Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law:James D. Frankel:Book Review: Islamic Circles-Feb 9,2021

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/Dd_8VlEsSbI?si=Xh8WNxC2aK0uULO2

Amazon:Rectifying God’s Name: Liu Zhi’s Confucian Translation of Monotheism and Islamic Law: James D. Frankel - amazon.com

Islam first arrived in China more than 1,200 years ago, but for more than a millennium it was perceived as a foreign presence. The restoration of native Chinese rule by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), after nearly a century of Mongol domination, helped transform Chinese intellectual discourse on ideological, social, political, religious, and ethnic identity. This led to the creation of a burgeoning network of Sinicized Muslim scholars who wrote about Islam in classical Chinese and developed a body of literature known as the Han Kitab. Rectifying God’s Name examines the life and work of one of the most important of the Qing Chinese Muslim literati, Liu Zhi (ca. 1660–ca. 1730), and places his writings in their historical, cultural, social, and religio-philosophical context. His Tianfang danli (Ritual law of Islam) represents the most systematic and sophisticated attempt within the Han Kitab corpus to harmonize Islam with Chinese thought.
The volume begins by situating Liu Zhi in the historical development of the Chinese Muslim intellectual tradition, examining his sources and influences as well as his legacy. Delving into the contents of Liu Zhi’s work, it focuses on his use of specific Chinese terms and concepts, their origins and meanings in Chinese thought, and their correspondence to Islamic principles. A close examination of the Tianfang dianli reveals Liu Zhi’s specific usage of the concept of Ritual as a common foundation of both Confucian morality and social order and Islamic piety. The challenge of expressing such concepts in a context devoid of any clear monotheistic principle tested the limits of his scholarship and linguistic finesse. Liu Zhi's theological discussion in the Tianfang dianli engages not only the ancient Confucian tradition, but also Daoism, Buddhism, and even non-Chinese traditions. His methodology reveals an erudite and cosmopolitan scholar who synthesized diverse influences, from Sufism to Neo-Confucianism, and possibly even Jesuit and Jewish sources, into a body of work that was both steeped in tradition and, yet, exceedingly original, epitomizing the phenomenon of Chinese Muslim simultaneity.
A compelling and multidimensional study, Rectifying God’s Name will be eagerly welcomed by interested readers of Chinese and Islamic religious and social history, as well as students and scholars of comparative religion.

James D. Frankel, Ph.D., a native New Yorker, holds his bachelor's degree in East Asian studies and doctorate in religion from Columbia University in New York City. His expertise is in the history of Islam in China, a field that draws upon and informs his scholarly interests in the comparative history of ideas, and religious and cultural syncretism. As a member of the faculty of religion at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Dr. Frankel teaches courses in comparative religion, Islam, and mysticism. He has lived in China and traveled extensively in Asia and Europe for research and to meet with fellow scholars and religious leaders of Muslim minority communities. Rectifying God's Name is his first book.

Fons Vitae: The Harmonious Unity: Liu Zhi's Sino-Islamic Interpretation of the Five-Fold Path:Translation by Naoki Yamamoto fonsvitae.com

This is an English translation of Liu Zhi’s The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam, which remains the most influential Chinese-language Islamic work, regarded by Chinese Muslims (Islam arrived in China as early as 618 CE) as a fundamental textbook for learning and comprehending the divinely ordained duties of Islam. Liu Zhi (1660-1739), was a prominent Chinese Sunni Hanafi-Maturidi scholar of the Qing dynasty and a leading figure in the Han Kitab tradition.
“The Exposition of the Five Pillars of Islam” (Wugong Shiyi) by Liu Zhi is a profound treatise on the meaning of the Five Pillars of Islam (Shahada, Salah, Sawm, Zakat, and Hajj), framed within a metaphysical structure that draws on the language and lens of Chinese civilization and philosophy. The work provides both a theological and spiritual explanation of the Five Pillars as well as a moral framework that connects them to broader philosophical ideas about the nature of existence, ethics, and personal cultivation.
Besides its innate metaphysical and philosophical value, the text is invaluable for understanding how the masters of Chinese Islam straddled religious and civilizational frontiers and created harmony between two different intellectual worlds. Liu Zhi’s approach, however, is distinguished from that of other Muslim scholars in that he addressed the basic articles of Islamic thought with Neo-Confucian terminology and categories. The lens of Chinese civilization includes concepts derived from Taoism, Confucianism & Buddhism.
Professor Wang Genming explains in the Foreword that: “Although the Five Pillars are the foundational rites of Muslim life, the author approaches them not merely as ritual obligations, but as a profound gateway into the doctrines and spiritual philosophy of Islam. Through multi-faceted analyses of their origin, function, requirements, and religious significance, Liu Zhi offers a deep and nuanced exposition of Islamic teachings.The result is a text of exceptional conciseness and philosophical depth, where each line offers clarity at a glance and insight upon reflection.”
Many editions have been produced over the centuries, including a wood block edition in 1768. To have such a work giving insights into the way Islam was presented and understood in China is extremely valuable. It opens up a profound, refreshing and exciting approach to thinking about the 5 pillars of Islam whose deeper meanings some Muslims might take for granted.

