Research at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) centres around the ten general principles of Islam Hadhari. These principles address the political, legal, scientific, intellectual and social aspects of Islam in modern Muslim society. At the current stage of development, priority is given to the conceptualization and further elaboration of Islam Hadhari.

I Overall Concept, Definition and Objectives of Islam Hadhari
II Faith in God and Piety
III Just and Trustworthy Government
IV The Islamic Conception of Freedom
V Knowledge and the Pursuit of Excellence
VI Balanced Economic Development
VII A Good Quality of Life
VIII Rights of Women and Minorities
IX Cultural and Moral Integrity
X Safeguarding the Environment: A Shared Concern
XI Fiqh-based Harmonisation of Halal Standards
XII Outlines of a Model Islamic Family Law
XIII Advancing Interfaith/Inter-civilisational Dialogue



I. Overall Concept, Definition and Objectives of Islam Hadhari

  1. The meaning of Islam Hadhari, its objectives and component principles

  2. Terminology, definition and conceptual analysis of Islam Hadhari

  3. Islam Hadhari and its grounding in the authentic teachings of Islam

  4. Islam Hadhari and the goals and purposes of Shari'ah

  5. The role of renewal, reform and ijtihad in Islam Hadhari

  6. The role of Islam Hadhari in the policy program of the Government of Malaysia

  7. Curbing extremist interpretations of Islam through the Islam Hadhari approach

  8. The Qur’anic principle of moderation and balance and the quest to promote faith and piety among Muslims

  9. Identifying the priorities of Islam Hadhari for Malaysia and other Muslim countries: what are the most challenging issues?

  10. Social harmony in multi-religious societies from the perspective of Islam Hadhari

  11. Consistency and convergence between the various principles of Islam Hadhari

II. Faith in God and Piety

  1. Identifying and developing the most effective ways and methods of teaching Islam to a modern generation of Muslims

  2. Divine Unity and its implications for society and civilisation

  3. Ritualism and substance in the understanding of faith and piety in Islam

  4. Islam and Islamic values in the constitution and laws of Malaysia

  5. Faith and piety: how are they manifested in the school and university curricula in Malaysia and other Muslim countries?

  6. Islam in the constitutions and laws of Muslim countries

  7. Freedom of religion and religious practices in Malaysia: problems and prospects

  8. Apostasy and the challenges it poses in Malaysia and other Muslim countries

III. Just and Trustworthy Government

  1. Principles of governance in Islam: accountability and trust

  2. Social justice and the issue of equitable distribution of wealth: an Islamic perspective

  3. Advancing harmony between the Shariah and civil laws: problems and prospects

  4. Separation or unity in the cause of justice: issues of jurisdiction between civil and Syriah courts in Malaysia

  5. Justice and the role and rule of law in the Muslim world: problems and prospects

  6. Abuse of trust and corruption: an Islamic perspective

  7. Malaysia’s anti-corruption campaign under Abdullah Badawi’s leadership

IV. The Islamic Conception of Freedom

  1. Freedom from within: the role of tawhid and taqwa in the formation of Islamic  personality

  2. The liberated individual: lessons from the Qur’an and hadith

  3. Civil liberties as manifested in the constitution and laws of Malaysia

  4. Freedom of expression and freedom from unlawful arrest: problems and prospects

  5. Freedom in Islam and the liberal West: similarities and differences

  6. The gap between the theory and practice of constitutional freedoms in Muslim countries 


V. Knowledge and the Pursuit of Excellence

  1. Tawhid and knowledge: a holistic approach to education in Islam

  2. Advancing a perspective on knowledge: its priorities and characteristics in the writings of leading educationalists of Islam

  3. The role of inductive/experimental methods in Islamic epistemology

  4. Religion and science from the Islamic perspective

  5. Overcoming dualities: a comparative analysis of Islamic and modern educational methods

  6. The Islamic university movement: mission, priorities and challenges

  7. Knowledge and capacity building: the Islam Hadhari approach

VI. Balanced Economic Development

  1. Advancing the people’s welfare: an Islamic perspective

  2. The role of distributive justice in a balanced economy

  3. The role of charities and charitable endowments in advancing a balanced economy

  4. Trade and commerce: lessons from the Qur’an and hadith

  5. Aspiring to excellence in the workplace according to Islam

  6. Islamic business ethics and the role of morality in economic development

  7. Islamic banking and finance: past achievements and future challenges

  8. Towards a better system of collection and administration of zakah in Malaysia

VII. A Good Quality of Life

  1. Identifying the salient components of a good life

  2. The moral and material dimensions of well-being: an Islamic perspective

  3. Human dignity in the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah

  4. Good living and the civilisational objectives of Islam Hadhari

  5. Capacity building, human development, and the quality of life in Muslim countries

VIII. Rights of Women and Minorities

  1. Islam and pluralism: theological and juristic perspectives           

  2. Adapting the fiqh tradition to contemporary realities: the role of the maqasid and ijtihad

  3. Social harmony and development: two of the overriding themes of Islam Hadhari

  4. Religious fraternity and human fraternity in the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah

  5. Fiqh of minorities with special reference to the rights of Muslim minorities in non-Muslim majority countries

  6. Closing the ranks and advancing unity between the Sunnis and Shias

  7. A survey of the laws of Malaysia concerning women: problems and prospects

  8. Developing outlines of a model Islamic family law

IX. Cultural and Moral Integrity

  1. Culture, custom and civilisation: similarities and differences

  2. The quest for virtue: a perennial challenge and a common denominator of all great civilisations

  3. Empowering the legal struggle against corruption with the teachings of Islam

  4. Moral integrity and the challenges of rampant secularity among Muslims

  5. Sex education without promiscuity

  6. Protecting the moral fabric of society without invasion of privacy: problems and prospects

X. Safeguarding the Environment: A Shared Concern

  1. Spiritual and ecological degradation: the inter-linkage of issues

  2. Protecting the natural environment: lessons from the Qur’an

  3. Man as the trustee and custodian of the earth: the Islamic principles of Divine Oneness (tawhid), vicegerency, and trusteeship (amanah)

  4. Taking responsibility for environmental damage and rehabilitation: an Islamic perspective

  5. Malaysia’s agricultural policies under Abdullah Badawi’s leadership             

XI. Fiqh-based Harmonisation of Halal Standards

  1. Basic guidelines on the determination of halal and haram

  2. A comparative analysis of the various schools of fiqh on halal foods

  3. The role of custom in the popular acceptance or rejection of foods and beverages

  4. Developing methodological guidelines for the harmonization of global halal standards: problems and prospects

XII. Outlines of a Model Islamic Family Law

  1. Identifying issues affecting the status of family law in different countries and regions of the Muslim world

  2. Islamic family law reform: past achievements and future challenges

  3. The failure of prescriptive legal reforms: a reappraisal of strategies

  4. Toward an egalitarian regime of family law: the role of maqasid and ijtihad

XIII. Advancing Interfaith/Inter-civilisational Dialogue

  1. Beyond platitudes: attempts to identify approaches toward a meaningful dialogue of civilisations

  2. Common grounds and values among world religions

  3. The role of faith and reason in the conduct of interfaith dialogue

  4. Taking stock of Malaysia’s interfaith dialogue: problems and prospects
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