This study examines the figure of ʿAddās of Nineveh, a Christian slave in Meccan society during the Prophet Muḥammad’s period. While traditional Sīra sources state that ʿAddās welcomed and recognised Muḥammad as a prophet, these accounts are embedded within sīra narrative conventions that systematically privilege figures portrayed as expressing positive attitudes toward the Prophet. As a result, they provide limited insight into his background and the motivations underlying his attitude, and they diverge in their accounts of his alleged conversion to Islam. Employing a historical-comparative methodology that combines isnād analysis with internal historical criticism, this article analyses sīra narratives alongside tafsīr literature and Christian traditions, including biblical materials. It investigates ʿAddās’s origins in Nineveh, his Christian Syriac milieu, and his subsequent enslavement in Mecca. The study argues that his familiarity with the Old and New Testaments, particularly references to God, the angel Gabriel, and the Prophet Jonah, helps explain his sympathetic response to the Prophet Muḥammad’s message. At the same time, the extant sīra sources do not offer sufficient evidence to support a definitive conclusion regarding ʿAddās’s conversion to Islam. Rather, the available evidence more securely supports interpreting ʿAddās as an early example of Christian engagement with Islam, illustrating the role of biblical knowledge in shaping perceptions of the Prophet within Meccan society.
Baizizan atau Eulogi Seratus Perkataan merupakan manifestasi penghargaan Zhu Yuanzhang terhadap agama Islam semasa era baginda. Eulogi tersebut menunjukkan aspek politik, toleransi beragama dan peranan yang dimainkan oleh masyarakat Islam Cina dalam mempertahankan Dinasti Ming. Tujuan kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji kedudukan Baizizan sebagai teks silang budaya yang membentuk perbincangan tentang hubungan Islam-China semasa Dinasti Ming. Justeru, kajian ini menilai pelbagai teks, kandungan inskripsi dan perbandingan dengan sumber sejarah rasmi dan bukan rasmi dengan menggunakan pendekatan filologi, epigrafi dan analisis perbandingan sumber bagi menyaring unsur sejarah yang sahih daripada naratif legenda atau idealisme pasca-Dinasti Ming. Baizizan menjadi wahana strategik hasil gabungan unsur teologi Islam, falsafah Timur dan gaya penulisan klasik Cina dalam usaha Zhu Yuanzhang untuk menyepadukan Islam ke dalam wacana politik negara China. Natijahnya, dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa teks ini bukan sekadar ekspresi toleransi simbolik tetapi merupakan instrumen legitimasi politik yang memperlihatkan strategi integrasi budaya secara berhemah. Tuntasnya, kajian ini menyumbang kepada pemahaman baharu tentang interaksi agama dan kuasa dalam sejarah China, khususnya semasa Dinasti Ming dalam konteks pembinaan tamadun pelbagai etnik.Baizizan or the Eulogy of One Hundred Words, represents Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression of esteem for Islam during his reign. The eulogy reflects political considerations, religious tolerance, and the role played by the Chinese Muslim community in defending the Ming Dynasty. The aim of this study is to examine the position of Baizizan as a cross-cultural text that shaped discourse on Islam-China relations during the Ming period. Accordingly, this research evaluates various textual sources, inscriptional content, and comparisons with both official and unofficial historical records. It employs philological, epigraphic and comparative source analysis in order to distinguish authentic historical elements from legendary narratives or post-Ming idealisation. Baizizan functioned as a strategic medium through the integration of Islamic theology, Eastern philosophy and classical Chinese literary style in Zhu Yuanzhang’s effort to incorporate Islam into the political discourse of the Chinese state. The findings demonstrate that the text was not merely an expression of symbolic tolerance, but rather an instrument of political legitimation that illustrates a measured strategy of cultural integration. In conclusion, this study contributes a renewed understanding of the interaction between religion and power in Chinese history, particularly during the Ming Dynasty, within the broader context of multi-ethnic civilisational formation.