Amazon: amazon.com The Sage Learning of Liu Zhi:Islamic Thought in Confucian Terms:Sachiko Murata,William C. Chittick, Tu Wei-ming, Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Liu Zhi (ca. 1670–1724) was one of the most important scholars of Islam in traditional China. His Tianfang xingli (Nature and Principle in Islam), the Chinese-language text translated here, focuses on the roots or principles of Islam. It was heavily influenced by several classic texts in the Sufi tradition. Liu’s approach, however, is distinguished from that of other Muslim scholars in that he addressed the basic articles of Islamic thought with Neo-Confucian terminology and categories. Besides its innate metaphysical and philosophical value, the text is invaluable for understanding how the masters of Chinese Islam straddled religious and civilizational frontiers and created harmony between two different intellectual worlds.
The introductory chapters explore both the Chinese and the Islamic intellectual traditions behind Liu’s work and locate the arguments of Tianfang xingli within those systems of thought. The copious annotations to the translation explain Liu’s text and draw attention to parallels in Chinese-, Arabic-, and Persian-language works as well as differences.

A history of Islam and science:Timothy Winter(Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad): The Royal Institution:Mar 19, 2024

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/7EKtVx2A6d4?si=2iZbMqmALpyAHcTX

Explore the rich history intertwining Islam and Science, with the esteemed scholar and University of Cambridge lecturer Tim Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad).In this enlightening lecture, we delve into the profound contributions made by Muslim scholars to the realms of science, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy throughout the centuries. Travel back in time to a Golden Age of Islamic civilisation, when knowledge flourished, and scholars pushed the boundaries of human understanding. Discover the ground-breaking discoveries of luminaries such as Ibn al-Haytham, Al-Khwarizmi, and Ibn Sina, whose works helped to lay the foundation for modern scientific thought. With meticulous detail and deep reverence, Winter illuminates the intricate connections between Islamic principles and the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Gain a deeper appreciation for the Islamic worldview that fostered an environment of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and empirical investigation. The lecture also presents a Muslim reflection on the current global threats posed by the irresponsible use of science and technology in areas including climate change, artificial intelligence, and genetic manipulation. What does Islamic theology have to contribute to these urgent contemporary debates? Join us for this captivating lecture as we walk through the corridors of history, highlighting the often-overlooked but profound contributions of Islamic scholars to the scientific landscape. Prepare to be challenged by the unusual but dynamic relationship between Islam and science and its enduring relevance to today's world.

Timothy Winter (Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad) is an English academic, theologian and Islamic scholar who is a proponent of Islamic neo-traditionalism. His work includes publications on Islamic theology, modernity, and Anglo-Muslim relations, and he has translated several Islamic texts. He is the Founder and Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, Aziz Foundation Professor of Islamic Studies at both Cambridge Muslim College and Ebrahim College, Director of Studies (Theology and Religious Studies) at Wolfson College and the Shaykh Zayed Lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity at University of Cambridge.

