Advancing Islamic Philosophy and Theology in Modern Times

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Advancing Islamic Philosophy and Theology in Modern Times

By Dr. Shoaib A. Malik
Summary by Al Balagh Academy

Introduction

In his editorial for the Journal of Islamic Philosophy, Dr. Shoaib A. Malik outlines the trajectory and transformation of Islamic studies over the past century—from its orientalist beginnings to a more inclusive, scholarly, and self-critical discipline. He argues for moving beyond mere historical documentation toward constructive theological engagement that meets the philosophical and scientific questions of our time.

The editorial introduces a special journal issue showcasing scholarly contributions that revive Islamic philosophical theology and illustrate its contemporary relevance. It emphasizes the integration of Islamic tradition with modern philosophical discourse, tackling themes like divine action, causality, love, miracles, atheism, and Neoplatonic arguments for God's existence.

🔑 Key Themes Explored

• Decolonizing Islamic Studies
  Modern scholarship is shifting away from orientalist simplifications and reclaiming the complexity of Muslim intellectual traditions.

• From Description to Normativity
  The article calls for scholars to move from cataloguing historical positions to developing exploratory and normative frameworks for modern challenges.

• Islam and Philosophy of Religion
  The issue’s contributors engage with pressing issues such as God’s existence, evolution, science-theology interface, and miracles using classical Islamic thought.

• Reviving Classical Traditions
  Thinkers like al-Māturīdī, al-Ghazālī, and others are shown to offer profound insights for contemporary theological and philosophical discussions.

🧠 Notable Contributions in the Issue

• Khalil Andani presents a contemporary Islamic Neoplatonic argument for God’s existence, challenging modern theistic arguments.

• Ramon Harvey & David Jalajel explore al-Māturīdī’s Divine Action Model, reconciling free will, causality, and empirical science.

• Zain Ali argues that love as an existential experience is better explained by theism than naturalism.

• David S. Jalajel compares New Atheism, Intelligent Design, and Sunni theological views to show the coherence of Islamic divine action.

• Shoaib Malik & Karim Kocsenda systematically explain miracles in Ashʿarī theology, setting conditions for prophetic miracles and their theological weight.

🌍 Why This Matters Today

• Encourages Muslim theologians and philosophers to confidently enter global academic discussions.

• Offers new models for addressing science-religion conflict, atheism, and secular ethics through Islamic theological lenses.

• Revives rational theological inquiry (Kalām Jadīd) rooted in traditional Islamic schools of thought, but oriented towards modern concerns.

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