This book review examines Abdessalam Yassine’s work, Winning the Modern World for Islam, highlighting its central argument that Muslims should engage with modernity critically rather than reject it outright. Rooted in justice, spirituality, and ethical governance, Yassine advocates the “Islamization of modernity” by selectively adopting scientific, technological, and democratic advances while resisting the secular and materialist assumptions underlying Western modernity. The review elucidates the book’s intellectual contributions, particularly its emphasis on non-violent Islamic renewal, while noting its limited empirical grounding and underdeveloped practical framework for implementing its proposed vision.
Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk, karya Raja Ali Haji dari tradisi keilmuan Riau abad ke-19, sering dirujuk sebagai teks nasihat politik berteraskan Islam dan dikaitkan dengan wacana ketatanegaraan Melayu. Dalam historiografi pembentukan Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor 1312H (1895) (UTKJ), sebahagian sarjana mengemukakan dakwaan bahawa Muqaddimah tersebut—bersama karya Raja Ali Haji yang lain—telah mempengaruhi penggubalan perlembagaan Johor 1895. Namun, dakwaan ini lazimnya bersandar pada naratif hubungan Johor–Riau serta kesamaan nilai umum, tanpa pembuktian tekstual yang terperinci dan setara dari segi genre serta fungsi teks. Sehubungan itu, kajian ini bertujuan menilai secara kritis kewajaran Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk sebagai sumber pembentukan UTKJ melalui perbandingan tekstual yang sistematik, khususnya dari segi persamaan dan perbezaan antara kedua-dua teks. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk kualitatif berasaskan analisis kandungan dan pendekatan sejarah dengan kaedah komparatif tekstual. Data primer diperoleh daripada teks UTKJ simpanan Arkib Negara Malaysia serta Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk cetakan Ofis Cop Government Lingga, 1304H. Analisis komparatif dilaksanakan melalui lima dimensi: tujuan penulisan, bentuk, gaya bahasa, kandungan utama, dan fungsi. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa kedua-dua teks beroperasi dalam kerangka yang berbeza: Muqaddimah bersifat risalah nasihat moral-politik (adab al-mulūk) yang peribadi, manakala UTKJ ialah dokumen perlembagaan formal yang terinstitusi dan mengikat. Walaupun terdapat kesamaan konsep normatif seperti keadilan dan tanggungjawab, kesamaan tersebut bersifat umum dalam tradisi Islam-Melayu dan tidak memadai untuk membuktikan pengaruh langsung Muqaddimah terhadap UTKJ. Kesimpulannya, kajian ini mendapati dakwaan bahawa Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk menjadi sumber pembentukan UTKJ tidak dapat disokong melalui perbandingan tekstual antara kedua-dua teks. Kajian lanjut dicadangkan untuk menilai karya Raja Ali Haji yang lain—terutama al-Thamarat al-Muhimmah—serta menelusuri bukti arkib berkaitan jaringan intelektual, peminjaman naskhah, dan saluran pemindahan idea antara Johor dan Riau bagi memperincikan mekanisme pengaruh yang lebih tepat.Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk, authored by Raja Ali Haji within the nineteenth-century Riau Islamic scholarly tradition, is frequently invoked as a seminal political-ethical treatise that informs Malay-Islamic conceptions of governance. Within the historiography of the Johor State Constitution 1312H (1895) (Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor, UTKJ), a recurrent scholarly claim posits that this Muqaddimah—alongside Raja Ali Haji’s other legal and political writings—exerted a formative influence on Johor’s constitutional drafting. Yet such assertions have often been advanced on the basis of Johor–Riau historical proximity and broad normative convergences, rather than on sustained, genre-sensitive textual substantiation. Accordingly, this study critically evaluates the plausibility of Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk as a direct source for the formation of the UTKJ by undertaking a systematic textual comparison of the two works. Employing a qualitative design grounded in content analysis and historical inquiry, the study draws on primary documents: the UTKJ text held by the National Archives of Malaysia and Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk published by the Ofis Cop Government Lingga in 1304H. The comparative analysis proceeds across five analytical dimensions—authorial purpose, textual form, linguistic register, substantive content, and institutional function. The findings demonstrate a decisive divergence in textual orientation and operative intent: the Muqaddimah functions as a personalised moral-political counsel (adab al-mulūk) addressed to a specific ruler, whereas the UTKJ constitutes a formal, institutionalised, and legally binding constitutional instrument. Although both texts share certain normative concepts—such as justice and moral accountability—these parallels are best understood as general expressions of the wider Malay-Islamic ethical universe rather than evidence of direct textual dependency. The study concludes that the claim of Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza‘if al-Mulk serving as a source for the UTKJ cannot be sustained on the basis of textual comparison. Future research is recommended to extend the comparative framework to Raja Ali Haji’s al-Thamarat al-Muhimmah and to pursue archival corroboration concerning manuscript circulation, intellectual networks, and specific channels of idea transmission between Johor and Riau.