Amazon: Islamic Science and making of the European Renaissance: George Saliba

https://www.amazon.com/Islamic-Science-European-Renaissance-Transformations/dp/0262516152

The rise and fall of the Islamic scientific tradition, and the relationship of Islamic science to European science during the Renaissance.
The Islamic scientific tradition has been described many times in accounts of Islamic civilization and general histories of science, with most authors tracing its beginnings to the appropriation of ideas from other ancient civilizations—the Greeks in particular. In this thought-provoking and original book, George Saliba argues that, contrary to the generally accepted view, the foundations of Islamic scientific thought were laid well before Greek sources were formally translated into Arabic in the ninth century. Drawing on an account by the tenth-century intellectual historian Ibn al-Naidm that is ignored by most modern scholars, Saliba suggests that early translations from mainly Persian and Greek sources outlining elementary scientific ideas for the use of government departments were the impetus for the development of the Islamic scientific tradition. He argues further that there was an organic relationship between the Islamic scientific thought that developed in the later centuries and the science that came into being in Europe during the Renaissance.
Saliba outlines the conventional accounts of Islamic science, then discusses their shortcomings and proposes an alternate narrative. Using astronomy as a template for tracing the progress of science in Islamic civilization, Saliba demonstrates the originality of Islamic scientific thought. He details the innovations (including new mathematical tools) made by the Islamic astronomers from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries, and offers evidence that Copernicus could have known of and drawn on their work. Rather than viewing the rise and fall of Islamic science from the often-narrated perspectives of politics and religion, Saliba focuses on the scientific production itself and the complex social, economic, and intellectual conditions that made it possible.

YouTube Video: George Saliba: The Legacy of Islamic Science- afikra- Jan 23,2023

https://youtu.be/JEAfHGBQlkc?si=WFWsZKdtmAvtpDmf

Amazon:Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science:Jim al-Khalili 

https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinders-Golden-Age-Arabic-Science/dp/0141038365

In Pathfinders: The Golden Age of Arabic Science, Jim al-Khalili celebrates the forgotten pioneers who helped shape our understanding of the world. For over 700 years the international language of science was Arabic. Surveying the golden age of Arabic science, Jim Al-Khalili reintroduces such figures as the Iraqi physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who practised the modern scientific method over half a century before Bacon; al-Khwarizmi, the greatest mathematician of the medieval world; and Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, a Persian polymath to rival Leonardo da Vinci. 'Jim Al-Khalili has a passion for bringing to a wider audience not just the facts of science but its history ... Just as the legacy of Copernicus and Darwin belongs to all of us, so does that of Ibn Sina and Ibn al-Haytham'
Independent 'He has brought a great story out of the shadows'
Literary Review 'His command of Arabic and mathematical physics invests his story with sympathy as well as authority'
Guardian 'A fascinating and user-friendly guide'
Sunday Telegraph 'This captivating book is a timely reminder of the debt owed by the West to the intellectual achievements of Arab, Persian and Muslim scholars'
The Times :Jim Al-Khalili OBE is Professor of Physics at the University of Surrey, where he also holds the first Surrey chair in the public engagement in science. He was awarded the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for science communication in 2007, elected Honorary Fellow of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and has also received the Institute of Physic's Public Awareness of Physics Award. Born in Baghdad, Jim was educated in Iraq until the age of 16 and it was there, being taught by Arabic teachers in Arabic that he first heard and learnt about the great Arab scientists and philosophers.

Amazon:The Routledge Handbook on the Sciences in Islamicate Societies: Sonja Brentjes

https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Handbook-Science-Islamicate-World/dp/1138047597

The Routledge Handbook on the Sciences in Islamicate Societies provides a comprehensive survey on science in the Islamic world from the 8th to the 19th century.
Across six sections, a group of subject experts discuss and analyze scientific practices across a wide range of Islamicate societies. The authors take into consideration several contexts in which science was practiced, ranging from intellectual traditions and persuasions to institutions, such as courts, schools, hospitals, and observatories, to the materiality of scientific practices, including the arts and craftsmanship. Chapters also devote attention to scientific practices of minority communities in Muslim majority societies, and Muslim minority groups in societies outside the Islamicate world, thereby allowing readers to better understand the opportunities and constraints of scientific practices under varying local conditions.
Through replacing Islam with Islamicate societies, the book opens up ways to explain similarities and differences between diverse societies ruled by Muslim dynasties. This handbook will be an invaluable resource for both established academics and students looking for an introduction to the field. It will appeal to those involved in the study of the history of science, the history of ideas, intellectual history, social or cultural history, Islamic studies, Middle East and African studies including history, and studies of Muslim communities in Europe and South and East Asia.

