Islamic studies
''This is a sub-article to
religious education,
academic discipline, and
Islam.
Islamic studies is an ambiguous term; in a non-Muslim context, it generally refers to the historical study of Muslim
religion and
culture. Academics from diverse disciplines participate and exchange ideas about predominantly Muslim societies, past and present. In spite of their non-religious approach, some non-Muslim scholars have written works which are widely read by Muslims. Before
1980, such non-Muslim scholars in this field have been called "
Islamicists."
In a
Muslim context,
Islamic Studies can be an
umbrella term for all virtually all of academia as defined by the
Islamization of knowledge. As such it includes all the traditional forms of religious thought, such as
Islamic theology and
Islamic jurisprudence. In addition, it assimilates fields generally considered to be
secular in the West, such as
Islamic science and
Islamic economics. Many universities offer
academic degrees in the subject.
It greatly aids understanding of these articles to be familiar with the
list of Islamic terms in Arabic especially as used in
early Muslim philosophy, since these provide the
ontology on which all sects of Islam later built:
Islamic studies incorporates elements of :
Islamization of knowledge is a term which describes a variety of attempts and approaches to synthesize the ethics of
Islam with various fields of modern thought.
The field of Islamic history includes the early development of Islam, as well as its continuation into the different rulers and denominations, and confluence of its philosophy and history where these affected each other:
*
early Muslim philosophyThe term "Muslim" is preferred here as no single "Islamic" view yet existed.Islamic philosophy is a part of Islamic Studies. It is a longstanding attempt to create harmony between
faith, reason or
philosophy, and the religious teachings of
Islam. A Muslim engaged in this field is called a
Muslim philosopher.
It is divided in fields like:
*
Islamic theology*
Islamic eschatology*
Early Islamic philosophy*
modern Islamic philosophyTheology
Kalam (علم الكلم)is one of the 'religious sciences' of Islam. In
Arabic the word means "discussion", and refers to the
Islamic tradition of seeking theological principles through dialectic. A scholar of kalam is referred to as a mutakallam.
Mysticism
Sufism (
Arabic: تصوف, taṣawwuf) is a
mystic tradition of
Islam based on the pursuit of spiritual truth as it is gradually revealed to the heart and mind of the Sufi (one who practices Sufism).
It might also be referred to as Islamic mysticism. While other branches of Islam generally focus on
exoteric aspects of religion, Sufism is mainly focused on the direct perception of
Truth or
God through mystic practices based on divine love. Sufism embodies a number of
cultures, philosophies, central teachings and bodies of
esoteric knowledge.
Islamic jurisprudence relates to everyday and social issues in the life of Muslims. It is divided in fields like:
* the study of
sharia law
*
Islamic economics*
Qur'an and
Hadith studies
Key distinctions include those between
fiqh,
hadith and
ijtihad.
*
Islamic mathematics*
Islamic medicine*
Islamic astronomyIslamic science is
science in the context of traditional religious ideas of
Islam, including its
ethics and prohibitions. A Muslim engaged in this field is called a
Muslim scientistThis is not the same as science as conducted by any
Muslim in a secular context. Certain
liberal movements in Islam eschew the practice of Islamic science, arguing that science should be considered separate from religion as it is today in the West. As in
Catholicism however, believers argue that the guiding role of religion in forming
ethics of science cannot be ignored and must impose absolute constraints on inquiry.
*
Islamic pottery*
Islamic calligraphy*
Muslim music*
Islamic poetryIslamic art, a part of the
Islamic studies, has throughout history has been mainly abstract and decorative, portraying geometric, floral,
Arabesque, and
calligraphic designs. Unlike the strong tradition of portraying the human figure in
Christian art, Islamic art does not include depictions of human beings. The lack of
portraiture is due to the fact that early Islam forbade the painting of human beings, including
the Prophet, as Muslims believe this tempts followers of the Prophet to
idolatry. This prohibition against human beings or icons is called
aniconism. Over the past two centuries, especially given increased contact with
Western civilization, this prohibition has relaxed to the point where only the most orthodox Muslims oppose portraiture.
*
Islamic comedy*
Islamic moviesIslamic entertainment is entertainment regulated by Sharia.
This field includes the study of
modern and
classical Arabic and the litarature written in those languages. It also often includes other modern, classic or ancient languages of the
Middle East and other areas that are or have been part of, or influenced by, Islamic culture, such as
Hebrew,
Turkish,
Persian,
Armenian and
Uzbek.
Islamic architecture is the entire range of architecture that has evolved within
Muslim culture in the course of the
history of Islam. Hence the term encompasses religious buildings as well as secular ones, historic as well as modern expressions and the production of all places that have come under the varying levels of Islamic influence.
It is very common to mistake
Persian Architecture for
Islamic Architecture and thus advisable to read both articles.
*
Early Muslim sociology*
Islamic And Western Sociological ThoughtsIslamic comparative religion is the study of religions in the view of
Islam. This study may be undertaken from a conservative
Muslim perspective, which often sees
Judaism and
Christianity as having been originally similar to Islam, and later developing away from the root monotheist religion. However, some
liberal movements within Islam dispute the conservative view as being ahistorical; they claim that Islam is the end-result rather than the origin point of monotheist thought.
Islamic economics is
economics in accordance with
Islamic law. Because the
Qur'an spoke against
usury in the context of early Muslim society, it generally entails trying to remove or redefine
interest rates from financial institutions. In doing so, Islamic economists hope to produce a more 'Islamic society'. However,
liberal movements within Islam may deny the need for this field, since they generally see Islam as compatible with modern secular institutions and law.
Islamic athletics is athletics goverened by Sharia and evolved through the Islamic history.
*
Muslim scholars*
list of Muslims*
List of academic disciplines*
List of Islamic terms in Arabic*
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies*
Islamic Knowledge*
Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University*
Article from The University of Chicago Chronicle*
Study Islamic Business in Indonesia*
A history of Islamic culture*
Islamic Civilization*
Muslim Philosophy