This article examines two pre-20th-century Malay-Islamic texts—Bustān al-Salātīn (1638) and Kitāb Pengetahuan Bahasa (1858) from the Malay World—as encyclopaedic works. Modern definitions of encyclopedias—such as alphabetical order, secular objectivity, and an editorial system—do not easily apply to these texts. This creates a challenge: when Western standards evaluate Malay works, the risk of completely misreading them arises. This study aims to identify the structural and conceptual features that define Malay-Islamic encyclopaedic writing. Using qualitative content, textual, and conceptual analyses, the study identifies seven attributes that constitute the Perbendaharaan Framework. The analysis shows that Bustān al-Salātīn and Kitāb Pengetahuan Bahasa embody these attributes not as mere compilations but as coherent, purposeful projects that unite religious and non-religious knowledge, instruct readers morally, and preserve Malay-Islamic identity. The article concludes that Malay-Islamic encyclopaedic writing constitutes a distinct intellectual tradition—one rooted in tawḥīd method of knowledge that affirms the unity of the religious and non-religious domain—that differs fundamentally from Enlightenment-era Western encyclopaedias. Recognising this tradition corrects earlier scholarly misreadings and opens new avenues for studying knowledge organisation in the Malay world.
Artikel ini bertujuan untuk membincangkan isu sosial serta peranan agama Islam sebagai penyelesaian berdasarkan majalah dan akhbar di Johor Sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan pensejarahan iaitu penulisan sejarah dengan membuat perincian mengenai prinsip atau kaedah penulisan sejarah dan karya atau hasil penulisan yang berkaitan dengan penelitian sudut pandangan pengarang akhbar dan majalah dalam membicarakan aspek sosial masyarakat Melayu terutamanya yang menyentuh persoalan moral dan kebebasan sosial. Pendekatan kajian pensejarahan yang digunakan dalam kajian ini melalui empat langkah iaitu heuristik, kritikan sumber, interpretasi, dan penulisan sejarah. Justeru itu, kajian ini telah menggunakan akhbar dan majalah sebagai sumber primer dan disokong oleh sumber-sumber yang lain seperti dokumen, laporan dan sumber sekunder bagi menjawab permasalahan kajian iaitu isu moral dan kebebasan sosial serta penyelesaian dengan menggunakan agama Islam yang terdapat dalam majalah dan akhbar di Johor dalam tempoh pra-Perang Dunia Kedua. Golongan berpendidikan tinggi yang menerajui akhbar dan majalah di Johor ini dilihat memainkan peranan sebagai pemberi kesedaran kepada masyarakat tempatan dengan menjadi pihak yang bertanggungjawab sebagai pengkritik sosial sekaligus penganjur kemajuan demi memajukan bangsa Melayu dan orang Johor khasnya. Kajian ini mendapati penulis majalah dan akhbar telah memaparkan sikap dan reaksi orang Melayu terhadap segala permasalahan dan perubahan yang berlaku di sekeliling mereka seperti isu keruntuhan moral dan agama serta masalah kepercayaan karut. Sehubungan itu, pihak penulis akhbar dan majalah turut memberi cadangan iaitu cara untuk mengatasi masalah sosial menerusi pengukuhan agama.This article aims to discuss social issues and the role of Islam as a solution based on magazines and newspapers in Johor before the Second World War. This study uses a historiography approach which is the writing of History by detailing the principles or methods of writing history and the works or results of writing related to researching the point of view of newspaper and magazine authors in discussing the social aspects of Malay society, especially those that touch on moral issues and social freedom. The historical research approach used in this study goes through four steps, namely heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historical writing. Therefore, this study has used newspapers and magazines as primary sources and is supported by other sources such as documents, reports and secondary sources to answer the research problems which are moral issues and social freedom as well as solutions by using the Islamic religion found in magazines and newspapers in Johor in the period before the Second World War. The highly educated people who lead the newspapers and magazines in Johor are seen to be playing a role in giving awareness to the local community by being the responsible party as social critics and promoters of progress for the advancement of the Malay nation and the people of Johor in particular. This study found that magazine and newspaper writers have displayed the attitudes and reactions of the Malays to all the problems and changes happening around them such as the issue of moral and religious collapse and the problem of superstition. Concerning that, newspaper and magazine writers also gave suggestions on how to overcome social problems by strengthening religion.