YouTube Video:Science and Islam, Jim Al-Khalili. BBC Documentary

https://youtu.be/chEjJ5uYlSs?si=hcsyAa1HnfFlt-KU

Part 1: The Language of Science: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern science - there would be no modern mathematics or physics without algebra, no computers without algorithms and no chemistry without alkalis. For Baghdad-born Al-Khalili this is also a personal journey and on his travels he uncovers a diverse and outward-looking culture, fascinated by learning and obsessed with science. From the great mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who did much to establish the mathematical tradition we now know as algebra, to Ibn Sina, a pioneer of early medicine whose Canon of Medicine was still in use as recently as the 19th century, he pieces together a remarkable story of the often-overlooked achievements of the early medieval Islamic scientists. 

Part 2: The Empire of Reason: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Al-Khalili travels to northern Syria to discover how, a thousand years ago, the great astronomer and mathematician Al-Biruni estimated the size of the earth to within a few hundred miles of the correct figure. He discovers how medieval Islamic scholars helped turn the magical and occult practice of alchemy into modern chemistry. In Cairo, he tells the story of the extraordinary physicist Ibn al-Haytham, who helped establish the modern science of optics and proved one of the most fundamental principles in physics - that light travels in straight lines. Prof Al-Khalili argues that these scholars are among the first people to insist that all scientific theories are backed up by careful experimental observation, bringing a rigour to science that didn't really exist before. 

Part 3: The Power of Doubt: Physicist Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Al-Khalili turns detective, hunting for clues that show how the scientific revolution that took place in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe had its roots in the earlier world of medieval Islam. He travels across Iran, Syria and Egypt to discover the huge astronomical advances made by Islamic scholars through their obsession with accurate measurement and coherent and rigorous mathematics. He then visits Italy to see how those Islamic ideas permeated into the West and ultimately helped shape the works of the great European astronomer Copernicus, and investigates why science in the Islamic world appeared to go into decline after the 16th and 17th centuries, only for it to re-emerge in the present day. Al-Khalili ends his journey in the Royan Institute in the Iranian capital Tehran, looking at how science is now regarded in the Islamic world.

Amazon: Science and Islam: A History: Ehsan Masood

https://www.amazon.com/Science-Islam-History-Ehsan-Masood/dp/1848310811

From Musa al-Khwarizmi who developed algebra in 9th century Baghdad to al-Jazari, a 13th-century Turkish engineer whose achievements include the crank, the camshaft and the reciprocating piston, Science and Islam tells the story of one of history's most misunderstood yet rich and fertile periods in science: the extraordinary Islamic scientific revolution between 700 and 1400 CE.

Futuwwah: Noble Character | Dr. Recep Şentürk | One Word Book Club | Malaibar Foundation:Jan 16, 2025

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/1MDzblQ2QA4?si=e0pOhPpkfhVGRGjI

Futuwwa: Traditions of Noble Character – Recep Şentürk (Dean of the College of Islamic Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University), work is an academic exploration of the concept of futuwwa, a tradition of noble character, virtue, and chivalry deeply embedded in Islamic culture. While often associated with Sufism and Islamic mysticism, futuwwa transcends religious boundaries and has influenced various social, cultural, and philosophical aspects of the Islamic world. In this study, Şentürk examines the historical, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of futuwwa, highlighting its significance and evolution over time. Lecture:Futuwwah: Noble Character 30 December 2024 Jamiul Futuh, Markaz Knowledge City, Kerala

Amazon:Futuwwah: Noble Character | Dr. Recep Şentürk 

https://www.amazon.com/Futuwwah-Noble-Character-Recep-%C5%9Eent%C3%BCrk/dp/1965242006

Discover the timeless ethics of Futuwwah that have shaped virtuous individuals and societies throughout history. Futuwwah is practical ethics and altruistic morality embodied in the lives of the prophets over centuries and their followers in all ages. This altruistic moral understanding started to diminish gradually in societies in the process of extreme individualism, hedonism, and secularization which culminated in the moral crisis into which our world has fallen today. The purpose of this book is to draw attention to this forgotten noble tradition, with the ultimate purpose of reviving it.

