Hamdard Islamicus

The Qur’an: An Introduction

2026-10-08T09:41:01+00:00

Abdullah Saeed, the Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, Australia, has extensively contributed to Quranic studies and modern Islamic thought. In the former area, a few of his notable works include Interpreting the Qur’Én: Towards a Contemporary Approach (2006), Reading the Qur’Én in the Twenty-First Century: A Contextualist Approach (2014), and Contemporary Muslim Quranic Hermeneutics (ed., 2026). Below is presented a brief assessment of the 2nd edition of his The Qur’Én: An Introduction (first published in 2008).

Global Leaders in Islamic Finance: Industry Milestones and Reflections

2026-10-08T09:41:14+00:00

Global Leaders in Islamic Finance is a unique book that profiles individuals who have contributed to the field of Islamic finance, drawing on interviews conducted with them. The book aims to convey the first hand experiences of these individuals, to share the turning points in Islamic finance with readers, and to pass on the sector's legacy to future generations. In reviewing Global Leaders in Islamic Finance, it is important to first note that the criteria cited for selecting the featured pioneers—namely, their living status and their ability to share experiences from various sectors—are highly subjective. Although the selected individuals have made significant contributions to Islamic finance, the author's failure to clearly and objectively explain these selection criteria stands as a primary criticism of the work. Furthermore, the inclusion of other views expressed by Prince Mohamed Al Faisal Al Saud—which are not directly related to the technical or institutional structure of Islamic finance, but are rather of a political, theological, sociological, and philosophical nature—has also drawn academic scrutiny, setting a critical context for the remainder of the book. It specifically focuses on ten pioneering leaders who have broken new ground in Islamic finance and contributed to its development.

THE COGNITIVE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANIMAL IMAGERY IN SELECTED HOLY QURANIC VERSES

2024-05-17T10:09:29+00:00

The dominance of animal imagery in the Holy Qur’an is already recognized in recent scholarship as having a symbolic and metaphoric role, but still, the synthesis that would bring together modern cognitive linguistic paradigms with traditional Islamic exegesis is not found. This article attempts to fill such a gap by providing a twofold-perspective analysis, by combining the cognitive meaning of such imagery with its symbolic implications in an Islamic hermeneutic perspective. This research is a qualitative which operationalized the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT henceforth) as theorized by Lakoff and Johnson. An intentionally eight verses of animal images of the Holy Qur’an were chosen to analyze spider, ant, bee, fly, gnat/mosquito, dog, donkey, and cow. The insights provided by the classics of Arabic rhetoric, especially that of Al-Jurjani, and by exegetical literature of Al-Zamakhshari and Al-Razi, were then triangulated with the cognitive readings in order to situate the metaphors in the cultural and theological spaces. The results indicate that the use of animal images in the Holy Qur’an is an incredibly complex rhetorical and cognitive tool. This convergent method supports the fact that the i‘jaz of the Quranic language, the text has an impact on the cognitive-linguistic and symbolic-rhetorical planes, at the same time, providing a more profound understanding of its persuasive power. By expanding the data considerably and introducing classical rhetorical and exegetical views, the study stresses the amount of symbolic significance that animal imagery has been attributed in the Holy Qur’an .

PROPHET MUḤAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) AND ‘UYAYNAH B. ḤIṢN (R.A.): A CASE STUDY OF EARLY ISLAMIC INTERTRIBAL DIPLOMACY

2026-08-11T11:11:42+00:00

This source-critical article examines the political and interpersonal dynamics that defined the relationship between Muḥammad (The Final Prophet of Allah, Peace be upon him, his Progeny and Companions) and the Najdī chieftain ‘Uyaynah b. Ḥiṣn al-Fazārī (Allah be pleased with him). Methodologically, it compares parallel and conflicting reports within the sīra–maghāzī and historical traditions, distinguishing where possible between what the sources explicitly attest and what their evidence permits historians reasonably to infer. Although ‘Uyaynah (Allah be pleased with him) is repeatedly depicted as a disruptive and opportunistic figure — raiding the Prophet’s camel herds, opposing Islam in the Battle of the Trench, and threatening armed resistance at Khaybar — he also emerges as a man whose allegiance the Prophet (peace be upon him) actively courted and whose presence was tolerated even in symbolically charged moments such as the conquest of Mecca. This study argues that dealings of Muḥammad (The Final Prophet of Allah, Peace be upon him, his Progeny and Companions) with ‘Uyaynah (Allah be pleased with him) highlight a crucial aspect of the Medinan polity: its pragmatic engagement with powerful tribal actors who remained outside or on the margins of Islam until very late. By reconstructing ‘Uyaynah’s political trajectory from pre-Islamic sayyid of the Banū Fazārah and a GhaÏafānī commander to a late convert included among “those who hearts are to be reconciled”, the article sheds light on the strategies through which Muḥammad (The Final Prophet of Allah, Peace be upon him, his Progeny and Companions) sought to neutralize threats, secure alliances, and extend authority into the Najd. In turn, the case of ‘Uyaynah challenges simplistic binary categories of Muslim and unbeliever, revealing instead a fluid diplomatic situation in which negotiation, inducement, and symbolic inclusion operated alongside religious persuasion.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL ISLAMIC PARENTING PRACTICES: EVIDENCE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISLAMIC PARENTING STYLE SCALE