Artikel ini menelusuri sejarah penguatkuasaan undang-undang jenayah Islam di Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan menumpukan kepada evolusi institusi, bidang kuasa, dan mekanisme penguatkuasaan dari abad ke-16 hingga era pasca-kemerdekaan. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan sejarah-perundangan melalui analisis dokumen arkib, manuskrip sejarah seperti Boxer Codex, perjanjian kolonial, serta perundangan dan laporan rasmi kerajaan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa pada zaman Kesultanan Brunei, penguatkuasaan jenayah Islam dilaksanakan secara menyeluruh melalui gabungan kuasa eksekutif dan kehakiman oleh Sultan, pembesar negara, dan institusi agama. Namun, campur tangan British semasa era Residen Inggeris telah mengecilkan skop undang-undang jenayah Islam dan melemahkan sistem penguatkuasaannya. Keadaan ini beransur pulih menjelang kemerdekaan dengan penstrukturan semula institusi agama dan kehakiman, sehingga membawa kepada pengukuhan perundangan dan penguatkuasaan syariah dalam sistem perundangan moden Brunei.This article explores the historical development of Islamic criminal law enforcement in Brunei Darussalam, focusing on institutional structures, jurisdictional authority, and enforcement mechanisms from the sixteenth century to the post-independence era. The study adopts a qualitative approach based on historical–legal analysis, drawing on various secondary sources, including historical manuscripts particularly the Boxer Codex, the Hukum Kanun Brunei, colonial treaties, and legal documents. The findings indicate that during the Brunei Sultanate, the enforcement of Islamic criminal law was comprehensively administered through a combination of judicial authority exercised by the Sultan, state officials, and religious institutions. The laws applied since the sixteenth century were the Kanon (Hukum Kanun Brunei), Hukum Syarak and Resam (local customs). During the British Residency era, the Muhammadan Law Enactment 1912 introduced imprisonment and fines, thereby marginalising the Kanun rooted in Islamic law, narrowing the scope of religious offences, and transforming its enforcement system. Efforts to restructure religious and judicial institutions continued from the 1950s, ultimately strengthening Shariah legislation and enforcement within the modern legal framework following Brunei’s independence in 1984. The study concludes that the enforcement of Islamic criminal law in Brunei reflects a dynamic interaction between indigenous legal traditions, colonial influence, and post-colonial state-building. This study contributes significantly to understanding the historical development of modern Shariah enforcement in Brunei.