Recep Şentürk is the Dean of the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University and the Founding President of Usul Academy. Dr. Şentürk holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University’s Department of Sociology and specializes in Civilization Studies, Sociology, and Islamic Studies with a focus on social networks, human rights, and modernization in the Muslim world.

Article: PDF: Futuwwah Codifying Youth Ethics From The Sunnah with Reference to Sulami's Kitab Al-Futuwwa: Recep Senturk 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/637d5e09d2bafc34c8bad5c6/t/

64667a1d6086011ecd457a35/1684437539962/

Futuwwa+Youth+EthicsSenturk.pdf

Poster: 40 Principles of FutuwwahYouth Ethics PDF: 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/637d34f0f3da94257002b695/

t/67b5aecfce3c3f0d417c9ead/1739960045759/Futuwwah40_Usul+Academy.pdf

YouTube Video:Shaykh Walead Mohammed Mosaad: Futuwwa: Living with Honor and Heart: The Majilis: April8, 2026

https://www.youtube.com/live/df-vVTvX_V4?si=3ZM50kd3r2HNRa7p

Dr Sohaira Siddiqui | Al-Mujadilah: Center & Mosque for Women, Qatar: The afikra Podcast:Dec 2, 2024

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/OBIXKVNqgFU?si=cHmxaXgejHQI-Ayg

In this episode of the afikra podcast produced in collaboration with Qatar Foundation, we discover the impactful contributions and current challenges faced by Muslim women as Dr Sohaira Siddiqui discusses the vision and mission of the Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women in Qatar. We explore the center’s role as a community hub fostering civic engagement, education, and debate for Muslim women. Dr Siddiqui provides insights into the unique and essential space aimed at creating a sense of belonging and addressing contemporary issues within the framework of Islamic tradition. Learn about the historical context of Muslim women's participation in public life, as well as the center's efforts to support their development and empowerment globally.

Dr Sohaira Siddiqui is the Executive Director of Al-Mujadilah and Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University in Qatar. Her work focuses on the relationship between law, theology and political thought in classical Islam; Islamic law during British colonization; Islamic law in contemporary Muslim societies; and secularism and modernity in relation to Muslims in the West. She is the author of Law and Politics Under the 'Abbasids: An Intellectual Portrait of al-Juwayni (Cambridge University Press, 2019) and Locating the Shari'a: Legal Fluidity in Theory, History and Practice (Brill, 2019). She has also published numerous articles in Islamic Law and Society, Journal of Islamic Studies, Journal of the American Oriental Society, and Middle East Law and Governance. She has held fellowships at Cambridge University, Tubingen University and Harvard Law School.

Al-Mujadilah is a center and mosque that seeks to cultivate a community of women who are committed to their own growth and that of their communities. It's a community of women who engage meaningfully and sincerely with their histories, who bravely address the injustices they identify, who are inspired by conversation, dialogue and debate, and who are continuously seeking new horizons.

YouTube Video: "Intellectual Gaslighting" with Dr Sohaira Siddiqui: Luminihsan (Indonesia): April 2,2026

https://youtu.be/-NgcHfg8YMI?si=xoBuDzKJ1kufWDau

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Sohaira Sidiqqui, Professor at Georgetown University and the Executive Director of Al Mujadilah Center & Mosque for Women. We discussed the intellectual gaslight, which refers to a form of deliberate erasure of women's contribution in Islamic history. Why this unfortunate reality happens? Who benefits from this? What cost do we pay by diminishing women's role in the society? Find out the answer to all these questions in the video.

Al Mujadilah Home Page:

https://almujadilah.qa/en

Books By Dr Sohaira Siddiqui:

Amazon.com: Islamic Law on Trial: Contesting Colonial Power in British India

Prior to the East India Company’s establishment in India in 1661, Islamic law was widely applied by the Mughal Empire. But as the Company’s power grew, it established a court system intended to limit Islamic law. Following the Great Rebellion of 1857, the decentralized Islamic legal system was replaced with a new standardized system. Islamic Law on Trial interrogates the project of juridical colonization and demonstrates that alongside—and despite—the violent displacement of Muslim legal sovereignty, Muslims were able to engage with and even champion Islamic law from inside the colonial judiciary. The outcome of their work was a paradoxical legal terrain that appeared legitimate to both Muslim practitioners and English colonizers. Sohaira Siddiqui challenges long-standing assumptions about Islamic law under British rule, the ways in which colonial power displaced preexisting traditions, and how local Muslim elites navigated the new institutions imposed upon them.

