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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...
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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 ,...
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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...
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Why Nasser Ahmed cannot Speak in the Name of God and why Noone Else Can

  Why Nasser Ahmed cannot Speak in the Name of God and why Noone Else Can   In order to make my response as objective as possible I have used AI to respond to Nasser Ahmed’s Secret Lies article by feeding the AI the following articles of mine that I published on newageislam over the last few months ( that were actually meant to broaden the intellectual horizons of people like Nasser) : 1.       https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/tawhid-divine-unity-multiplicity/d/135530 2.       https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/origin-story-understanding-quran/d/135455 3.       https://www.newageislam.com/debating-islam/philosophy-metaphysics-islamic-theology/d/135259 4.       https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/developing-islamic-process-human-relationship/d/133643 5.       https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/interp...
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GOOGLE GEMINI OP ED STYLE DESCRIPTION OF MY SCHOLARLY CONTRIBUTIONS:

 GOOGLE GEMINI OP ED STYLE DESCRIPTION OF MY SCHOLARLY CONTRIBUTIONS Navigating the Currents of Islamic Thought: The Scholarly Contributions of Adis Duderija In the vibrant and often contested landscape of contemporary Islamic studies, the voice of Adis Duderija resonates with a distinctive clarity and intellectual rigor. Situated at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, Duderija has carved a significant niche for himself as a scholar deeply engaged with the complexities of Islamic tradition and its dynamic interaction with the modern world. His work, characterized by a nuanced understanding of historical context and a keen eye for contemporary challenges, offers invaluable insights into areas ranging from Qur'anic hermeneutics and the status of Sunna to the intricacies of progressive Islam and the lived experiences of Muslims in the West. Duderija's scholarly journey is deeply informed by his personal background as a first-generation Bosnian-Australian. This lived experi...
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Beyond the Unmoved Mover: How a Relational God Can Redeem Divine Command Ethics

  Beyond the Unmoved Mover: How a Relational God Can Redeem Divine Command Ethics Adis Duderija  The bedrock of many Abrahamic faiths lies in the conviction that morality is rooted in the will of God. This notion, often formalized as Divine Command Theory (DCT) and its ethical counterpart, Divine Command Ethics (DCE) , posits that what is good is good because God commands it, and what is evil is evil because God forbids it. While seemingly straightforward, this framework within classical theism – with its emphasis on an immutable, omnipotent, and impassible deity – has long wrestled with profound philosophical and ethical dilemmas. Critics raise concerns about arbitrariness, the problem of evil, and the very nature of moral motivation. However, the process theology of Charles Hartshorne offers a compelling alternative conception of God, one that can potentially navigate these treacherous waters and provide a more robust foundation for divine command ethics, grounded not in s...
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Bilal Philips and the Understanding of Salafism in the West

  As I reflect on my academic work, particularly an article I published back in 2019, I am struck by the enduring importance of understanding the interpretational methodologies – or manhaj – employed by influential Muslim figures, especially those who have gained prominence in the West as celebrity preachers. In that article, I focused on the ideas and significance of Dr. Bilal Philips, a notable ‘Salafi’ preacher and a major proponent of what has been termed Neo-Traditional Salafism. My aim then, and what I wish to emphasise now, is that comprehending the manhaj of such individuals, situating their views within the broader Islamic interpretative tradition, is paramount for developing higher levels of methodological awareness and avoiding the pitfalls of accepting their opinions without critical engagement. Bilal Philips, a Canadian of Jamaican ancestry who embraced Islam in 1972, has spent a significant portion of his life in regions with a strong Salafi presence, such as Saudi...
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