Pergolakan di selatan Filipina yang melibatkan tuntutan masyarakat Islam terhadap keadilan dalam politik, sosial dan ekonomi telah berlangsung begitu lama yakni sebelum dan selepas kemerdekaan Filipina. Meskipun masyarakat Islam pada awalnya merupakan penduduk majoriti di wilayah tersebut, hak dan kedudukan mereka semakin terhakis akibat daripada polisi kerajaan yang mengutamakan kepentingan penduduk Kristian. Penindasan kerajaan pusat terhadap masyarakat Islam dilihat begitu ekstrim terutamanya ketika di era pentadbiran Presiden Ferdinand Marcos. Meskipun telah banyak rundingan dijalankan ketika era Presiden Ferdinand Marcos dengan Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) sehingga membawa kepada Perjanjian Tripoli pada tahun 1976, namun kandungan perjanjian tersebut tidak pernah terlaksana. Setelah Presiden Corazon Aquino mengambil alih pentadbiran Filipina, rundingan baharu disambung semula dengan kedua-dua pihak bersetuju untuk menjadikan wilayah autonomi sebagai penyelesaian berbanding kemerdekaan. Kajian ini menjelaskan bahawa rundingan awal di era Presiden Corazon Aquino menjadi pemangkin usaha kerajaan pusat Filipina untuk merealisasikan pembentukan kerajaan autonomi Bangsamoro. Ketegasan Presiden Aquino untuk menjayakan wilayah autonomi tersebut menjadi antara faktor utama Akta Republik 6734 dapat diluluskan dalam tempoh tiga tahun lebih pentadbirannya. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif untuk menganalisis pelbagai rekod dan sumber termasuklah sumber primer dan sekunder. The conflict in the southern Philippines, involving the demands of the Muslim community for justice in political, social, and economic spheres, has persisted for a significant period—both before and after the country’s independence. Although the Muslim population originally constituted the majority in the region, their rights and status have gradually been eroded as a result of government policies that prioritised the interests of the Christian population. The central government’s oppression of the Muslim community was particularly severe during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos. Despite numerous negotiations taking place during Marcos’ era with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), culminating in the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, the provisions of the agreement were never fully implemented. When President Corazon Aquino assumed leadership of the Philippines, negotiations were resumed, with both parties agreeing to pursue autonomy for the region as a solution, rather than full independence. This study argues that the initial negotiations during President Corazon Aquino’s administration served as a catalyst for the central government’s efforts to establish an autonomous Bangsamoro government. President Aquino’s firm commitment to the autonomy agenda was a key factor in the successful passage of Republic Act No. 6734 within just over three years of her administration. This study adopts a qualitative approach to analyse a range of records and sources, including both primary and secondary materials.
The Padri War (1803–1837) in Minangkabau represented a multidimensional conflict involving social, political, and religious dynamics. The global problem addressed in this research is the reductionism of historical narratives that only view the Padri War as a binary conflict between religious and traditional groups, without accommodating the role of Dutch colonialism and the transformation of religious movements into an early expression of nationalism in Minangkabau. The objective of this study is to analyze the transformation of the Islamic movement into an early expression of nationalism in a colonial context. The method used is qualitative with historical discourse analysis based on primary and secondary sources, including the notes from Tuanku Imam Bonjol and colonial records. The findings reveal that colonial domination functioned as a catalyst that redefined the Padri’s theological mission into a broader vision of communal liberation. The Tandikek Agreement emerges as a symbolic synthesis of faith and nationhood, transforming Islamic purification into anti-colonial solidarity, which at the end shaped the early expression on nationalism in Minangkabau. By examining the Padri War through this perspective, the study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between Islamic reform, colonialism, and collective political solidarity, and nationalism in nineteenth-century Minangkabau.
This study investigates the relationship between politics and civilization, highlighting both positive and negative impacts. This study examines whether political developments influenced or hindered civilizational advancement. The research examines this relationship in Al-Andalus during the Muluk al-Tawaif era in the early 5th century AH (11th century CE), a time marked by vulnerability and disunity. This study examines the individuals accountable for this growth, as these events have profoundly influenced civilization and society. The historical approach constitutes the foundation of this study, encompassing a comprehensive analysis of the region’s history and civilization, thereby providing a novel perspective for comprehending historical and cultural advancements within a particular era. Instances from diverse facets of Al-Andalus civilization were chosen to comprehend the influence of politics on it, through the societal advancements and transformations that transpired, utilizing descriptive and analytical historical frameworks. This study is significant as it offers an overview of the ongoing advancement of Al-Andalus culture despite the hardships faced by the Muluk al-Tawaif, while also emphasizing its most notable personalities within the specific period of the Muluk al-Tawaif’s reign. The study concluded various findings, the most significant being the identification of a civilization that endured the period of the Muluk al-Tawaif and was not obliterated by the divisions and battles that afflicted the region during that age.