Amazon.com: Law and Politics under the Abbasids: An Intellectual Potrat of Al-Juwaini

Abu Ma'ali al-Juwayni (d.478/1085) lived in a politically tumultuous period. The rise of powerful dynastic families forced the Abbasid Caliph into a position of titular power, and created instability. He also witnessed intellectual upheavals living amidst great theological and legal diversity. Collectively, these experiences led him to consider questions of religious certainty and social and political continuity. He noted that if political elites are constantly changing, paralleled with shifting intellectual allegiances, what ensures the continuity of religion? He concluded that continuity of society is contingent upon knowledge and practice of the Shari'a. Here, Sohaira Siddiqui explores how scholars grappled with questions of human reason and knowledge, and how their answers to these questions often led them to challenge dominant ideas of what the Shari'a is. By doing this, she highlights the interconnections between al-Juwayni's discussions on theology, law and politics, and the socio-political intellectual landscapes that forged them.

Amazon.com: Al-Muhaddithat: The Women Scholars in Islam: Mohammad Akram Nadwi

This book is an adaptation of the Muqaddimah or Preface to Mohammad Akram's 40-volume biographical dictionary (in Arabic) of the Muslim women who studied and taught hadith. It demonstrates the central role women had in preserving the Prophet's teaching, which remains the master-guide to understanding the Qur'an as rules and norms for life. Within the bounds of modesty in dress and manners, women routinely attended and gave classes in the major mosques and madrasas, travelled intensively for 'the knowledge', transmitted and critiqued hadith, issued fatwas, etc. Some of the most renowned scholars among men have depended on, and praised, the scholarship of their women teachers. The women scholars enjoyed considerable public authority in society, not exceptionally, but as the norm. The huge body of information reviewed in al-Muhaddithat is essential to understanding the role of women in Islamic society, their past achievement and future potential. Hitherto it has been so dispersed as to be 'hidden'. Akram's dictionary will greatly facilitate further study, contextualization and analysis.

Sufism and Islamization of the Malay World by Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas - 31.03.2006 - Singapore: Mesut Idriz: September 6,2024

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/VhNZt2Z_1bk?si=3ifG-kA4FTWg21Oc

Book: Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practiced Among the Malays:Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas: goodreads.com

About the Author:Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, born September 5, 1931 in Bogor, Java, is a prominent contemporary Muslim thinker. He is one of the few contemporary scholars who is thoroughly rooted in the traditional Islamic sciences and who is equally competent in theology, philosophy, metaphysics, history, and literature. His thought is integrated, multifaceted and creative. Al-Attas’ philosophy and methodology of education have one goal: Islamization of the mind, body and soul and its effects on the personal and collective life on Muslims as well as others, including the spiritual and physical non-human environment. He is the author of twenty-seven authoritative works on various aspects of Islamic thought and civilization, particularly on Sufism, cosmology, metaphysics, philosophy and Malay language and literature.

Al-Attas was born into a family with a history of illustrious ancestors, saints, and scholars. He received a thorough education in Islamic sciences, Malay language, literature and culture. His formal primary education began at age 5 in Johor, Malaysia, but during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia, he went to school in Java, in Madrasah Al-`Urwatu’l-wuthqa, studying in Arabic. After World War II in 1946 he returned to Johor to complete his secondary education. He was exposed to Malay literature, history, religion, and western classics in English, and in a cultured social atmosphere developed a keen aesthetic sensitivity. This nurtured in al-Attas an exquisite style and precise vocabulary that were unique to his Malay writings and language. After al-Attas finished secondary school in 1951, he entered the Malay Regiment as cadet officer no. 6675. There he was selected to study at Eton Hall, Chester, Wales and later at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England (952 -55). This gave him insight into the spirit and style of British society. During this time he was drawn to the metaphysics of the Sufis, especially works of Jami, which he found in the library of the Academy. He traveled widely, drawn especially to Spain and North Africa where Islamic heritage had a profound influence on him. Al-Attas felt the need to study, and voluntarily resigned from the King’s Commission to serve in the Royal Malay Regiment, in order to pursue studies at the University of Malaya in Singapore 1957-59. While undergraduate at University of Malay, he wrote Rangkaian Ruba`iyat, a literary work, and Some Aspects of Sufism as Understood and Practised among the Malays. He was awarded the Canada Council Fellowship for three years of study at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal. He received the M.A. degree with distinction in Islamic philosophy in 1962, with his thesis “Raniri and the Wujudiyyah of 17th Century Acheh” . Al-Attas went on to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London where he worked with Professor A. J. Arberry of Cambridge and Dr. Martin Lings. His doctoral thesis (1962) was a two-volume work on the mysticism of Hamzah Fansuri.

