Critical-Progressive Muslims: On Islamic hermeneutics, Gender and Interreligious Dialogue

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The Ethical Imagination in Islamic Thought: Mona Siddiqui’s Call for Shared Humanity

The Ethical Imagination in Islamic Thought: Mona Siddiqui’s Call for Shared Humanity Adis Duderija “"An ethical imagination must lie at the centre of Islamic thought. Imagination is about seeing and understanding the world and this is inherently a moral activity. It is through observation that we become aware of human freedom to think and act, of our relational existence, of a moral impulse to make things better for all. Yet in our increasingly pluralist societies, faith in God should be a vessel for a shared imagination. This requires thinking beyond our personal struggle and beyond our personal salvation." Mona Siddiqui Human struggle: Christian and Muslim perspectives. Cambridge University Press. p.155 In today’s world of rapid change and intricate socio-cultural dynamics, the concept of ethical imagination takes on an urgent significance, particularly within Islamic thought. Drawing on the insights of Mona Siddiqui , we can argue that et...

The Concept of Wisdom in the Qur'an

The Concept of Wisdom in the Qur'an Adis Duderija ( the concept of this article based on SAQIB HUSSAIN’s Ph.D.thesis accessible here ) The concept of wisdom, or ḥikmah , stands as a pillar within the teachings of the Qur'an, offering a lens through which divine guidance can be understood not merely as prescriptive law, but as profound insight into the nature of reality and morality. Far from being a simple synonym for knowledge, ḥikmah in the Qur'an is a multifaceted term that has engaged scholars for centuries, prompting diverse interpretations that reflect its complexity and centrality to the faith. Exploring this concept reveals how the Qur'an synthesises earlier wisdom traditions and articulates a vision of spiritual and ethical understanding that resonates across time. From the earliest attempts at Qur'anic commentary, scholars wrestled with defining ḥikmah . Some early interpreters equated it with the normative practice of prophet Muhammad , ...

Belonging, by Fact and by History: Why Islam is Part of the West

Belonging, by Fact and by History: Why Islam is Part of the West Generated using copilot for my Islam and Muslim Communities Op-Ed assessment taks Hook If Islam were truly alien to the West, our cities would look different, our libraries would be thinner, and our classrooms would be missing entire chapters of what we call Western thought. Yet the empirical record says otherwise: in England and Wales alone, about 6.5%—roughly four million people—identify as Muslim [AD1] , a minority share but a settled and visible one, in societies that have grown steadily more diverse over the last decade. That is social fact, not rhetoric. Thesis The assertion that Islam and Muslims “do not belong” to the West collapses under three kinds of evidence: demographic reality , attitudinal nuance , and civilisational history . When we look closely at how people live, what publics say, and what our intellectual inheritance contains, Islam is already inside Western life—culturally, so...

Why Islamic Thought Needs a Hermeneutical Revolution

Why Islamic Thought Needs a Hermeneutical Revolution By Adis Duderija In an age where religious discourse is often reduced to soundbites, legalism, or ideological posturing, the edited volume Philosophical Hermeneutics and Islamic Thought (Springer, 2022) offers a bold and necessary intervention. It argues that the future of Islamic thought hinges not on new rulings or apologetics, but on a deeper rethinking of what it means to interpret—indeed, to understand—within a living tradition. This is not merely a call to apply Western hermeneutics to Islamic texts. Rather, the volume stages a two-way conversation: Islamic intellectual traditions are not passive recipients of European theory but active interlocutors capable of reshaping the very horizons of hermeneutics itself. The result is a rich, multi-vocal collection that spans classical philosophy, Sufism, political theology, and contemporary reformist thought. At its heart lies a simple yet profound insight: interpretatio...

Reconceptualising Sunna in Islamic Legal Thought: Epistemology, Authority, and Hermeneutics

Reconceptualising Sunna in Islamic Legal Thought: Epistemology, Authority, and Hermeneutics The essay below is based on academic book I edited and contributed to that was published 10 years ago titled " The Sunna and Its Status in Islamic Law: The Search for an Authentic hadith", Palgrave ,2015. Introduction The concept of sunna has long served as a cornerstone of Islamic legal and theological discourse. Traditionally paired with the Qurʾān as a primary source of normativity, sunna has been invoked to define orthodoxy, delineate legal authority, and shape communal identity. Yet, as The Sunna and Its Status in Islamic Law , edited by Adis Duderija, demonstrates, the meaning, function, and epistemological grounding of sunna have been far from uniform across Islamic intellectual history. This volume offers a critical intervention into the study of Islamic legal theory by interrogating the historical processes through which sunna became increasingly conflated with hadith ,...

Reflections on Social Cohesion Conference in Singapore (ICCS) 2025

As an attendee of the International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) 2025, held from June 24th to 26th at Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore , I left with a profound sense of clarity and urgency regarding the future of our global communities. The conference, now in its third edition, was an insightful journey into what unites us and how diverse societies can build enduring bonds, under the overarching theme of “Cohesive Societies, Resilient Futures” . It became crystal clear to me that in an era marked by increasing interconnectedness yet also growing division, the pursuit of social cohesion is not merely an ideal, but a global imperative. The conference kicked off on a powerful note, immediately setting a tone of intentionality. On Day 1, focused on “Unpacking Multiculturalism” , President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of the Republic of Singapore delivered a compelling keynote address. He called for a specific brand of "intentional, active multiculturalism" des...