Islamic Civilisation and the Modern World: Thematic Essays

Author: Osman Bakar

Publisher: Islamic Book Trust

ISBN: 9789991712703

Year: 2018

Pages: 364 pp

Price: RM65

This book presents a thematic treatment of Islamic civilisation. Each of the fourteen chapters comprising this book treats at least one of the major themes that are characteristic of this youngest religiously-based civilisation of the world. The author’s thematic approach is primarily meant to promote a better appreciation of the living nature of Islamic civilisation. The book’s content provides ample evidence that Islamic civilisation is not merely a passing historical phenomenon. The various themes it discusses clearly demonstrate the continuing relevance of Islamic civilisation to the present and future humanity.

Among the many interesting ideas explored in the book are the three types of a civilisation’s global presence, the Qur’anic theory of the identity of the Muslim ummah and the identity of Islamic civilisation, tawhidic epistemology, the core content of a knowledge culture, the wisdom of medical pluralism, the theory of Islam and the three waves of globalisation, the marriage between ethnicity and religiosity to produce certain types of civilisations, and civilisational renewal in relation to Maqasid al-shari’ah. There are many appealing features of the book that would help attract positive responses and critiques from readers thereby helping to contribute to a more enlightened discourse on Islamic civilisation.

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Osman Bakar, a doctorate in Islamic philosophy from Temple University, Philadelphia (USA) is currently Chair Professor and Director of Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre of Islamic Studies (SOASCIS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Formerly Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia at the Prince Talal al-Waleed Center for Muslim - Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, Washington DC he is also Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Malaya. Dr Bakar is an author of 18 books and more than 300 articles on various aspects of Islamic thought and civilization, particularly Islamic science and philosophy. His most well-known books are Classification of Knowledge in Islam (1992) and Tawhid and Science (1992).