Muslim Thinkers Research Articles

Mahmoud Taleghani: A Pioneer Thinker of Social Islam in Contemporary Iran

ABSTRACTThe confrontation and comprehension of the Islamic world with regard to Western modernity, which has been unfolding for nearly two centuries, has obliged Muslim thinkers to study and reconceptualize this complex intersection of ideas. Ayatollah Mahmoud Taleghani was one of the most prominent figures of jurisprudential Islam, who adopted a modern interpretation of Islam and Shiism as part of the Iranian Islamic tradition. This article analyses the viewpoints of Taleghani, as a pioneer of this form of social Islam in contemporary Iran, focusing on Taleghani's thoughts under five different headings: the historical circumstances of Iran, his system of knowledge, his priorities for norms, his approach toward government, and public policy.

Suffering, Islamic Consolation Literature and the Process of Meaning-Making

Abstract Human suffering is one of the most enduring realities that religious believers of all kinds continue to grapple with. Muslim thinkers too have pondered deeply over it, producing imaginative and novel ways to understand and explain this suffering. This article explores how theodicies – ways God’s justice and fairness are compatible with the existence of evil and suffering in the world – by themselves are not adequate to address suffering because of their theoretical nature. The proposal in this article is to adopt a meaning-making approach, one that allows the person suffering to construct meaning rather than have a theoretical solution imposed on them.

Shāh Walī Allāh Dihlawi (d. 1762): The Hajj Journey and Intellectual Scholarship Between India and Arabia

Rather than simply claiming the “unorthodox” or “pluralistic” mindset of an early modern Muslim thinker, this intellectual micro-history aims to show the complexity of Shāh Walī Allāh’s (d. 1762) thought-world. This article follows him to Mecca and Medina for the Hajj pilgrimage. While pilgrimage is traditionally included in the fundaments of Islamic practice, it is also important to realize that the majority of Muslims have not historically participated in this pilgrimage. Due to the physical limitations of travelling as the Muslim community rapidly expanded in the 7th century onwards, we have nearly a thousand years until the 18th century where only a select few Muslims, usually wealthy enough to make the arduous journey, participated in the yearly practice. This created a complex culture of pilgrims in the Holy Cities with the cities functioning as informal circles of scholarship. Shāh Walī Allāh Dihlawī engages in this knowledge production process while carrying out the mandatory rituals associated with the Hajj pilgrimage. Thus, this article shows that the complex interplay of Walī Allāh with Meccan and Medinan scholars is a highly dynamic process with unexpected outcomes as specific sacred geography interacts with the conceptual (and genealogical) categories that scholarly pilgrims bring with them to this intellectual encounter. In doing so, we catch a glimpse of the 18th century through a very particular set of Indian Sufi eyes.

On the Origin of Human Souls: The Case of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Mullah Sadra (Sadraddin Shirazi)

Subscribing to the Platonic concept of the immaterial soul, both Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Sadraddin Shirazi (Mulla Sadra) accept the idea that human beings possess something beyond the material bodies that represent them in the physical world. However, there are significant differences between their concepts of the soul. One of these differences relates to the origination of the human soul. This paper examines these Muslim philosophers’ approaches to the issue of the soul’s origination. They both consider human souls to be originated, but they differ significantly in terms of the nature of the soul at its origination. Ibn Sina, in line with other Muslim thinkers and defenders of the Platonic soul concept, views it as an immaterial entity upon its coming into existence. However, Mulla Sadra believes that the soul is corporeal at the beginning of its earthly existence. Beyond the issue of the soul’s nature, they also hold different views on how the soul comes into being or is created. Avicenna, as an absolute dualist, believes that the soul is created externally to the body and then added to it, whereas Mulla Sadra holds that it emerges within the body through the evolutionary substantial movement of the latter. Given the variations in these philosophers’ theories on the matter, the paper concludes with the claim that, despite their agreement on the denial of the soul’s pre-existence, there are essential differences between their theories of origination. Ibn Sina appears to be a dualist, while Mulla Sadra leans toward monism.

