges of modern times but can also solve contemporary problemsof mankind in more satisfying and ethically sound ways.In his opening remarks at the Seminar on ‘‘Paradigms in Pblitical Science:Muslim Perspectives,” organized by the International Institute of IslamicThought (IIIT) and The Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) inJumada al Awwal 1410/Dec. 1989, Dr. Taha Jabir Al ‘Alwani, President ofIIIT, traced political science in classical Islamic heritage. Al ‘Alwanithat we do not have specializep studies in our classical legacythat may be described today as political thought. Issues related to subjectslike international relations, systems of government, history of diplomacy,political development, or methods of political planning, however, were treatedthrough the medium of fiqh. There were no well-defined divisions betweenall other aspects of life and the political issues as there are’in contemporarysocial sciences. Al ‘Alwani argues that the fiqh of contemporary politics andgovernment must turn to the goals and purposes of Islam, to its generalprinciples and to its precepts. This will build a complete system of politicalthought that will interact with contemporary realities for the realization ofIslam’s greater purposes. Al ‘Alwani, however, warns that theories will haveto be erected upon the basis of accepted Shari‘ah source-evidence, whiledrawing from the experience of historical and contemporary humanity ...

The Muslim World

This book owes its origin to a major international conference held inApril by the Association of Muslim Social Scientists at Iowa State Universityin April 1983. The papers cover "a wide range of topics to match the widerange of crises in which the Muslim world finds itself." It includes forty-sixillustrative maps and figures and twenty-six tables. which make the texts moremeaningful.In recent times, the issues of Third World development and technologytransfer have stirred much controversy, resulting in a polarization of views.On one hand is the Third/Muslim World view that the so-called transfer oftechnology, whether from the capitalist or communist countries, iscounterproductive and exploitive, generating a client/dependency relationship.On the other hand, the donors feel that their "technological giveaways" promote"interdependence, collective self-reliance, and mutual interest." Between thesetwo extremes lies Muslim resurgence and Islamic revivalism, with Islam asa sociopolitical force providing its own ideological and institutional solutionsto the issues of development and technology transfer. The emphasis is onconscientious "value-patterned" socioeconomic development. Iowa StateUniversity's 1983 Conference and the present book focus on this motivatingtheme. They advocate alternate development strategies which are basicallyIslamic in spirit, substance, and system.In section 1 of the book, trends and issues typical of the Muslim worldare evaluated, specifically with reference to Pakistan. The first paper is acomparatively short study of coloniaJism (capitalist and communist) vis-avisthe Muslim world. The remedial recipe is an Islamic DevelopmentPolicy/Strategy. The second paper discusses the development dilemma of theIslamic countries, in the light of Islanuc values. The third author emphasizesthat Islamic development is holistic, aiming at the moral man in a moralsociety. Taken together, these first three papers form a contextual frameworkfor specific area case studies analyzing the influence of alien aid and alienatingdevelopment strategies ...

Second Annual Economics Seminar

The Second Economics Seminar of the AMSS Economic DisciplineCouncil on Islamic Economics co-sponsored by the International Instituteof Islamic Thought (IIIT) and the Association of Muslim Social Scientists(AMSS) was held Rabi‘ al Akhir 8-10, 1409/November 18-20, 1988, at theIIIT headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. The program chairman for theconference was Dr. Mohammad Safa of Southeastern University, Washington,DC and the Seminar was attended by over fifty (50) people from variousparts of the United States and Canada including academicians, Islamic bankers,and graduate economics students.Following recitations from the Holy Qur’in, the opening sessioncommenced with the welcome addresses of Dr. Taha Jabir Al-Alwani,President, and Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulayman, Director-General of the ID”,respectively. Dr. Taha emphasized the importance of the implementation ofIslamization of Knowledge in modem social sciences particularly in economics,and the role of IIIT in this process. Dr. Taha also paid tribute to the servicesof Dr. AbuSulayman in building Islamic institutions like the AMSS and theIIIT in their formative years. He prayed for the success of Dr. ’AbuSulaymanin his new assignment as the Rector of the International Islamic Universityin Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Dr. AbuSulayman then outlined the challenges lying ahead for Muslimeconomists in their efforts to Islamize the science of economics.Conference Program and Papers:The conference program was divided into four sessions. The first sessionwas on “Methodological Issues in Islamic Economics” chaired by Dr. RasoolM. Hashimi of Southern Illinois University. Drs. Syed Iqbal Mahdi of BenedictCollege and Masudul Alam Choudhury of University College of Cape Bretonpresented papers entitled “Methodological Issues in Islamic Economics” and“Cost-Benefit Framework in an Islamic Economic System” respectively. Thelast paper in this session was given by Shamim Siddiqui who is a doctoralcandidate at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The title ofhis paper was “Savings and Investment in an Islamic Economic System.” ...

