The Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (JITC) fills a niche that was long left devoid of critical thought, especially the one emanating from indigenous sources and scholarship. The aim, from the very initial stages, has been to encourage, cultivate, nurture, and eventually present scholarly endeavors to a global audience. While the vision itself remains exemplary and the scope ambitious, it does require a tremendous amount of work towards its ultimate realization. The fact that we have been able to achieve so much is solely because I enjoyed the privilege of being mentored by Dr. Hasan Sohaib Murad (late), our first patron and also the real force behind the initiation of the journal. It was his dream to launch and eventually develop a research journal that would be at par with reputed world-class journals. It would serve as a platform and a bridge for the exchange of ideas from a diverse array of thinkers and scholars. I, and everyone who has ever worked on the journal, remains indebted to his counsel and support.

JITC’s journey of progress since the publication of its first issue in 2011 is a chronicle of achieving one milestone after another. From the inclusion of world-renowned thought leaders to the JITC Advisory Panel to inviting submissions from diverse streams, securing indexation in reputable databases, and finally, achieving HEC recognition in Y category - all of this has made the hard work and long hours worthwhile.

At times, it has been questioned whether it is still a good idea to keep the thought channels so diverse. Why not? Islamic thought and civilization span all continents, represents a broad diaspora, and is crucial towards rebuilding and adding to the intellectual heritage and contributions of the luminaries who preceded us and were pioneers in their domains. As researchers and educators, we have an enormous responsibility on our shoulders; how we set the intellectual directions today will shape the future of Islamic scholarship. Our choices must reflect pragmatism, reason, dialogue, critical thinking, and integration of knowledge.

For my part, it would be suffice to say that I feel both humbled and elevated as the Editor-in-Chief of JITC; humbled because the depth of Islamic thought and civilization can perhaps never be adequately represented in a few pages and elevated because I have been able to contribute towards strengthening the intellectual foundations in this domain. The extent to which I have succeeded is attributable largely to the support and hard work of my small but dedicated team.

Dr. Humaira Ahmad

Editor-in-Chief, JITC

About the Chief Editor

Dr. Humaira Ahmad is an Associate Professor of Islamic Thought at the University of Management and Technology. Her PhD is from the University of the Punjab, Pakistan. She can be reached at [email protected]