This study aims to analyze the role of cultural diplomacy in the Emirate of Sharjah through museums. Particular emphasis is placed on the important contributions of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi in promoting intercultural communication and consolidating cultural identity through the support of history, archaeology, and tourism. The study uses a quantitative approach with a survey research design. The perspectives of 285 museum visitors have been analyzed based on arithmetic means and standard deviations to measure their level of awareness regarding the museum’s historical, cultural, and tourism dimensions. The findings indicate a high level of awareness concerning the centrality of Islamic heritage within Sharjah’s historical narrative. Participants expressed strong agreement regarding the close relationship between Islamic archaeological remains and the emirate’s historical landscape. The results further highlight the pivotal role of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi in supporting archaeological documentation efforts and ensuring the continuity of research at Islamic sites. At the cultural level, the data reveal a general awareness of the importance of archaeological heritage in enhancing public culture. Additionally, the findings point to the influence of mass media and communication, consistent with Cultural Cultivation Theory, in increasing museum attendance. Regarding the tourism dimension, participants demonstrated a high level of appreciation for the emirate’s efforts in developing tourism infrastructure associated with archaeological sites, as well as for Sharjah’s growing international presence on the global map of historical tourism. These findings are consistent with previous literature emphasizing the value of heritage preservation and the role of museums in promoting intercultural dialogue and reinforcing national identity. Within this context, the continuous support provided by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi is clearly reflected in his sustained oversight of the emirate’s museums and his ongoing encouragement of both the community and visitors to engage actively with civilizational heritage.
Fokus makalah ini ialah untuk mengenal pasti peranan dan sumbangan Majlis Agama Islam di Negeri (MAIN) sebagai institusi autoritatif yang mengurus dan menyelaras hal ehwal agama Islam di negeri-negeri Melayu sebelum merdeka. Objektif makalah ini ialah mengkaji sejarah penubuhan MAIN di Negeri-Negeri Melayu sebelum merdeka, dan membincangkan sumbangan MAIN dari tahun 1915 sehingga tahun 1957 dalam aspek kewangan, pendidikan dan pentadbiran Islam. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan merujuk sumber primer dan sekunder. Hasil kajian mendapati tanggungjawab-tanggungjawab yang diamanahkan kepada MAIN hampir sama di seluruh negeri iaitu menguruskan harta baitumal, mengutip zakat dan fitrah, membina dan menguruskan surau dan masjid, mengawal selia hal nikah dan cerai serta mengutamakan pendidikan agama untuk pelajar-pelajar. Hal ini demikian kerana, perkara-perkara tersebut mempunyai kaitan yang erat dengan prinsip pentadbiran Islam. MAIN juga berperanan menjadi penasihat agama kepada Sultan selain berfungsi dalam memartabatkan perundangan Islam di negeri-negeri Melayu.The focus of this paper is to identify the roles and contributions of the State Islamic Religious Councils (Majlis Agama Islam Negeri di Negeri-Negeri, MAIN) as authoritative institutions responsible for managing and coordinating Islamic religious affairs in the Malay states prior to independence. The objective of this paper is to examine the history of the establishment of the MAINs in the Malay states before independence, and to discuss their contributions from 1915 to 1957 in the areas of finance, education, and Islamic administration. This study adopts a qualitative approach by referring to both primary and secondary sources. The findings indicate that the responsibilities entrusted to the MAINs were largely similar across the states, namely managing baitulmal assets, collecting zakat and fitrah, constructing and administering surau and mosques, overseeing matters of marriage and divorce, and prioritising religious education for students. This is because these matters are closely related to the fundamental principles of Islamic administration. In addition, the MAINs functioned as religious advisers to the Sultan and played an important role in upholding and strengthening Islamic legal administration in the Malay states.
