Islamic Studies: A Transdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Integration of religious sciences (‘ulum al-din) in the traditional sense, Islamic thought (fikr al-Islami) produced by Muslim scholars and leaders, and Islamic studies (dirasat Islamiyah) in a wider sense, includes the study of Islamic practice reflected in a variety of Islamic cultures subsumed under an Islamic civilization. As such, integration between revealed and acquired knowledge becomes important. This integration can occur not only because of a synergy between the treasures contained in classical Islamic sciences (turath) and contemporary scholarly discourse, but also because of the scientific enrichment afforded by the development of the transdisciplinary approach. Such approach uses specially constructed methodology from as many disciplines as needed to solve complex problems faced by the world and its inhabitants today such as climate change, financial crisis, natural disasters, political upheavals, ideological violence, and disenfranchised majority or minority. Ali Shariati’s concept of rausyanfikr (enlightened thinker) is especially relevant for the this methodology, as such thinkers do not only ‘discover things’ or ‘present facts’, but also ‘find truth’ and ‘create history’. Using existing literature, this paper examines the transdisciplinary approach, shows its relevance for Islamic studies, and highlights the concept of cosmopolitan Islam and ‘enlightened’ Muslim intellectuals.