231028P - RESEARCH PROGRAM ON THOUGHT: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Presented at a Workshop on Integration of Knowledge held in Lusaka, Zambia on October 27-28, 2023 by Dr Omar Hasan Kasule Sr MB ChB (MUK), MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard) Professor of Epidemiology and Bioethics.

 

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: Thought

• Thought refers to the process of thinking as well as the crystallization of this process in the form of ideas, worldviews, and ideologies.
• Islamic thought is within the context of the Qur’an and sunnat as well as the intellectual experience and legacy of the past as well as contemporary eras.

 

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: Knowledge

• Knowledge refers to a range of cognitive processes, including perception, information, and empirical facts, as well as their analysis and interpretation.
• Knowledge is acquired through multiple sources, including sense perception and observation, reasoning, learning and education, discovery, experimentation, self-introspection, intuition, and revelation.
• Islam recognizes as knowledge only true facts and requires integration of revealed (naqli) and rational/empirical (aqli) sources of knowledge.

 

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: Epistemology

• Epistemology is concerned with the nature, structure, sources, and purpose of knowledge.
• Epistemological premises and postulates are embedded in the social and existential context and have normative underpinnings.
• An Islamic epistemology is based on the two sources of knowledge naqli and aqli and other guiding Qur’anic paradigms such as objectivity, istiqamat.

 

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS: Education

• Education refers to the process of formal learning and instruction, generally in an institutional setting
• Through education, a society transmits knowledge, ideas, beliefs, worldviews, values, skills, and cultural traditions from generation to generation.

 

OUR PRIORITIES

• We have two priorities. The first priority is Muslim Thought reform, through the study of revelation and human thought leading to integration and synthesis of knowledge.
• The second priority is Epistemological reform, through research on philosophy, paradigms, and methodology, leading to the reform of disciplines of knowledge and integration of knowledge.

 

THOUGHT FAILURE/CRISIS: Manifestations - 1

• Thought failure in the ummah could manifest as intellectual stagnation, syncretism, lack of vision, superficiality, rituality, esoterism, sterile argumentation, and use of un-Islamic intellectual tools.
• Intellectual stagnation is suppression of the freedom of thought, closure of ijtihad, blind following, taqlid, and fanaticism for a madh’hab.
• The first three centuries of Islam were characterized by intellectual curiosity and intellectual dynamism with tolerance for different points of view.
• This changed drastically after the first Abbasid era when out of fear for corruption of religion by ideas from other cultures, the scholars closed the door of ijtihad and forced blind following.
• They achieved their objective of protecting the core of the faith and shariah from corruption but there was no further intellectual development until recent decades.

 

THOUGHT FAILURE/CRISIS: MANIFESTATIONS-2

• Syncretism, talfiq, is the juxtaposition of ideas that are incompatible without attempting to analyze them critically to arrive at a synthesis or favor one of them, tarjiih.
• There is a lack of vision as a guide vision for the present and the future, ru'uyat mustaqbaliyyat. Superficiality, satahiyyat, is concerned with minor inconsequential issues.
• False outward manifestations of religious rituals, shakliyaat, with a dead core are common.
• Esoteric sects, al firaq al batiniyyat, claim to have secret agendas or knowledge exposed to a select few and is a cause of social disruption.
• Sterile arguments, jadal, lead to no purpose or goal of practical utility.  
• Intellectual analysis using un-Islamic terminology and concepts compounds the intellectual confusion.

 

THOUGHT FAILURE/CRISIS: Unresolved Issues from the Past

• The role of human free will, qadriyyat, versus that of pre-determination, al jabriyah, in human actions is still not fully understood.
• Acceptance of repentance, taubah, or faith, iman, for persons who commit major sins is still being debated when the texts are clear on it.
• Discussions of the essence of Allah, dhaat al llaah, and attributes of Allah, sifaat al llaah, are still leading many astray when it is clear that human intellect cannot grasp the nature of Allah and should not be engaged in such an endeavor.
• Many still do not understand the scope of knowledge through reason, ‘aql, and that of transmitted knowledge, naql, as well as the relation between the two.
• There are still many who do not understand pre-determination, qadar, causality, sababiyyat, and how they interact in human actions.