In 1965, Dr. al-Attas returned to Malaysia and became Head of the Division of Literature in the Department of Malay Studies at the University of Malay, Kuala Lumpur. He was Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1968-70. Thereafter he moved to the new National University of Malaysia, as Head of the Department of Malay Language and Literature and then Dean of the Faculty of Arts. He strongly advocated the use of Malay as the language of instruction at the university level and proposed an integrated method of studying Malay language, literature and culture so that the role and influence of Islam and its relationship with other languages and cultures would be studied with clarity. He founded and directed the Institute of Malay Language, Literature, and Culture (IBKKM) at the National University of Malaysia in 1973 to carry out his vision.
In 1987, with al-Attas as founder and director, the International Institute of Islamic Thought.

Article PDF:SUFISM AND ISLAMIZATION IN MALAYSIA-HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: TAN AIK SENG¹ & WAHYU NUGROHO Theology Faculty, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana Yogyakarta,

https://journal.unisza.edu.my/mjis

Article PDF:Rescuing History from the Orientalists: Syed MuĄammad Naquib al-Attas and the History of Islam in the Malay World Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ebc9/746ec361e44346ee18fe31446112fdecd9b1.pdf

Article PDF:Sufi Metaphysics of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas: Highlighting the Relevance of al-Shaykh al-Akbar for Our Times: Fadila Ezzat

https://www.cini.it/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Ezzat_2024_Sufi-Metaphysics_2.pdf

Article PDF: Islamization of the Malay Worldview: Sufi Metaphysical Writings: Megawati Moris

https://idosi.org/wjihc/wjihc1(2)11/4.pdf

Article PDF:NAQUIB AL-ATTAS’ ISLAMIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE Its Impact on Malay Religious Life, Literature, Language and Culture: Mohd Faizal Musa

https://www.iseas.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TRS16_21.pdf

Book PDF: Islam and Secularism: Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas

https://traditionalhikma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Al-Attas-Islam-and-Secularism.pdf

Book PDF: The Concept of Education in Islam:Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas

https://dn710205.ca.archive.org/0/items/the-concept-of-education-in-islam/The%20Concept%20Of%20Education%20In%20Islam_text.pdf

Islam in China: Professor James Frankel: Kowloon Masjid Dawah Committee :Nov 20, 2023

 YouTube Video: 

Excellent Lecture with Slides Presentation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XryyGBM5_z8&t=287s

YouTube Video: Professor James D. Frankel's Journey to Islam: The Quran Motivation: March 25,2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ADpdeR7tIs&t=733s

Professor James D. Frankel was born into a Jewish family and raised with basic religious values. From a young age, he was deeply curious and constantly questioned rabbis about God and religious practices. However, when he couldn’t find satisfying answers, he began to drift away from Judaism and started searching for truth through other religions. He explored different beliefs, studying the Bible and developing love and respect for Jesus, but he could not accept him as God. His journey led him to Buddhism, the Upanishads, and various philosophies. Interestingly, although his close Pakistani friend had gifted him a copy of the Quran years earlier, it remained untouched on his shelf for a long time. Everything changed when he encountered a street dawah conversation that challenged him deeply. In an attempt to prove a point, he finally opened the Quran. Instead of what he expected, he found clarity, truth, and a powerful connection with Allah. That moment marked a turning point in his life, leading him to accept Islam and begin a completely new journey of faith.