ʿAbd al-Mājid Daryābādī’s Tafsir-ul-Quran and the daʿwalogy of Abū’l-Ḥasan ʿAlī Nadwī

Beginning especially in the early twentieth century, Qur'an translation emerged as a major facet of modern Islamic daʿwa (‘“inviting” to Islam’, or ‘Islamic mission’). With the increasing availability of new translations and commentaries as the century progressed, Muslim leaders often found themselves asked for, or simply offering, recommendations about which Qur'an translations were most suitable for different purposes. This article examines the case of one such recommendation: Sayyid Abū’l-Ḥasan ʿAlī Nadwī's endorsement of ʿAbd al-Mājid Daryābādī's early twentieth-century English translation-commentary, Tafsir-ul-Quran. In so doing, it sheds lights on Qur'an translation in relation to modern daʿwa and, more precisely, on how a thinker's ‘ daʿwalogy’ (Islamic missionary theology) might influence his or her translation and commentary preferences. Through a historical contextualisation of Daryābādī and Nadwī, along with close readings of the former's English Qur'an translation-commentary and the latter's endorsement, the article argues that Nadwī's endorsement of Daryābādī not only provides a useful window into Nadwī's – and by extension, Daryābādī's – daʿwalogy, but also that Nadwī's daʿwalogy helps to explain why he endorsed Daryābādī's translation-commentary in the first place. In studying this case, the article illustrates significant linkages between daʿwa, Qur'an translation, networks of Muslim thinkers, and rising inter-religious competition in the late-colonial period and beyond.

Objective Approach of Muslim Scholars in the Study of Religions

An impression is given by the people of the West that the objective approach of the study of religions has not been prevalent among Muslims. On the contrary, the determination of the purpose has been done first and the research activity has been implemented later. The review of this Western claim has been presented in this paper. Two Muslim thinkers have been selected in this regard, of which Abu Al-Hasan al-Amiri (381 AH/992 AD) is related to the early ones and Al-Sheikh Ahmad Shalabi (1421 AH/2000 AD) is related to the late ones.These two Muslim thinkers have presented their explanations on comparative religions and in this paper it is clarified that in the case of Abu al-Hasan al-Amiri, the objective approach to the study of religions was prevalent among Muslims in the past. Likewise, the same critical approach is also prevalent among recent Muslims. In this paper, Abu Al-Hasan al-Amiri's "Al-Alam Bumnaqib al-Islam" and Al-Shaykh Ahmad Shalabi's "Maqaran al-Idyan" have been made the focus of study.

Exploring the Concept of Islamization of Knowledge from Scholarly Perspectives

The study investigates the process of Islamization of Knowledge by conducting a bibliometric analysis of documents published in the Scopus database between 2010 and 2024. The findings demonstrate a favourable yearly pattern of publications and emphasise Malaysia's prominent position in this domain, with notable contributions from two well-known universities. The study also shows Muslim thinkers' diverse vocabulary and conceptual methodologies. This analysis serves as a helpful point of reference for future studies. It contributes to a deeper comprehension of the process of Islamization of Knowledge by identifying areas where further research is needed.

The Concept of Civilizational Revival in the Thought of Sayyid Jamal Al-Din Al-Afghani

The issue of Islamic civilizational revival has been a significant concern for Muslim thinkers in past ages and continues to be relevant today. This underscores the critical importance of this topic and its role in the Islamic renaissance. Mr. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani was one of the pioneers in researching this issue. He endeavored to liberate the Islamic community from its state of decadence through various means. Although his efforts encompassed many aspects of reform, his primary focus was on religious and political reform. Consequently, we investigated the reasons behind the emergence of the idea of civilizational revival as articulated by Mr. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, how this idea developed, and some of the methods of revival he sought to implement in Islamic society. In this research, we employed a descriptive analytical approach along with a historical approach. The most important findings of the research indicate that Mr. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani concentrated his efforts on revitalizing Islamic society to restore its civilization from decadence by emphasizing rigorous diligence, while respecting religious texts, avoiding imitation of others, combating colonialism and tyranny, and achieving unity among Muslims so that they are not separated by sect or nationality.