The 14th Annual AMSE Conference

The 14th Annual Conferknce of the Association of Muslim Scientistsand Engineers (ASME) was held during the weekend of qufur 2628,1409/0ctober 7-9, 1988, at the Islamic Center of North America in Plainfield,Indiana. Papers presented at the Conference dealt with a variety of subjectsranging from agriculture and health sciences to car manufacturing tips,computers, industrial, civil and electronic engineering, as well as resourcemanagement and organizational behavior.Members of the AMSS (Association of Muslim Social Scientists) whoattended the AMSE Conference, participated in the sessions with undividedattention. Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulayman, the AMSS President, in his banquetspeech, stressed the need for an active AMSE that will eventually attracta more sizable number of Muslims in North America and coordinate theirscientific efforts for their common benefit.In a session entitled “Technology Transfer,” the Japanese and Koreanapproaches were contrasted with the Muslim world approach. A highlightof the Conference was the announcement of the A1 Khwarazmi Award thatthe AMSE will award annually to a distinguished Muslim scientist or engineer.The first Al Khwarazmi Award went to Dr. M.A.K. Lodhi of Texas A&MUniversity in appreciation of his continuous support for Muslim studentsand his long-time involvement in the AMSE in addition to his scientific interestand achievements in nuclear physics and field theory.The Best Student Paper Award went to the following: 1) Abdullah M.Elramsisi of Rochester Hill, Michigan for his paper “On Model-based ImageRestoration and Performance Evaluation;” and 2) Khatib Rajab of Morgantown,West Virginia for his paper on “Agricultural Research Needs and Prioritiesin Zanzibar as perceived by Administrators and Extension Workers.”Copies of all of the presented papers were distributed at the Conferenceand will be ppblished in the conference proceedings. Preprints and reprintsmay be obtained by writing to the AMSE office at P.O. Box 38, Plainfield,Indianna, 46168 ...

Third International Islamic Geographical Conference Kuala Lumpur

Development and the MuslimsThe Department of Geography, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, hostedthe Third International Islamic Geographic Conference at Institute AminuddinBaki, Genting Highland, Malaysia Muharram 16-21, 1409/August28-September 2, 1988, to discuss the effects of development on Muslimcommunities. Sponsorship for the meeting was jointly provided by theInternational Islamic Geographical Society, the International Institute of IslamicThought, the Association of Muslim Social Scientists of the United Statesand Canada, the Malaysian Institute of Policy Research, and the UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia.Altogether twenty-four papers were presented during eight sessions tosome seventy participants from nine countries, including thirteen attendeesfrom outside Malaysia. The first session on “Muslims and Development”included three presentations. Mansur Ahmad Saman led the discussion byexploring the generic meanings of “Islam” and “development” in his paper“Islam and Development: the Region Within.” Mansur argued that becauseIslam sanctions peaceful living, it is a necessary condition for development,although the state of peace itself may not be a sufficient condition of thesame end. In the second paper, “Muslims and Economic Development,’’ A.H.MSadeq observes that although Islam provides all the incentives for economicdevelopment, and despite the fact that Muslim countries as a whole are wellendowedwith natural resources, they have continued to lag behind in economicdevelopment. Sadeq was hopeful that the future is bright for Muslim countries,if only there were more efforts towards economic cooperation among them.S. Parvez Manuror concluded the session with a deliberation an “Ideologyof Development: An Islamic Critique.” In this lengthy discourse on the conceptof “development,” the author asserted that the “The modern theory ofdevebpment aims .at the realization of certain societal values within a politicalframework, At worst, perpetuates the view of man and the universe which ...

Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists

The Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Association of Muslim SocialScientists was held Rubi‘ul Awwal 18-20, 1409/October 28-30, 1988, at IowaState University, Ames, Iowa. “Development of Contemporary IslamicThought: Theory and Application” was the theme that attracted over 120participants from United States, Canada, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco,Trinidad and India, as well as numerous student “drop-ins”.The conference broke new grounds and topped all former annualconferences, in the size of meetings, quality, and diversity of presentations,and set a number of records that may stand for many years to come. Mostof the discussions were scholarly and conducted in a spirit of good humoroftendisagreeing without being disagreeable.The program included 26 papers, in addition to special sessions. Althoughthe sessions were spread over three days, as many as 16 sessions had to beheld concurrently to accommodate the participants. Topical divisions ofconcurrent sessions were successful at holding "session-hopping“ to a minimum.The array of papers covered almost all subdisciplines and current researchorientation in Islamic social sciences. Abstracts of the papers given in theprogram were helpful in planning and choosing which session to attend. Afterthe sessions, there was an array of opportunities to widen one’s experience.The banquet, and the dinners and lunches at Iowa State University MemorialUnion allowed for a relaxed, yet stimulating, setting. Those who preferredmore tension in their leisure, continued their discussions in small groups.For the first time, the conference began with a session on “Western andMuslim Women” chaired by Salahuddin Malik of the State University of NewYork, Brockport. Sharifa Alkhateeb of the International Institute of IslamicThought surveyed “Feminist Issues and Their Implication for Islamic Women,”explaining how Western feminist values were incapable of successfultransplantation to Muslim Societies. She pointed out the existing numerousvalues in Islam while recognizing the need for social change of traditionalnon-Islamically based mores. Vanessa Khadija Payton, of Morgan StateUniversity, discussed “Polygamy and American Muslims.” Her paper focusedon the cultural indoctrination of American male and female Muslims andthe practicality of polygamy amongst these groups. Sadekka Arabi of theUniversity of California, Berkeley, presented her wellreseamhed paper Western ...

Editorial

Five years of the American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences (AJISS)seem trivial, but there has been a good reason to seize upon this occasionas a brief respite from the here-and-now to look back at our objectives andaccomplishments. It is gratifying that AJISS is now a lading journal of Islamicresearch published in United States, and a major international journal. Ithas published medium and longer length articles by scholars within and outsidethe United States, representing original, significant, and major Islamicconceptual and interpretative advances within all subfields of the socialsciences. The articles have reflected the breadth, depth, and scale of modernIslamic scholarship, regardless of their perspectives and orientations.Among of the objectives of AJISS, and its sponsors, namely theInternational Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and the Association of MuslimSocial Scientists (AMSS), has been the effort to restore confidence amongthe Muslim scholars and revive Islamic scholarship to its former high standards.In addition there has been a modest effort to bring the ummah out of itspresent decadent situation and historic Nostalgic bonds. Ordinarily, such asituation develops when a nation starts living in memories and monuments,memorizes history and narrates it while ignoring or relegating the realitiesof the time. The other perspective of history, and perhaps more desirable,is when the people learn from history, interpret history and transform thepresent knowledge according to their history, values, and ethics. During thepast five years, AJISS has persistently attempted to lead the way in fashioninga proper historical perspective by reverting to the basics, and by Islamizingthe current knowledge.This issue begins with selections from the Holy Qur'an and commentaryby 'AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman. Three major sections follow. Section oneincludes two papers on the need and philosophy of Islamization of knowledge.In the first paper, Fazlur Rahman, presents his perspective on the Islamizationof Knowledge and suggests modification of the present approach. The secondpaper by Ilyas By-Yunus gives a brief biography of Isma'il al Faruqi, andtraces the development of his ideas of Islamization as one of the effectivemeans for Muslim resurgence.The second section of this issue has three papers on matters concerningIslamic Thought. In the first, Louay Safi discusses war and peace in Islam,challenging the classical doctrines as issue-specific and incomprehensive.Arguing his case with credible support from other sources, Safi offers analternative approach based on Islamic principles. The other paper by AbdulazizSachedena elaborates the importance of the Shari'ah by upholding the Tawhidprinciples in assimilating diverse groups with varied interests into one Ummah ...