Website: James D. Frankel

https://www.jamesdfrankel.com/

Amazon: Islam in China: James D. Frankel

https://www.amazon.com/Islam-China-James-D-Frankel/dp/1784539805

In China there are up to 25 million Muslims living in the country, representing over 1200 years of Chinese-Islamic relations. However, little is known about the historical and contemporary geopolitical relations between China and the Muslim world, or the situation for the diverse groups of Muslims living in China today. In this book, James Frankel studies the rich and dynamic history of Muslims in China from the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the present day. He shows that Muslims in China remain an internally diverse population separated geographically, ethnically, linguistically, economically, educationally, and along sectarian and kinship lines. But despite having its own local flavours and accents, Islam in China is recognisable as the same religious tradition practiced by approximately 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide and Muslims in China are inextricably part of society, living alongside other minorities and amongst the great Han Chinese majority. Tracing 1200 years of history, this book shows that Muslim communities in China have undergone tremendous change, touched by the forces of Chinese history, the development of Islamic traditions outside China, and geopolitics. In highlighting the paradoxical situation in which Chinese Muslims have found themselves - living as both insiders and outsiders to Chinese society and state - the book examines why after so many centuries of habitation and naturalisation, Muslims in China are still stigmatized by their perceived alien origins. The book follows the ‘yin and yang’ of compatibility and difference and the connections and ruptures between two great civilisations.

James D. Frankel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies and Director of the Centre for the Study of Islamic Culture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Article PDF: Chinese–Islamic Connections: An Historical and Contemporary Overview: James D. Frankel-Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13602004.2016.1248175

The Root Cause Of The Crisis In The Muslim World with Dr Syed Ali Tawfik al-Attas: Blogging Theology-Feb 10, 2023

 YouTube Video:

https://youtu.be/cZPYtSgVhMY?si=6kVo08FZGTDRhBUt

Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas: YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@SyedAliTawfi...

DescriptionThe official YouTube Channel of (Datuk) Dr Syed Ali Tawfik al-Attas, a scion of an illustrious Malaysian scholar. Currently a Visiting Scholar at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (RZS-CASIS). He was a former Director-General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), a Kuala Lumpur-based think tank, and subsequently served in the private sector. He earned his BSc and MSc from the University of North Carolina, and his PhD from the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC). He has published several academic works, and has written many articles, and delivered lectures on a wide range of subjects at various venues both locally and internationally. In addition, he has been appointed member to a number of local advisory board.

Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas: Facebook:

facebook.com/pg/satalattas

Article: IQRA

https://theiqra.org/root-cause-crisis-in-muslim-world-dr-syed-ali-tawfik-al-attas/

The interview is hosted by Blogging Theology YouTube Channel by host Paul Williams and provides great insight for anyone who is interested to understand their Muslim society and broader global ummah and their crisis.
Dr. Syed Ali al-Attas is a giant among contemporary Muslim scholars of the world. Dr. Tawfik Al-Attas is the son of another great Muslim Scholar, Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas considered one of the 500 most influential Muslims. The Editor of theIQRA, Sadiq M Alam had the good fortune of meeting him in Singapore while studying at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Dr. Attas identifies the root cause of the crisis in the Muslim world as Corruption of Knowledge, widespread ignorance has led to gross injustice and these injustices lead to confusion among Muslims. And this confusion gives rise to false leadership. This false leadership continues to add more confusion, adding to the problem, adding to more ignorance. This adds to more false leadership. The vicious cycle continues.
As an example, he gave a fantastic example of the corruption of knowledge and worldview using the Quran:
"We now, the Muslims today like to look on the Muslims in the past nostalgically as to how powerful we were, how much wealth we had, how big our Empire was, and things like this, how many scholars we had in the past; but we don't seem to learn anything from it, let alone learn anything from what the Quran is telling us. The emphasis on the Quran primarily is on ethics, is on faith, not on law. Law is a very very small minority of the entirety of the Quran and therefore today to emphasize those things as if that is what is paramount is a big injustice to themselves as well as injustice to the Quran." - Dr. Syed Ali al-Attas
The solution includes proper Education to counter this ignorance but it's recommended to watch the interview yourself. We have to understand the history, Muslims nowadays are just satisfied with the zahir aspect, that is the when and how; but they seem to ignore the batin aspect, the what and why.