Theistic Democracy Studies Hadith Analysis Deliberations in Contemporary Islamic Political Ethics

Islam is a religion that exists as a religion today, where many universal questions are discussed, one of the main topics of today's big questions is democracy in politics. Although Islam talks about democracy, ironically, Islam itself does not specifically mention the ideal form of a political system. In this context, the discussion about the ideal political formula becomes clearly important among Muslims in modern times, especially against the backdrop of Western civilization which can be said to have destroyed Muslims with its culture. In the midst of this chaotic situation, contemporary Muslim intellectuals present as Muslim thinkers who seek to present the "ideal" concept of modern Islamic politics. In this study, the author tries to emphasize that the substantive principles of Islam must be applied in the country's political system, in this case theistic democracy exists as a legacy from the problematic modern state. Democracy, or deliberation in Islamic nomenclature, is one of the ethical values ​​of constitutional politics in current political life.

Concept of Islamization of Knowledge among Scholars and Researchers: An Analytical Bibliometric Study

The study investigates the process of Islamization of Knowledge by conducting a bibliometric analysis of documents published in the Scopus database between 2010 and 2024. The findings demonstrate a favourable yearly pattern of publications and emphasise Malaysia's prominent position in this domain, with notable contributions from two well-known universities. The study also shows Muslim thinkers' diverse vocabulary and conceptual methodologies. This analysis serves as a helpful point of reference for future studies. It contributes to a deeper comprehension of the process of Islamization of Knowledge by identifying areas where further research is needed.

Harmonizing Islamic Quantum in Islamic Education: An Islamic Perspective Through the Lens of Nidhal Guessoum's Philosophy

This article aims to discuss explore Nidhal Guessoum's perspective on the relationship between Islam and modern science, utilizing library research methods and a qualitative approach. The primary focus is on the views of Muslim thinkers regarding the cosmology of classical Islamic philosophy, scientific interpretations, traditionalism, and modern science. Guessoum proposes a theistic Islamic cosmological view, in which cosmology serves as a framework for monotheism. While cosmology cannot fully encompass science, Guessoum argues that a Muslim must study science while maintaining belief in the existence of God. He emphasizes that Islamic cosmology is not merely a scientific explanation but an integration of religion and modern science. Guessoum's quantum approach is based on three principles: conceptual integration between religion and science, interdisciplinary methods to understand natural and religious phenomena, and critical thinking to evaluate diverse views. He highlights the importance of Muslim identity in the study of science, which allows a Muslim to uphold their faith. Guessoum acknowledges the weaknesses in the traditional approach to Islamic cosmology and offers a more coherent and integrative alternative. His thinking offers a new perspective that combines Islamic cosmology with scientific principles, offering a framework for understanding how religion and science can coexist harmoniously

MUSLIM POLITICAL THOUGHT SINCE COLLAPSE OF OTTAWA UNTIL NOW

This study shows how the miserable political conditions of Muslim ummah were across Muslim world ,after the end of first world war with the collapse of Ottoman Caliphate. This also proves the indispensability of the institution of caliphicate for the unity of the Muslim and their prosperity. In the context of political downfall of Ottomans, the western powers destroyed the unity of Muslims by inventing new terminology of Muslim nations. Not only in the Muslim world but even in the Arab world racial, linguistic and parochial prejudice has been inculcated in the minds and hearts of Muslim towards each other. This turmoil situation is evident from the terrible clashes of Arabs with Turks and between East and West Pakistan Bengalis v/s west Pakistanis. However, in this political turmoil Muslim thinkers came forward and tried to regenerate the Muslim ummah and to re establish an Islamic state which could protect muslim from being destroying, most important among them are, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, maulana Abul’ kalam Azad, Syed Abu al ala Maulana Modoodi,and Dr.Israr Ahmed.A brief description of their work has been discussed in this article.

Metode Sosio-Historis Abdullah Saeed dalam Penafsiran Ayat Waris: Studi Kritis

In interpreting Qur'anic verses, contemporary Muslim thinkers usually argue that the current context and the context in which the verse was revealed are different. This necessitates a new method to produce contemporary Islamic laws that are different from the Islamic laws of the seventh century Hijri. One of them is the law of inheritance. Abdullah Saeed believes that the inheritance laws used since the past are no longer in accordance with the context of today. Many women are now economically independent, have educational and employment opportunities. By looking at the differences in these conditions, Saeed proposes the idea of re-reading the inheritance verse, and then replacing the law with other possibilities. Saeed's method contradicts the pious salaf scholars’ interpretation methods. Therefore, this article explains, analyzes, and critically examines the socio-historical method offered by Abdullah Saeed in interpreting the verse of inheritance. The article found that Saeed's attempt causes a change in meaning, because interpretation will continue to change in accordance with the changing times. Changes are not only made to relative verses (mutaghayyirāt), but also to absolute verses (tsawābit). Furthermore, this socio-historical model of interpretation changes the structure of the Islamic religion, including inheritance.

