Islamization of Knowledge: An Overview

The Islamization of Knowledge: Yesterday and Today - The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol.12, No.1, 1995

Within the Islamization of Knowledge school, the idea of the Islamization of Knowledge has always been understood as an ‎intellectual and methodological outlook rather than as an academic field, a specialization, an ideology, or a new sect. Thus, ‎the school has sought to view issues of knowledge and methodology from the perspectives of reform, inquiry, and self-‎discovery without any preconceptions, doctrinal or temporal constraints, or limitations on its intellectual horizons. The ‎school is keenly aware of the workings of time on ideas as they pass from stage to stage and mature and is therefore the ‎first to say that the Islamization of Knowledge is not to be understood as a set of axioms, a rigid ideology, or a religious ‎movement. Rather, in order to comprehend the full meaning of the term, it must be viewed as designating a methodology for dealing with knowledge and its sources or as an intellectual outlook in its ‎beginning stages.‎

IJIIS (Indonesian Journal of Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies), 2018

There has been a lot of discussion and debate on the issue of Islamization of Contemporary Knowledge among Muslim intellectuals. Two Muslim thinkers, namely al-Attas and al-Ftiriiq"i were foremost in the attempt to conceptualise the problem of the Muslim Ummah and the issue of Islamization of knowledge as an epistemological and socio-political solution. This article aims to examine, compare and analyse the ideas of both scholars with respect to the various inte1pretations of the concept of Islamization of knowledge their definition of the concept, their philosophical framework, and their methodology for achieving the goals of Islamization. It aims at understanding the similarities and differences and the strengths and weaknesses of their conceptions, philosophical framework and methodology. This paper also explores the possibility of reconciliation between their ideas in the hope of further advancing the cause of Islamization of knowledge.

An examination of Kamal Hassan’s concept of Islamization of Knowledge, as well as another two related concepts by Muslim scholars, Isma’il Raji Faruqi and Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas.

Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary studies

Since the last decade, several attempts have been made in the cause of translating the Islamisation of knowledge. Among these who were in the forefront in the effort are two major scholars, namely, Syed Muhammad

Al-Insyiroh: Jurnal Studi Keislaman, 2023

This paper discusses the epistemological framework of Islamization of knowledge, in light of its contextual and philosophical ideals and discursive history and current debates of Islamization of contemporary knowledge. It looks into the role of its major proponents and institutions in articulating the ideas of IOK and the principle of tawhid in late 1970-80s and its impact in spearheading the movement for intellectual renewal and reassertion of tawhidic and ethical consciousness. This was consistently undertaken by IIUM and IIIT in promoting the doctrine of Islamization of human knowledge and assimilation of knowledge and value. The research was qualitative in nature in the form of integrative library research and documentation technique. It conducts comprehensive survey of related primary and secondary sources and analyzed it through inductive and deductive method. The finding shows that the principal ideas of IOK was constructed based on the tawhidic worldview and its epistemological framework while the fundamental issues and concept of Islamization continued to be articulated that addresses its challenge and paradigm and basic methodology and workplan.

Abstract: This paper analyses the discourse of Islamization of Knowledge (IOK) during the last three decades with special reference to the views of Mohd Kamal Hassan who prefers an alternative term called ―Islamicization.The term knowledge is considered the equivalent of al-‗ilm as used in the Qur‘an, which refers to the highest form of truth. Based upon interviews and content analysis of some of the sources, this study found that Kamal Hassan has advocated prefixing the word ―knowledge‖ with the word ―human‖. Additionally, realising the absurdity of the phrase ―Islamization of Islamic Revealed Knowledge. Kamal Hassan has coined the term Relevantization/Contextualization.By classifying the efforts incorporated in the Islamization of Human Knowledge (IOHK) into four essential categories and 21 types, he has identified a scope and space for each member of the Ummah in the movement for the realisation of IOHK. Furthermore, he has argued that since Islamization of knowledge includes the aspect of Islamicization of the self, even a layman could not be given an excuse from joining this movement. In addition, he argues that IOHK is not an exclusivist but a universal movement.

2011

From its establishment in 1983, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has been committed to the integration of Islamic values with the modern fields of knowledge. This constitutes the core of IIUM's vision and mission. The purpose of this study was to analyze the experience of Islamization of knowledge at IIUM. It involved interviews with a total of eleven key scholars at IIUM who have been active in the Islamization of knowledge and in the management of the university. Interview data were supplemented by document analysis of course outlines university strategic planning documents, seminar and conference proceedings, as well as secondary literature. Contrary to the misgivings of many critics of the Islamization project, IIUM has scored several successes. Many areas still need to be improved though. Among the most important findings are those related to the quality and readiness of both the teachers and students to contribute to Islamization of knowledge in their research and publications. Future directions should include conducting research to find solutions for the problems facing Muslim societies in particular and humanity in general. Findings from those studies will be the basis for Islamized textbooks and other teaching materials.

Islamization: Reforming Contemporary Knowledge (Occasional Paper 6)‎, 1994

This book is an attempt to recapture the original vitality, which was ever concomitant with the high ‎moral code of Islam – in order to address the amazingly complex, intertwined and fluxional aspects of ‎modern life. Emphasized throughout the book is the need for reform and redefinition in areas like ijma’, ‎ifta’ and qiyas. This is also extended to such concepts as reason, knowledge, and education in relation ‎to divine revelation. Fashionable and borrowed concepts like democracy and sovereignty are examined ‎in the context of a considered Islamization of one discipline- that of a political science.‎

American journal of Islam and society, 1997

Workshops and seminars of this sort usually revolve around the nature, characteristics, and rationale for the Islamization of knowledge. This workshop, however, was different in that it dealt with the question of methodology. Given that Islamization is an intellectual and methodological outlook, the workshop's emphasis on methodology is justified and well placed. Clearly, the workshop was not for the uninitiated or for new recruits. It was meant for those who have been associated with the movement for the Islamization of knowledge and especially for those who have the potential to make some contribution toward its realization. Clearly, the list of participants indicates that the organizers selected those who are imbued with a spirit of selflessness and zeal to work for the sake of Islam to uplift the Ummah's image intellectually and otherwise.The workshop, as briefed by Louay Safi, was an occasion to scrutinize in minute detail the parameters of the Islamization of knowledge, to critically appreciate the contributions made by the leading luminaries, and to grapple seriously with questions of methodology. The Sessions The opening session was used to brief the participants on the rationale for this workshop and the organizers' expectations. The closing session summarized the findings and was addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the president of the International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM). For its actual operation, however,