 

THOUGHT FAILURE/CRISIS: UNRESOLVED Contemporary Issues

• The woman; and her nature, role, rights, and responsibilities; are still being debated.
• Plurality of opinion and practice is a cause of unnecessary controversy.
• Leadership, imamat, its qualifications, selection, roles, and scope of responsibility are not fully defined.
• Shura is presented as a theoretical concept but its practical application is not properly worked out.
• Application of Islamic teachings to today’s realities: economy, education, politics, and international relations is still being discussed.

 

FIQH AS THE CAUSE AND THE SOLUTION

• Problems of thought in the past were mainly centered on misunderstanding ‘aqidat. Fortunately, most of these ‘aqidat issues were either resolved or are no longer a major cause of controversy being discussed marginally.
• Few Muslim intellectuals today are aware of qadriyyat, jabriyyat, maturdiyyat, ‘ash’ariyyat, ittihadiyyat, hululiyat, jahmiyyat, kilaabiyyat, druze, khawarij, mu’utazilat, ruwandiyyat, baatiniyyat, dahriyyah, & marji’at.
• The persisting problems arise from a narrow and literal understanding of the shariah and differences on fiqh have divided the ummat in the recent past on many issues.
• If the cause is fiqh the solution will also be found in fiqh. We need to relook at society from a general bird's eye view using the higher purposes of the Law, maqasid al shariah then we will be able to make some progress.
• The shariah was revealed to fulfill 5 higher purposes: religion, hifdh al diin; life, hifdh al nafs; progeny, hifdh al nasl; intellect, hifdh al ‘aql; and resources, hifdh al maal.

 

RESEARCH ON THOUGHT FROM THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL OF 2017-1

• Developing a methodological framework for the study of the Qur’an and Sunnah in a historical and social context and in the framework of Islamic hermeneutics.
• Documenting and highlighting the legacy of Islamic civilization and its resonance in current academic research, in the global context as well as in the context of particular societies such as African nations, India, and European societies, to derive lessons to guide society today.

 

RESEARCH ON THOUGHT FROM THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL OF 2017-2

• A critical review of Islamic civilization’s encounter with the West, as reflected in the representation of Islam and Muslims in the academic, intellectual, and political discourses in the West, in the colonization of vast Muslim territories in Asia and Africa by the European powers, and in the pervasive impact of European intellectual and cultural heritage, Western modernity and globalization on Muslim societies and on Muslim intellectual and political elites.
• Developing the concept of excellence in its theoretical and practical dimensions.

 

RESEARCH AREAS AND PRIORITIES FROM THE RESEARCH GRANT BROCHURE 2021-1

• Epistemology and integration of knowledge - Methodologies of integrating revealed/transmitted knowledge (al-wahy, al naql) and human social or physical sciences; Revelation as a source of knowledge; reason and revelation; Integration of knowledge and its impact on education; research methods in Islamic studies/thought.
• Renewal of Islamic Thought - Theoretical/methodological studies that would bring new awareness of crucial issues related to the renewal of Islamic thought; developing theologies and methodologies to deal with major issues of our time (New Atheism, violence, gender and sexuality, environment, and social organization, secularism); study of social reform movements, their successes and failures; Qur’anic and Prophetic methodologies of societal reform; legal reforms in Muslim societies: new directions in Islamic social, and economic thought.

