Islamic Studies in educational institutions play a crucial role in preserving the authenticity of religious discourse and developing Sharia sciences in a way that qualifies them to contribute to the movement of development, modernization, renewal, and reform.

However, when we examine the reality of these studies in Arab and Islamic universities, it becomes clear how far behind most of them are in fulfilling this role. Their curricula have been dominated by a kind of rigidity and stagnation within closed circles, preventing the opening of broad horizons for serious scientific research expected to provide visions and propose approaches that would contribute to building bridges between religion and science, text and reason, Sharia and philosophy.

It is also noticeable that the content of many of their curricula has been clearly influenced by visions far removed from science, its principles and methods, or by perceptions that confine them to the realm of history and the past, rendering them stagnant and rigid.

Today, Muslim societies are in dire need of investing this knowledge in building human beings, developing nations, and advancing what benefits humanity from various fields of knowledge and science.

Therefore, it has become necessary to propose ideas and formulate visions for rebuilding Islamic Studies in accordance with achieving these noble goals, in light of visions of integration and harmony between the sciences of language, humanity, nature, and religions.

This cognitive integration should be considered when determining educational outcomes in formulating religious education programs, to build conscious and balanced religious leaders who combine humanities and Sharia knowledge, enabling them to understand their societies, perceive their real needs and future aspirations, and produce a new religious discourse that contributes to meeting those needs.

In fulfillment of its scientific and research mission, Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities has chosen the topic of its second annual international conference to be:

The choice of this topic comes in the context of the major challenges facing the field of Islamic Studies in the current era. The University seeks to stimulate ideas and invest in experiences, with the aim of extracting recommendations for developing Islamic Studies, from curriculum renewal to improving outcomes.

The Scientific Committee proposes addressing the topic through the following themes:

This theme describes the reality of Islamic Studies programs across three topics:

1- Islamic Studies in official universities.
2- Islamic Studies: The Islamization of knowledge model.
3- Islamic Studies and modernizing religious education.

This theme reviews methods adopted at both research and teaching levels, in two sessions:

Session 1: Research Methods in Islamic Studies

1- Research methods in Quranic studies.
2- Research methods in Sharia sciences and Islamic studies.
3- Research methods in Islamic studies at Western universities.

Session 2: Teaching Methods in Islamic Studies

1- The method of authentication and renewal.
2- The method of modernization.
3- The method of criticism and deconstruction.

This theme aims to develop theoretical visions and practical recommendations for structural renewal of core Islamic sciences:

1- Sciences of text and tradition.
2- Sciences of creed and interpretation.
3- Sciences of jurisprudence and its foundations.
4- Islamic culture: A new vision.

This theme reviews horizons of connecting Sharia sciences with humanities:

1- Islamic Studies and natural sciences.
2- Islamic Studies and social sciences.
3- Islamic Studies and linguistic and literary sciences.
4- Islamic Studies and philosophy.
5- Islamic Studies and artificial intelligence.

This theme demonstrates what Islamic Studies can contribute to enriching public discourse on religious pluralism and universal values, in two sessions:

Islamic Studies and the Values of Citizenship.

Session 2: Islamic Studies and the Values of Coexistence.

Since religious discourse is produced by the outcomes of Islamic Studies, it is appropriate to address three topics:

1- Religious discourse in the media.
2- The Friday sermon and horizons of development.
3- Developing public religious discourse.

Islamic Studies in educational institutions play a crucial role in preserving the authenticity of religious discourse and developing Sharia sciences in a way that qualifies them to contribute to the movement of development, modernization, renewal, and reform.

However, when we examine the reality of these studies in Arab and Islamic universities, it becomes clear how far behind most of them are in fulfilling this role. Their curricula have been dominated by a kind of rigidity and stagnation within closed circles, preventing the opening of broad horizons for serious scientific research expected to provide visions and propose approaches that would contribute to building bridges between religion and science, text and reason, Sharia and philosophy.

It is also noticeable that the content of many of their curricula has been clearly influenced by visions far removed from science, its principles and methods, or by perceptions that confine them to the realm of history and the past, rendering them stagnant and rigid.

Today, Muslim societies are in dire need of investing this knowledge in building human beings, developing nations, and advancing what benefits humanity from various fields of knowledge and science.

Therefore, it has become necessary to propose ideas and formulate visions for rebuilding Islamic Studies in accordance with achieving these noble goals, in light of visions of integration and harmony between the sciences of language, humanity, nature, and religions.

This cognitive integration should be considered when determining educational outcomes in formulating religious education programs, to build conscious and balanced religious leaders who combine humanities and Sharia knowledge, enabling them to understand their societies, perceive their real needs and future aspirations, and produce a new religious discourse that contributes to meeting those needs.

In fulfillment of its scientific and research mission, Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities has chosen the topic of its second annual international conference to be:

The choice of this topic comes in the context of the major challenges facing the field of Islamic Studies in the current era. The University seeks to stimulate ideas and invest in experiences, with the aim of extracting recommendations for developing Islamic Studies, from curriculum renewal to improving outcomes.

The Scientific Committee proposes addressing the topic through the following themes:

This theme describes the reality of Islamic Studies programs across three topics:

1- Islamic Studies in official universities.
2- Islamic Studies: The Islamization of knowledge model.
3- Islamic Studies and modernizing religious education.

This theme reviews methods adopted at both research and teaching levels, in two sessions:

Session 1: Research Methods in Islamic Studies

1- Research methods in Quranic studies.
2- Research methods in Sharia sciences and Islamic studies.
3- Research methods in Islamic studies at Western universities.

Session 2: Teaching Methods in Islamic Studies

1- The method of authentication and renewal.
2- The method of modernization.
3- The method of criticism and deconstruction.

This theme aims to develop theoretical visions and practical recommendations for structural renewal of core Islamic sciences:

1- Sciences of text and tradition.
2- Sciences of creed and interpretation.
3- Sciences of jurisprudence and its foundations.
4- Islamic culture: A new vision.

This theme reviews horizons of connecting Sharia sciences with humanities:

1- Islamic Studies and natural sciences.
2- Islamic Studies and social sciences.
3- Islamic Studies and linguistic and literary sciences.
4- Islamic Studies and philosophy.
5- Islamic Studies and artificial intelligence.

This theme demonstrates what Islamic Studies can contribute to enriching public discourse on religious pluralism and universal values, in two sessions:

Islamic Studies and the Values of Citizenship.

Session 2: Islamic Studies and the Values of Coexistence.

Since religious discourse is produced by the outcomes of Islamic Studies, it is appropriate to address three topics:

1- Religious discourse in the media.
2- The Friday sermon and horizons of development.
3- Developing public religious discourse.