The unification of the ummah through Sunni Islam constituted a central tenet in the governance framework of Nur al-Din Mahmud Zangi (d. 1174), implemented within the context of the 12th-century Islamic world. The medieval Islamic landscape was marked by sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shi'a communities, intra-Sunni doctrinal rivalries, the Crusader presence which had seized control of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), Antioch and Tripoli, political instability stemming from conflicts among Islamic polities, and the rising influence of minority sects like the Batiniyyah that threatened Sunni orthodoxy. Confronting these challenges, this study examines how Nur al-Din strategically employed religious scholars (ulama) and educational institutions as primary instruments to strengthen ummah unity under a Sunni framework. Through historical analysis drawing upon primary and secondary sources, this research demonstrates that Nur al-Din established an extensive madrasah network and mobilized Sunni scholars to: 1) promote Sunni orthodoxy as state ideology, 2) diminish the influence of divisive heterodox movements, and 3) cultivate a religious identity supporting his political unification agenda. This approach not only succeeded in creating a more homogeneous ideological foundation but also reinforced the political legitimacy of his rule against internal and external threats. The findings offer critical insights into the historical collaboration between political authority and religious scholarship in building ummah unity, with enduring relevance for understanding Islamic political history.
Education in Singapore has been a key pillar of national development to address resource constraints and ethnic fragmentation in order to build a cohesive national identity. The education system is designed not only to produce globally competitive human resources but also to promote social integration, inter-ethnic tolerance, and loyalty to the state. In practice, the success of Singapore's national education system is not evenly distributed across ethnic and religious groups and the analysis indicate an initial gap in academic achievement between the Malay-Muslim community and the majority ethnic group, which has implications for social mobility and economic representation. This article examines the role of Islamic education in the citizen formation project in Singapore, situating it within the context of the interaction between the state, education, and the Malay-Muslim minority community. In a secular nation-state oriented toward meritocracy, English, and economic development, Islamic education faces both structural challenges and opportunities for negotiation. Through a qualitative approach grounded in a literature review and historical-sociological analysis, this article demonstrates that Islamic education functions not only as a means of transmitting religious teachings but also as an instrument of civic integration and a medium for reproducing Islamic identity. The article’s findings verify that Islamic education operates in the intermediary (negotiated) space that reconciles state interests with the aspirations of the Muslim community. This article’s contribution lies in understanding the dynamics of Islamic education as an arena for integration, identity formation, and state control within the context of Muslim minorities in Southeast Asia.
The experiences of Palestinian women in Al-Quds under Israeli occupation have frequently been examined from legal and humanitarian perspectives, yet their historical experiences within the broader political, religious, social, and cultural landscape of Islamic civilization remain insufficiently documented. This study aims to examine the historical experiences of Palestinian women in Al-Quds between 2000 and 2022 by analyzing the multidimensional impacts of Israeli occupation policies on their lives. Employing a historical research approach complemented by descriptive qualitative and quantitative analyses, the study draws upon primary sources, including interviews with former female prisoners and Murabitat of Al-Aqsa Mosque, alongside official statistics, government publications, and reports from Palestinian and international human rights organizations. The findings reveal that Palestinian women have been systematically subjected to arrests, torture, deportation, residency revocation, home demolitions, restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and limitations on education, healthcare, and family reunification. These measures extend beyond individual violations, constituting a broader strategy to alter the demographic, religious, and socio-cultural character of Al-Quds while undermining the historical presence of its indigenous Palestinian community. The study argues that the experiences of Palestinian women constitute an important historical dimension of contemporary Islamic civilization, reflecting the intersection of political conflict, religious identity, and cultural resilience. It recommends stronger international legal accountability, enhanced protection of Palestinian women and Islamic holy sites, and continued historical documentation to preserve the lived experiences and cultural heritage of Al-Quds.