 

RESEARCH AREAS AND PRIORITIES FROM THE RESEARCH GRANT BROCHURE 2021-2

• New Methodologies in the Study of the Qur’ān and Sunnah (‘Ulūm al-Qur’ān and ‘Ulūm al-Hadith) - New directions in the study of the Qur’ān and Ḥadīth; studies that may yield new insights into the approaches to the Qur’ān and Sunnah; new approaches to Tafsīr; and objectives (Maqāsid) of the Qur’ān;
• Maqāsid al-Sharī`ah, Ethics, and Public Policy - The maqāsidī discourse and its relationship with Usul al-fiqh; how can the maqāsidī approaches inform ethical considerations, public policy-making and/or implementation? what new insights into public policymaking could be obtained by using the maqāsidī theories and approaches? uses and limits of the maqāsidī discourses.

 

RESEARCH AREAS AND PRIORITIES FROM THE RESEARCH GRANT BROCHURE 2021-3

• Islamic philosophy, spirituality, and literary criticism - Rethinking and re-appropriation of Islamic Philosophy; tazkiyat al-nafs; psycho-spiritual studies; technologies of the self; literature, literary criticism, and cultural production.
• Reform of Education - Theoretical works, case studies, ‘success’ stories, and other issues related to reform of all levels of education in Muslim states and societies; case studies on lessons learned from reform of education in non-Muslim states and societies; reform of curriculum and pedagogical practices.

 

RESEARCH AREAS AND PRIORITIES FROM THE RESEARCH GRANT BROCHURE 2021-4

• Social science studies - Priority is given to studies that integrate Islamic epistemologies with contemporary social sciences, or social studies that improve our understanding of various issues related to Muslim communities in various parts of the world.
• Islamic history and civilization - Critical review of the past to derive lessons for the present and the future.

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN BANGLADESH 2020-2021: Published as monographs-1

SL No	Title	Researcher
1.	Microfinance Outreach, Economic Well-being, Debt Trap and Borrowed Affluence from Islamic Perspective	Prof. Dr. Ataul Huq Pramanik, IIUM/BIIT
2.	Pedagogy of Democratization: Revisiting Two Classroom Events of    Critical Pedagogy and Islamic Pedagogy	Dr. Ali Azgor Talukder, BGMEAU
3.	Origin and Development of Experimental Science: A Challenging Encounter with the West	Prof. Muin-ud-Din Ahmed Khan, CU
4.	Philosophical Thoughts on Inequality from Ancient Greek to Pre-Enlightenment Period SDG	Dr.  Md. Sayed Uddin, SMUT Dr. M Abdul Aziz, BIIT/IUT
5.	Teachers’ Perception and Practice Towards Promoting Critical Thinking Among Learners	Dr. Momota Hena, NUB Rowshan Zannat, BIIT
6.	Inheritance of Girls in Islamic Law: A Comprehensive Analysis	Sayed Zillur Rahman, NU

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN BANGLADESH 2020-2021: Published as monographs-2

7.	Film Censorship Act: A Comparative Analysis   in Malaysia and Bangladesh	Dr. Md. Zahidul Islam, IIUM
8.	Combating Violent Extremism: A Special Reference to the Concept of Al-Wasatiyyah	Dr. M Abdul Aziz, BIIT Md. Monirul Islam, BIGM
9.	Profits Payout to Mudaraba Depositors: The Case of Bangladesh	M. Azizul Haq
10.	Quranic Verses: Classification & Expression: A Case of Surah Fatiha and Surah Baqara	Dr. Sadruddin Ahmed, RU
11.	Islamic Microfinance: Theory an application	Dr. Mahmood Ahmed, IBTRA/BIIT

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN BANGLADESH 2020-2021: Already done and submitted for publication

1.	Minority at Home and Abroad: Developing New Islamic Theories	Dr. M. Moniruzzaman, IIUM
2.	Interpersonal Relationship between Students of Madrasas and General Education in Bangladesh	Prof. Dr. Md. Akram Uzzaman, JU
3.	Perception, Practice, and Challenge of Muslim Inheritance Law: A Case Study in Bangladesh	Dr. Md. Mahmudul Alam, UUM Dr. Manzur-E-Elahi, NU
4.	Religions for Peace	Prof. Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam, DU
5.	Woman's Family Values Justice	Prof. Dr. Azizun Nahar Islam, DU
6.	Syed Sajjad Husain’s works on Civilization and Society	Dr. Mahmudul Hasan, IIUM
7.	Terrorism and Jihad in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah	Dr. Col. (Retd.) AKM Maksudul Haque.
8.	Charter of Madinah: A Microscopic Observations	Prof. Dr. Hasanuzzaman, DU