The Legality Of Human Organ Transplantation In Maqashidiah Perspective (A Study Of Fazlur Rahman’s Thought)

In the Qur'an, the prohibition of pigs is absolute, but the shari'ah realizes the preservation of Ḥifẓ an-Nafs (preserving life). Through an examination of Fazlur Rahman's thoughts, this study aims to look at the legality of transplantation through the eyes of contextual interpretation and contemporary Muslim thinkers. This research is literature research with qualitative method and sociology of religion approach. The purpose of shari'ah is to safeguard the interests of humans, damaging the honour of corpses is an individual benefit, while maintaining the safety of the living is a general benefit. Fazlur Rahman's understanding of deduction and induction states that reasoning starts from the specific to the general because that is the more general benefit that is prioritised. The benefits that can realise the five elements of the principle of the establishment of a law (Maqashid Sharia), namely the benefits that can protect religion, soul, offspring, mind, and property. The values of Maqashid Sharia are clearly illustrated in Fazlur Rahman's thoughts and decisions in punishing human organ transplants. This legality eliminates doubts in religion which indirectly eliminates doubts from an ethical point of view.

Evaluation of the Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah Liberalization: An Examination of the Notion of ‘Prioritizing Public Interest over Textual Evidence’

The effort to reconstruct Islamic law from liberal Muslim groups has a positive influence and acceptance for some people. However, the majority of Muslims have not been able to accept and prefer to follow the mindset and methodology of previous scholars. The concept of maqāṣid al-sharī’ah of liberal Muslim thinkers is methodologically considered not to have a strong basis because it dares to ignore the legal provisions in the specific daily, which are considered not in line with the purpose of the law and the benefit. Maqasid al-shari'ah should be built on efforts to integrate the texts of particular propositions into the texts of universal propositions (kully) so that the purpose of legal legislation can be understood. This article critically examines the concept of maqāṣid al-sharī’ah developed by liberal Muslim thinkers, especially in Indonesia. This study explicitly emphasizes the importance of Islamic law in realizing the benefits and being a solution to various problems of contemporary life. The benefit to be achieved is the ultimate and universal benefit, namely the benefit obtained through legal formulation efforts by making specific texts as a foothold to understand the purpose of the law. It is not an assumptive benefit (mawhūmah) obtained through legal reconstruction efforts based on the purpose of the law and the benefit but ignores the texts of particular arguments.

ISLAM AND EVOLUTION: A BRIEF REVIEW OF QURANIC CONCEPT AND CONTEMPORARY THOUGHTS

Of all the biological theories, the speculation of human evolution considerably poses a noteworthy challenge to the Islamic standpoint because it directly threatens the central position of mankind in this universe. According to the Qur’anic point of view, the miracle of the creation of man directly belongs to Allah almighty’s intention and His deliberate will. That’s why Human Evolution has turned out to be a hot discussion amongst believers and non-believers, as it can’t be rejected or accepted in one stroke. The Muslim thinkers appeared to be typically hostile and suspicious of human evolution, meanwhile, the evolutionists area unit is busy to prove that homology (similarities amongst species) shows common ancestry of different species. Anyhow, bioscience has rejected this theory as it contains contradictory statements due to some faulty assumptions like it can’t answer a straightforward question: “How did life come into existence on this planet, namely Earth?” But Sacred writing (Qur’an) has created an unambiguous and absolute conception in this regard. The purpose of this qualitative research mainly has two folds. The first is to spotlight the conception of the evolution of man in step with primary sources of Islamic shari`ah (Qur’an and Hadith), and the second is to analyze the theology of the researchers, philosophers, and scholars based on human evolution. However, the theory of evolution is not ideologically appreciated by Islamic groups. In fact, it is considered nothing but a material-based thought. Somebody ought to be very careful to make a final statement concerning human evolution without a deep analysis of Islam and bioscience.