2026-04-28T11:12:49+00:00

This study aimed to explore the development of standards for Islamic parenting practices, emphasizing the distinct yet complementary roles of fathers and mothers. Drawing on psychological research, Islamic teachings, and Muslim scholars’ perspectives, this study examines how religious considerations shape the parenting styles of both mothers and fathers. Muslim parents need evidence-based, successful intervention programs, but the creation of trustworthy and valid measuring tools, like the Islamic Parenting Style Scale (IPSS), is essential to the program's success. The study's two main goals were to (1) establish the framework of the Islamic parenting style with a father and mother version and (2) create IPSS norms for parents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After EFA and inter-item correlation, 64 items for the father version (N=409) and 66 items for the mother version (N= 409) were retained to be included in the final analysis of CFA. EFA suggested a three-factor structure for the IPSS, including the cognitive/reflective, guidance/supervision, and compassionate domains. CFA confirmed these three factors, with 28 items for the father version (N=250) and 25 items for the mother version (N=250). As a psychometrically robust tool, the IPSS provides future users with a highly valid and reliable way to measure three major aspects of Islamic parenting. Findings add to understanding gender-specific forms of Islamic parenting, extending earlier scale validation work through comparison analysis.” It is predicted that the IPSS will expand academics' understanding of Islamic parenting techniques among Muslim populations. This presents considerable promise for accurate evaluations and successful, focused parenting interventions in the Muslim community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

MUSLIMS IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND COPING MECHANISMS

2026-01-14T03:46:15+00:00

This research investigates the challenges faced by Muslim teachers, academic staff, and students who experienced difficulties when having become involved in a Catholic high school, and uncovers the coping mechanisms they use to overcome the challenges they face due to differences in beliefs and habits. This research uses descriptive qualitative analysis with data collection tools in open questionnaires and in-depth interviews with educators, academic staff, and students regarding the challenges and coping mechanisms they used while involved in Catholic high schools in Indonesia. In this research it has been significantly demonstrated that educators, academic staff, and Muslim students involved in Catholic religious education units cannot avoid challenges, whether they arise from differences in perspective, worship habits, values, the involvement of close relatives, or even special policies established by the school for Muslims. However, each challenge faced by each educator, academic staff, and student has its their own coping mechanism, thus contributing positively to enriching tolerance between religious communities without damaging Islamic values and faith of Muslims in the professional realm.

EXAMINING THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF GCC ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL INDICES: INSIGHTS FROM A QUANTILE VAR NETWORK ANALYSIS

2026-05-08T13:15:58+00:00

Utilizing daily data spanning from 2015 to 2024 and employing quantile VAR spillover models, the present study investigates the interconnections of the GCC Islamic vs. Conventional Indices, specifically focusing on Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, UAE, and Saudia Arabia. The study's findings suggest an average of 51.59% interconnectedness among the designated indices. Thus, the findings reveal a weak connection between Islamic indices compared to overall markets. Saudi Arabia is the strong net transmitter (11.55%) of spillover after Bahrain (16.47%), while Jordan is the biggest net recipient 14.19% of spillover, followed by Oman 13.78%. Among all, Kuwait is the least connected market. Saudi Arabia's Islamic is a strong recipient of spillover shocks compared to all other Islamic indices. Thus, the study reveals diversification avenues and recommends that investors may consider Kuwait for parking their funds because of the least connectivity and greater diversification.

2026-10-08T09:41:01+00:00

Table of Contents

Editorial

2026-10-08T09:41:01+00:00

Editorial