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN BANGLADESH 2020-2021: On Going Research

1.	Islamic Perspectives on Victorian English Literature	Dr. Md Mahmudul Hasan, IIUM
2.	Prophetic Tradition of Mobilizing Youth	Prof. Dr. Md. Iqbal Hossain, IUK
3.	Islamophobia in Non-Western Context: The Cases of Bangladesh and Indonesia	Dr. Moniruzzaman, IIUM Dr. Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri, IIUM
4.	In Search of Soul: Muslim Personalities Towards Reformations in Undivided Bengal	Prof. Dr. Abdul Latif Masum, JU
5.	Islamic Approach to Repatriation and Rehabilitation of Refugee: Case of Rohingya Influx into Bangladesh	Md. Monirul Islam, BIGM
6.	Using Inductive Teaching Methodologies: The Case of Tertiary Education in Bangladesh	Md.  Khaled Bin Badruzzaman, DIU
7.	Investigating Barbaric Trade of Begging in Dhaka City: A Phenomenological Study	Dr. Kazi Shahadat Kabir, NUB Md Abdullah Al-Helal, NUB
8.	Quranic Ontology to Classify the Verses: The Case of Surah Fatiha	Mst. Nazia Nishat, DIU
9.	An Islamic Model of Promotional Mix: A Study on Advertising	Prof. Md. Shariful Haque, IIUC Prof. Md. Moazzam Hossain Khan, IIUC
10.	Unlocking the Potentials of Waqf in Financing for Higher Education in Bangladesh	Dr. Foyasal khan & Dr. M Abdul Aziz, BIIT

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN BANGLADESH 2020-2021: Proposed

1.	Ushr and Waqfh: Socio-economic and cultural transformation in Bangladesh	Prof. Dr. Ataul Huq Pramanik, IIUM
2.	Eternal Truths in Wahi and Spiritual Humanism: Religious Scriptures Globalization and Post-Covid World Orders	Prof. Dr. Maimul Ahsan Khan, DU
3.	Islamic Bank vs. Conventional Bank: The Case of Bangladesh	Dr. Mahmood Ahmed, IBTRA
4.	Interfaith Dialogue: The Case of South Asian Countries	Prof. Dr. Md. Iqbal Hossain, IUK
5.	Is The Collapse of the Civilization Inevitable?	M. Zohurul Islam FCA
6.	Values in Education from the Respective of Major Religions of the World	Prof. Dr. Kazi Nurul Islam, DU
7.	Traditional Tafsīr Al-Qurān Mahfīl in Bangladesh: A Critical Study from Maqāsid Al-Sharīʻah	Md. Belayet Hossen, IIUM

  

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN EAST and SOUTHERN AFRICA-1

1. Introduction of Network Operations from Islamic Perspective by Br. Ismail M. Sittenda.
2. Muslim Family Law and Practices by Dr. Manswab.
3. Socio-Linguistics by Dr. Rukiya Harith.
4. East Africa in the Global Capitalist System by Br. Fadhili Mtani.
5. Islam & Charity.
6. Critical Reading of Mustadhifiin

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN EAST and SOUTHERN AFRICA-2

1. Effects of Development in Support of National Unity in S. Sudan.
2. Philosophy of Knowledge (Epistemology) by Dr. Amina Hassan
3. Criminal Law of Islam & Uganda: A Comparative Perspective.
4. Studies of Islamic Theology & Principles by Dr. Manswab Abdulrahman.
5. Strategic Decisions Made by Prophet Muhammad (Saw): Their Relevance and Applications in Modern Times.
6. The Systems Approach to Integration of Knowledge: An Islamic Perspective by Professor Biraima.