BEYOND ISLAMIZATION: RETHINKING ISLAMIC KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY

Author: Indonesia & Malaysia

Abstract

The Islamization of Knowledge project, pioneered by Ismail Raji al Faruqi and further developed by Syed Muhammad Naquib al Attas through his concept of the Islamization of the mind (de Westernization), represents one of the most ambitious intellectual enterprises of twentieth century Islamic thought. However, despite its foundational importance, the project has attracted sustained critique regarding its epistemological assumptions, methodological coherence, and practical limitations. This article offers a rigorous critical reassessment of both frameworks, situating them within the broader landscape of contemporary Islamic intellectual discourse. Drawing on a systematic review of primary and secondary sources, this study interrogates the enduring relevance, unresolved tensions, and productive possibilities of the Islamization project. The article proposes a post Islamization paradigm that moves beyond binary frameworks of East/West or sacred/secular, embracing epistemic pluralism, decolonial critique, and contextually embedded Islamic knowledge production. The findings suggest that while the Islamization project laid indispensable groundwork, twenty first century Islamic scholarship requires more nuanced, dialogical, and empirically engaged frameworks capable of addressing the complex realities of Muslim majority societies globally.