The Indian subcontinent was ruled by Muslims beginning in the 13th century, when Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji conquered Bengal in 1204. For several centuries following this event, Bengal was governed by Muslim rulers, most of whom came from other countries. These foreign Muslim rulers significantly influenced the region’s politics, culture, and architecture. In the early 1400s, Sultan Jalal Uddin Muhammad Shah became the first native Bengali Muslim, and the architectural forms that emerged during his reign signify a crucial stage in the regional assimilation of Islamic architectural traditions in Bengal. The development of the Eklakhi style, characterised by do-chala roofs, curved cornices, bamboo-inspired corner turrets, and terracotta ornamentation, flourished during his reign. This study examines the political and cultural context of his rule, analyses the architectural innovations of the period, and traces their lasting influence on other Sultanate and Mughal architecture. It highlights the significance of indigenous architectural forms in shaping Bengal’s unique Islamic architectural identity.
Despite its significance as a transitional monument in Ottoman architecture, the Old Fatih Mosque in Istanbul has received no dedicated modern study commensurate with its importance. This study offers the first focused, contemporary re-examination of the mosque as a pivotal milestone between the early Bursa and Edirne traditions and the monumental ambitions of classical Ottoman architecture. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology supported by comparative quantitative metrics, the research integrates plan analysis, historical contextualization, and systematic comparison with precedent Ottoman mosques and Hagia Sophia. The findings reveal that the mosque achieved a distinctive spatial model through the interconnection of square and semi-square domed units, producing a centralized interior that departed from earlier hypostyle arrangements. Its roof composition — a large central dome flanked by semi-domes and lateral domes — established a formal language that would become canonical in subsequent Ottoman design. The study further demonstrates that the mosque’s erection on the site of the Church of the Holy Apostles constituted a deliberate act of sacred-political geography, and situates the building within the broader Mediterranean context of fifteenth-century cross-cultural architectural exchange. The study concludes that the Old Fatih Mosque functioned as a formative architectural laboratory, directly informing the trajectory that culminated in the masterworks of architect Sinan.
Abstract This article examines how sacralisation arises within human thought and practice, focusing on the Islamic tradition. It explores how core Islamic beliefs and principles (such as tawḥīd and intentionality in worship) imbue places, times, actions, and social norms with sacred significance. Drawing on Islamic scripture, prophetic traditions, and historical accounts, the study analyses the manifestations of the sacred in Muslim communities through space, time, ritual practice, and moral action. In Islam, external practices are inextricably linked to internal intentions (niyyah) and ethical values, forming a holistic system whereby spiritual ideals are expressed through daily conduct. While this sacralisation of life offers communal identity and moral guidance, the article critically examines how misinterpretations of “sacred” mandates have fuelled extremism. The article concludes that an Islamic perspective on sacralisation provides rich insights into the human quest for meaning, illustrating the dynamic interplay between faith, practice, and sacred experience within increasingly pluralistic societies.
Abstract This book review provides a critical analysis of a work by the orientalist William Montgomery Watt (1909–2006), a Scottish Emeritus Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh (1964–1979). The book under review is entitled Islam: A Short History, published in 1996. The author offers his own critical interpretation on how to define and foster a positive understanding of Islam for both his Western readers and his Muslim colleagues.
This article examines the core civilizational elements of Islamic services; conceptually defined as Khidmah al-Isl & amacr;m and their critical role in the development of Malaysian society. In this context, Islamic services are positioned not merely as a transactional industry, but as a communal obligation (fard kif & amacr;yah) executed by public agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). While these entities have successfully institutionalised religious obligations, there is a growing concern that an overemphasis on corporate governance may overshadow the fundamental spiritual ethos of khidmah al-Isl & amacr;m. Adopting a qualitative historical analysis, this study traces the evolutionary trajectory of these services. Findings reveal that the civilizational impact of Khidmah al-Isl & amacr;m follows a distinct path: commencing with the strengthening of faith ('aq & imacr;dah) as a social driving force in the early Islamic era, advancing through shar & imacr;'ah and knowledge integration during the medieval period, and culminating in the application of high ethical values in modern administration. This article concludes that to sustain holistic civilizational development in Malaysia, all service providers must reintegrate these foundational historical elements. This reintegration ensures khidmah al-Isl & amacr;m functions as a balanced mechanism, upholding professional efficiency while fulfilling the spiritual mandate of serving the ummah.