Interfaith marriage in Islam: a feminist approach toward the Qu'ranic ethics of Islamic marriage

According to Islamic law regardless of the school of thought, intermarriage is prohibited, except in the case of a Muslim man marrying a scriptural woman (Kitabiya). A Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, while a Muslim man may marry a non-Muslim woman (people of the book, including Christianity and Judaism). For Muslim scholars, there is a room for exception in which Muslim women may marry non-Muslim men, and this exception can occur only under one condition: the convergence of non-Muslim men into Islam. However, Feminist scholars and thinkers such as Asma Barlas 2002, Asma Lamrabat 2016, and Amina Wadud 1999 argued that these rules seem more restrictive to both Muslim women and non-Muslim men who wish to marry, and that the arguments used by Muslim thinkers and often adopted and followed by ordinary Muslims to justify the continued acceptance of these rules are incompatible with women’s rights and freedom. For them, Muslim women should have a marital choice similar to their Muslim male counterparts. The goal of this research paper is to critically discuss the sources from which this rule is derived, and the process through which it is interpreted by feminist thinkers and Muslim scholars.

Farid Esack; Hermeneutics of Liberation of the Quran and Education

This research discusses "Farid Esack's Hermeneutics of Al-Qur'an Liberation" with a focus on the method of interpreting the Al-Qur'an proposed by Farid Esack in the context of liberation. Farid Esack, a contemporary Muslim thinker, proposed a hermeneutical approach that creates a new understanding of the holy text of the Koran, with the aim of fighting for social justice, gender equality and human liberation. The main challenge faced in this research involves a deep understanding of Farid Esack's thought, as well as its application to the text of the Koran. The interpretation process involving social, political and cultural contexts requires criticality and caution so that the results can achieve the desired goal of liberation. The relevance of this topic in the world of education today is very important considering the complexity of the challenges faced by Muslim communities. A deep understanding of the liberation hermeneutics of the Koran can make a significant contribution in forming views that are inclusive, progressive and support human rights. Therefore, this research is not only an academic contribution, but also has a practical impact in guiding thought and action in realizing a more just and harmonious society.

Islamic Education in the Perspective of the International World Muslim Conference on Education Ontological, Epistemological, axiological examination

At a time when the Western world was progressing, the Islamic world no longer dominated science and was even left behind with the arrival of Western secularism that dominated science with its modern style, so there was concern for Muslim thinkers. On this basis, a world conference on Islamic education was held. This paper aims to explain the study of ontology, epistemology, and axiology of Islamic education in the perspective of the World Islamic Education Conference. The method used in this writing is library research. The results of this study show that this international Islamic education seminar does not have a specific time, but can be held at any time according to the agreement. Second, the Islamic education curriculum is universal and covers a wide range of topics. Third, there is no scientific barrier that separates general science and religious science. Fourth, scientific integration is necessary. Fifth, curriculum integration for Islamic educational institutions today is certainly very important, especially in advancing Islamic education in today's digital era. Keywords: Islamic Education , Science, International Confrence

Islam i polityka w Maroku na początku XX wieku. Naṣīḥat ahl al-islām Muḥammada Ibn Ǧaʿfara al-Kattānīego (1857–1927)

The turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was a difficult period in the history of Morocco. Both the rulers, aware of their own weakness, and Muslim thinkers and scholars were aware of this. Among them, was a man partly associated with the court, but opposed to the passive politics of the sultans, Muhammad Ibn Ǧaʿfar al-Kattāni, a Salafi thinker and historian originating from the influential mystical Kattāniyya brotherhood. Many important Moroccan figures were associated with this brotherhood and to this day it plays a significant role in the social and political life of the country. In my article I will focus on the presentation of Al-Kattānī and his work Naṣīḥat ahl al-Islām (“Advice for Muslims”), first published in Fez in 1908. In it, the author points out the reasons for the weakness of Muslims that led to surrender hostile colonial forces. Characterising and analysing these reasons in depth, at the same time Al-Kattāni indicates ways to overcome them. So far, this work has not received much attention in Oriental studies, although it was a kind of guide for the Moroccan liberation movements that finally led to Morocco's independence in 1956.