From 18-19 January 2024, the St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology (University of St Andrews, UK) and the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM, Malaysia) co-hosted the international conference, Islamic Theology: Uniting Diverse Voices. The event was held at ISTAC-IIUM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and officiated by YB Senator Dr Zulkifli bin Hasan, Deputy Minister in the Prine Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs.
In a divided world increasingly dominated by extremist ideologies, the conference was dedicated to the recovery and appreciation of Islamic theology in its widest possible sense, and for a modern Muslim audience. By positioning Islamic thought within the context of Divine Unity (tawhid), the conference fostered a balanced and moderate perspective capable of avoiding literalist interpretations, while also integrating kalam with the fields of tafsir (Qur’anic interpretation), falsafa (philosophy), tasawwuf (mysticism), and fiqh (jurisprudence). This timely intervention included many excellent presentations by leading Muslim scholars drawn from around the world, including important keynote addresses by Professor Dr Timothy Winter (University of Cambridge), Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar (ISTAC), Professor Dr Andrew Peacock (University of St Andrews), and Associate Professor Khairudin Aljunied (National University of Singapore).
Sponsors
St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology is supported by St Mary’s College of the University of St Andrews (UK) and generously funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
