Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles.
"Islamic scholars" redirects here. For Islamic legal scholars, see Ulema.
MODERN-DAY SCHOLARS
Entries on this page feature Modern-Day Muslim Scholars from 1900 onwards.
To be listed in the main body as a scholar, significant amount of "scholarly work on Islam/Qur'an in print or on audio-visual media", are considered necessary.
For Muslim scholars from earlier eras (before 1900), refer to other lists on Wikipedia.
Entries on this page are organized primarily by Nation/Region where the scholar spent most of his/her career.
Entries are accompanied by a brief pen sketch of the scholars background and accomplishments.
GENERAL IMAMS and AUTHORS
Imams, Preachers, Educators, Reformists and General Authors on Islam will be moved to the bottom of the page in a separate category "General Writers and Speakers (GW&S)".
Refer to the GW&S section before posting what you may think is a missing scholar. As the person of your choice may already be listed in the GW&S, not having met the criteria of what is considered here to be a scholar.
If you disagree with an entry being considered as a "scholar", kindly move entry to the GW&S section. Do not delete entries from this page out of consideration of others who may differ with you on what constitutes a scholar and what does not.
MUST HAVE WIKI ENTRY
Entries in the main section MUST HAVE their own wiki page to be listed here as a scholar.
If scholar does not have his/her own wiki Entry, he/she is moved to the bottom of the page under MISSING WIKI ENTRY.
Hamza Yusuf - (1960-) Public speaker, Shaykh Hamza spent years studying Islam and Arabic in the Muslim world following his conversion in 1977. Recently founded California-based Zaytuna Institute to implement his vision of a revival of islamic sciences.
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips - (1952-) Jamaican-born Dr. Philips of Canada has virtually lived overseas since his conversion, for decades studying and preaching in Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, UK, and U.A.E. at various times. A popular TV personality, he is also a prolific author of numerous books and audio material.
Imam Zaid Shakir - (1956-) Closely associated with Hamza Yusuf, like whom, he converted to Islam in 1977 and studied in Syria for seven years thereafter and now features at the Zaytuna Institute in California.
Leila Ahmed - (1940-) Egyptian-born Ahmed is a professor of Women's Studies and Religion at Harvard and has authored works on Islamic history and Muslim feminism.
Laleh Bakhtiar - (1938-) Chicago-based Iranian-American Muslim convert Dr. Bakhtiar is a psychologist, book publisher, editor, translator of numerous classical works, including 'The Sublime Quran, an English translation of the Qur'an. She has lectured extensively in both academic and religious institutions.
Asma Barlas - (1950-) Pakistani-born Prof. Barlas of New York is the author of several books on Islam and Muslims with emphasis of emancipatory interpretation of the Quran and Islamic feminism.
Ingrid Mattson - (1963-) Canadian Muslim convert Prof. Mattson holds a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago. In 2001 she was elected Vice-President of ISNA and in 2006 she was elected the first female President of the organization.
Amina Wadud - (1952-) American Muslim convert Prof. Wadud is an Islamic feminist, imam, scholar, author and activist and a visiting professor at Gadyah Mada University's Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies in Indonesia.
Jamal Badawi - Egyptian-born Prof. Badawi is a long-time faculty at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is a well-known author, activist, preacher and speaker on Islam and Muslims, having researched and starred in a 352-segment television series on Islam.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr - (1933-) Iranian-born Prof. Nasr from George Washington University is a prolific writer in the fields of Islamic Esotericism, Sufism, Philosophy of Science, and Metaphysics.
Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo - (1960-) Former Imam of the Islamic Center of Boulder, Colorado, UC-Berkley graduate Imam Zarabozo, originally of Spanish heritage, is a prolific writer.
Taha Jabir Alalwani - (1935-) Iraqi-born Dr. Alalwani was previously chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America. He writes frequently on the Islamization of Knowledge, the need for Ijtihad, and Muslim Minority Jurisprudence.
Muqtedar Khan - (1966-) Indian-born Prof and Director of Islamic Studies at the University of Delaware has authored several books and articles on Islam, philosophy, international and interfaith relations.
Ahmad Kutty - (1946-) Dr. Kutty, originally from Kerala, India, is a long-time founding member of numerous Islamic organizations in Canada, having completed his Doctoral studies in Shari’ah thought at McGill University.
Wael Hallaq - (1955-) Palestinian-American Dr. Hallaq is Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University and has numerous academic works in the field of Islamic Law and Philosophy to his credit.
Jerald F. Dirks - (1950-) Dr. Dirks is a former ordained Methodist minister, Harvard Divinity College graduate, Muslim convert and popular author of several books on Islam and Christianity.
Muzammil H. Siddiqi - (1943-) is an American Islamic scholar, theologian and chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America.
Khaled Abou El Fadl - (1963-) is a professor of law at the UCLA School of Law where he teaches Islamic law, immigration, human rights, international and national security law.
Omid Safi - is Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill where he specializes on Islamic mysticism (Sufism), contemporary Islamic thought and medieval Islamic history.
Great Britain
Abu-Abdullah Adelabu - London based Nigerian born Muslim cleric, academic and publisher is the founder and Amir (i.e. President) of Awqaf Africa London and Awqaf Africa Muslim Open College. Sheikh Adelabu studied in DamascusSyria, where he obtained a Ph. D. Degree. His students are behind several Islamic publications including EsinIslam.com, IslamAfrica.com and Delab International magazine.e
Ahmad Thomson - Rhodesian-born British barrister and Muslim convert Ahmad Thomson is a high profile public figure for Islam in Britain, with several books to his credit.
Abdalqadir as-Sufi - (1930-) Scotsman Abdalqadir as-Sufi is the leader of the Darqawi-Shadhili-Qadiri Sufi Tariqa, founder of the influential Murabitun Movement and author of numerous books on Islam, Sufism (Tasawwuf) and political theory.
Abdal Hakim Murad - (1960-) High profile British convert T.J. Winter is Shaykh Zayed Lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity at Cambridge University and has several translations of classical works to his credit.
Ivan Aguéli - Shaykh Abd al-Hadi Aqhili (1869–1917) Swedish-born Sufi and Islamic feminist.
Muhammad Asad - (1900–1992) German Jewish journalist and later foreign correspondent to the Middle East, Leopold Weiss converted to Islam and wrote several books including a highly regarded translation of the Qur'an.
Tariq Ramadan - (1962-) Born in Switzerland to exiled Egyptian parents. He has written several major works primarily on Islamic theology and the position of Muslims in Europe.
Frithjof Schuon - (1907–1998) Swiss-born Frithjof Schuon was known as a philosopher, metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality, writing primarily in French. He is also considered one of the chief representatives of the Perennialist School.
The Arabian Peninsula (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and Gulf States)
Fatema Mernissi (1940-) is a Moroccan professor, lecturer, feminist writer and sociologist. Her work explores Islam and the role of women in it, analyzing the historical development of Islamic thought.
Ahmad Raza Khan - (1886–1921), Grand islamic scholar of India, reformist, mufti, poet, translator of Holy Quran, prolific writer, mohaddis and activist known for his work on Fiqah-e-Hanafi.
Asghar Ali Engineer - (1939-), Indian born Islamic scholar, reformist-writer and activist known for his work on liberation theology in Islam.
Shah Baleeghuddin - (1924–2009) Charismatic public speaker, renowned Islamic scholar, author, speaker, broadcaster and former member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Muhammad Najeeb Sultan - (1978-), Lahore Pakistan. Founder of new dimensions in Modern Sufism. Introduced Modern attributes in philosophy of Wahdat al-Wajuud.
Top topics
Wikis
Search