Sixteenth Annual Conference of The Association of Muslim Social Scientists

The Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) held its SixteenthAnnual Conference at the ISNA headquarters in Plainfield, Indiana, October9-11, 1987. Registration listed about 200 participants from the United States,Canada, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Trinidad, and other countries. Theinaugural session on October 9 provided a hospitable setting for camaraderie.Eloquent and spirited speeches by Iqbal Unus, Conference Chairman; lbrahimSyed, AMSE Program Chairman; and Mushtaqur Rahman, AMSS ProgramChairman, set the stage for the conference and the sessions.Chaired by Salahuddin Malik, AMSS Vice-president, the first session onPolitical Science was held on Friday evening after Salat-ul Maghrib. HashemAl-Jaseem of the University of California was the first to present his paperon Islam and Politics. He was followed by Taysir Nashif of Essex CountyCollege, who pleaded for a Nuclear Free Zone in the Middle East. LouaySafi of Wayne State University concluded the session with his presentationof War and Peace in Islam.This session was so lively and discussions so absorbing that no time wasleft for the following session scheduled for the same evening. Conferees preferredto postpone the second session rather than to conclude the discussions.It was heartening that every conferee maintained the Islamic tradition of conductingdebates in a spirit of good humor, disagreeing without beingdisagreeable.The first full day of the conference, Saturday, October 10, began with aTilawat-e-Quran, and a session on Education. Chaired by M.A.W. Fakhri ofChicago State University, the session had two presentations. Hakim Rashidof Howard University opened the session with his paper on “SocializatiodEducationof Muslim Children in America”. He was followed by NimatHafez Barzangi of Cornell University, who presented her paper on “Perceptionsof the Islamic Belief System: The Muslims in North America. Followingthe session on education, two concurrent sessions were held on Sociologyand History dealing with Muslim minorities. This was the first time the strategyof concurrent sessions was ever tried in the AMSS. The sociology sessionChairperson, Ilyas Baynus of the State University of New York, first invited ...

“Islamization of Knowledge” Seminar Held at the Institute of Education, London University

The seminar which was held on October 31, 1987 was aimed at introducingthe International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) to the Muslim intellectualsin the United Kingdom. The seminar was attended by over 40 peopleof different specializations from various parts of the United Kingdom. Theseminar was divided in two sessions. The morning session was chaired byDr. Tayyib Zain al-Abidin, the representative of the Institute in Khartoum,Sudan. The speakers in this session included: Dr. ‘AbdulHamid AbuSulayman,Director General, IIIT; Mr. Mashuq Aly, Head of the Department of IslamicStudies, Lampeter University College, Wales; and Dr. Salim Al-Hasani, Man-Chester University.Dr. AbdulHamidd AbuSulayman outlined the objectives and goals of theInstitute and clarified the concept of the Islamization of Knowledge which,according to him, constituted the very raison detre of the Institute. He emphasizedthat the Muslim world lacked neither resources nor values; whatit lacked was the correct methodology of thinking in order to tackle the pressingproblems of today. The problem, therefore, is primarily a problem of thought.It is incumbent upon the Ummah to reform its methodology of thinking andof solving its problems.Dr. AbuSulayman then traced the developments that led to the establishmentof the Institute. He explained that through their work in student organizations,he and his colleagues arrived at the conclusion that political and socialwork was not enough and that there was a need for work in the field of thoughtand intellectual analysis. It was also not enough to criticise and express dismayat the present bad conditions of the Ummah. What was needed was to presentan alternative Islamic paradigm of intellectual thought and practical solutionsof the problems of the Islamic world.It was therefore decided to establish the Association of Muslim Social Scientists(AMSS) in the United States of America. Building on the experiencegained in the AMSS, the International Institute of Islamic thought was establishedas an independent organization to deal with the problem of intellectual ...

