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Islamic Theology - Research Team

The research group focuses on the study of Islamic Theology as a scientific academic discipline and praxis both from an inside and outside perspective in the Dutch and European/Western context. Special attention is paid to the place and function of Islam in the Netherlands and Europe.

The general research framework of the group is studying Islamic sources and traditions interdisciplinarily in their premodern and modern contexts; exegesis and hermeneutics, history, jurisprudence, systematic theology, philosophy, ethics, spiritual care, and Muslims in the context of liberal democracy and a secular rule of law. Focusing on the development of academic Islamic theology, the project fosters systematic (hermeneutical, contextual, and dialogical) reflection on the Islamic discursive tradition in a Western context.

The following generic core research areas offer specific research clusters that reflect the expertise of the group members and can help (Re-)MA and PhD students to develop their future research plans: Exegesis and hermeneutics of the sources (Quran and Sunna); Fiqh and ethics; Creed and systematic theology; Practical and political theology; Islamic history and the contemporary Muslim world; Philology and manuscript studies; Interreligious studies and intercultural theology; Spiritual care; Islamic religious leadership; Islam, modernity and secular society.

Research Team - Islamic Theology

  • Mission

    The research group mission includes:

    a) providing a reliable and academic space for the contextual and interdisciplinary study of Islam

    b) the enhancement of research and education in the growing field of Islamic theology in the Netherlands and Europe,

    c) the facilitation of interdisciplinary and interreligious cooperation on national and international levels

    d) contributing to knowledge transfer and the social impact of academic research through common research projects in and outside the Netherlands . Is this respect, both research and education are inseparable and interwoven academic fields.

     

    Key words here are:

    a) hermeneutical (understanding Islam from the sources and trying to understand faith responsibly in the present)

    b) contextual (in the Dutch/Western/Cosmopolitan context)

    c) dialogic (in conversation with a diversity of worldviews).

  • Goals

    The team is committed to the strategic aim to become a centre for academic expertise, education and research in the field of Islam.

    This shapes the following goals for the years 2021-2024:

    a) more publications in peer-reviewed journals

    b) applying for research funding to acquire a large-scale research project

    c) increasing the number of PhD projects (at least two)

    d) yearly organisation of an international conference, symposium or colloquium with more attention to proceeding/volume publications

    e) the investment in European/international network for co-projects, fund proposals and cooperation.

  • Team

    Team leader

    Yaser Ellethy

    Team members

    Mohamed Ajouaou

    Mehdi Berriah

    Welmoet Boender

    Pieter Coppens

    Nelly van Doorn-Harder

    Razi Quadir

    Jumana al-Ahmad

    Saman Mahdevar

    Humaira Naurouzi

    All CIT staff members, PhD students and (in case of) Re-MA students participate in this research group. A number of international PhD students are also actively present. In accordance with the strategic plan, all staff members commit to the publication criterion (one staff member has a small appointment 0.2 FTE, another member, also with a small appointment, is completing his PhD. However, they do their best to meet the (minimum) requirements of research and valorisation and participate actively in the research group). Four participants are (international) PhD students, two of whom are active in the field of publishing and research projects.

  • Disciplines

    Literary, Historical, Systematic, Empirical

  • Possible thesis topics

    Suggested generic areas of research for theses and PhDs:

    -          Exegesis and hermeneutics of the sources (Quran and Sunna).

    -          (Minority) fiqh and ethics in the European-Western context.

    -          Intra-Islamic theology, interreligious studies and intercultural theology.

    -          Practical and political theology with focus on Islam, secularism, modernity, liberal democracy and sustainable development.

    -          Practicing Islamic spiritual care in an interfaith setting. New horizons for Muslim chaplaincy (educational institutions, police …etc).

    -          Islamic religious leadership and gender studies.

    -          Islamic history and the contemporary Muslim world.

    -          Philology, manuscript studies and digital humanities.

  • Possible PhD Topics

    The following generic core research areas offer specific research clusters that reflect the expertise of the group members and can help (Re-)MA and PhD students to develop their future research plans: Exegesis and hermeneutics of the sources (Quran and Sunna); Fiqh and ethics; Creed and systematic theology; Practical and political theology; Islamic history and the contemporary Muslim world; Philology and manuscript studies; Interreligious studies and intercultural theology; Spiritual care; Islamic religious leadership; Islam, modernity and secular society.

    Suggested generic areas of research for theses and PhDs:

    -          Exegesis and hermeneutics of the sources (Quran and Sunna).

    -          (Minority) fiqh and ethics in the European-Western context.

    -          Intra-Islamic theology, interreligious studies and intercultural theology.

    -          Practical and political theology with focus on Islam, secularism, modernity, liberal democracy and sustainable development.

    -          Practicing Islamic spiritual care in an interfaith setting. New horizons for Muslim chaplaincy (educational institutions, police …etc).

    -          Islamic religious leadership and gender studies.

    -          Islamic history and the contemporary Muslim world.

    -          Philology, manuscript studies and digital humanities.

  • Collaboration Senior and Junior Researchers

    Proposals from junior researchers, including PhD students and Re-MA students, are presented on the basis of a pre-sent document, thoroughly discussed and provided with feedback from all participants in the presence of the supervisors/promoters. The individual concrete feedback is collected afterwards in digital form and sent to the relevant member. International PhD students and Re-MA students (if any) participate in the group with pieces/chapters from their theses, sometimes with a view to publication. Junior members are also engaged by playing organizational roles (session chairing, secretarial role, coordinating activities)

  • Connection with education

    The team contributes to the education and valorisation programs of the FRT by developing research-based curricula, teaching and supervising theses in the BA, Minors, pre-MA, MA, PAO and HOVO programs.

  • Academic relevance and societal urgency

    Religion/Islam still matters in our postmodern world. Our academic endeavor is significantly informed by problem-based research and education seeking liaisons between belief and praxis and the societal urgency of challenging issues. This is reflected in the alignment of education and research with the valorization and investment of academic knowledge in service of the community and the broader society by a) addressing social-relevant challenges related to religion b) facilitating access of different social groups to our output and c) being informed and utilizing feedback form our communities and social partners (Community-outreach publications, public lectures, HOVO-courses, PAO-PIN programs, tailor-made courses for stakeholders and social partners)

  • Connection with centers/institutes

    All staff members of the Center for Islamic Theology (CIT) participate in this research group. The group seeks and establishes contacts with various national and international research bodies through the involvement of the team members in these bodies and centers (e.g. The Amsterdam Center for Religion and Sustainable Development (ACRSD), the Center for Religion and Law (CRR), NISIS, NOSTER, ESITIS, Faculty of Theology Bonn, German Centers for Islamic Theology (CIT Tübingen), Faculty of Theology in Sarajevo, Univ Sunan Kalijaga –Yogyakarta, Indonesian-Dutch Consortium for Christian-Muslim Relations, Al-Azhar Uinv, Center Français the Recherche de la Peninsule Arabique (CEFREPA) …ea). In addition, several members are involved in other teams and co-projects (spiritual care, digital humanities, the future of academic theology/religious studies, co-project handbook spiritual care in an interreligious context, co-project inclusion-exclusion in Biblical and Islam scriptures)

  • Methods

    The team employs a variety of research-methods depending on the topic, the discipline and the state of art in the relevant research field to study Islam as a discursive tradition. Literature research, historical-critical methods and hermeneutics of the source-texts are common in Islamic theology and Islamology. However, the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods become mandatory especially in field-research areas such as spiritual care studies on psychic treatment and palliative care (Islamic chaplaincy and acute psychic trauma’s, suicidality, sedation, euthanasia, etc.)