Editorial Note

The complex and bewildering variety of issues and problems facing thepresent-day Muslims have made them singularly hard pressed to develop rationalstrategies and efficient policies. The intensity and multiplicity of demandshave increased to such an extent that in recent years efforts to Islamizeknowledge or recreate a Muslim way of life needs congruent thinking andprudent planning.In thinking about this question, at least two issues of adaptability and sustainabilitytake the front stage. Adaptability would mean that Islamic socialsciences and cultural habits should be sought out and adopted. This way wouldnot be an imposition of alien models or values, but a reversion to the Qur'anand Sunnah for knowledge and guidance. Once adopted, either from traditionalor modem Islamized social science, it ought to be maintained againstall odds.The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences has been trying for thelast four years to initiate such changes in the social and individual behavior,and Islamize the knowledge with the assistance of the International Instituteof Islamic Thought and the Association of Muslim Social Scientists. Mypredecesssor, Sulayman Nyang, left such a strong record of service that wouldbe difficult for anyone to meet. I was conscious of this challenge when I wasasked and accepted to succeed him. I knew of course that I could always counton his support to maintain the Journal at the same standard, if not higher.This issue has three sections. Section one includes two papers on mattersconcerning the Islamic Thought. The first paper by Ahmad Zaki Hammadpresents Ghazali's approach to usul-al-Jiqh, divided into three elements: (i)ahkam, (ii) adilla (source), and (iii) mujtahid.. . .Of these three, the paperprovides broader explanation only of ahkams, leaving the other two for subsequentpresentations. The second paper by Bogdan Meckowski compares IbnKhaldun with Adam Smith, and other modern economists, giving Ibn Khaldunthe prominent place he deserves. With remarkable skill, Mieckowski establishesthat Ibn Khaldun favored laissez-faire, and opposed a socialized or monopolisticproduction. Accordq to Mieckowski, most modern economists borrow heavilyfrom Ibn Khaldun without acknowledging or crediting him in their works ...

The Seminar on Islamic Economics

The International Institute of Islamic Thought sponsored a major seminaron “Islamic Economics” in North America on March 28-29, 1987 at itsWashington D.C. area headquatters in Herndon, Virginia. The seminar wascoordinated by Dr. Muhammad Anwar, secretary of the Economic DisciplineCouncil of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists. Although there wasgreat interest expressed by numerous professors and graduate students ofeconomics, the registration was limited to seventy participants due to sometemporary physical constraints.The program began with recitations of the Qur‘an followed by addresses ofDr. Taha Jabir Al-‘Alwani, President of the International Institute of IslamicThought; Dr. ‘AbdulHamid ’Abu Sulayman, President of the Association ofMuslim Social Scientists; and Dr. Raquibuz Zaman, Chairman of theEconomic Discipline Council. A total of nine sessions, including a businesssession and a special session for Ph.D. candidates from various universities inthe United States, were held during the two-day seminar which concludedwith a farewell dinner on the final day. Among the highlights were sessions onMethodology of Islamic Economics, Islamization of Knowledge, ModelingMacroeconomics, Micmconomics, and Financial Accounting and ComparativeEconomics. Eighteen speakers delivered their research papers.First session on Methodology of Islamic Economics was chaired by Dr.Abbas Mirakhor of the International Monetary Fund. Dr. Anwar, also of theInternational Institute of Islamic Thought, Dr. Salim Rashid of the Universityof Illinois, and the famous Islamic economist Dr. Mahmud Abu Sauddelivered their papers on “Methodology of Islamic Economics,” IslamicEconomics: An Historic-Inductive Approach,” and “Research Methodologyfor Islamic Economics”, respectively during the session.Lectures on Islamization of Knowledge were delivered by Dr. Al-‘Alwani,Dr. ’AbuSulayman, and Dr. Jamal Baninji in the second session.The third session on Modeling Macroeconomics was chaired by Dr.Mohsin Khan of the International Monetary Fund. In this session, Dr. Syed ...