Current Trends of Muslim Academia in Comparative Religions

Abstract

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Throughout the history of the study of religion or religions, many scholars had emerged and contributed to this vocation. Many international scholars; be them from the east and west, Muslims or non-Muslims; recognize Muslim scholarship in Religionswissenschaft (Religious Studies). In sum, comparative study of religions is regarded as one of the great contributions of Muslim’s civilization to mankind’s intellectual progress. Nevertheless, when referring to the popular works of Muslim scholars in this discipline, most people will refer to only some treatises with negligence to the great bulk of Muslim Heritage in Religionswissenschaft. Many approaches and styles are found in purposive treatises by Muslims in the field of Religionswissenschaft. Some of them are descriptive in nature; some are disputative, polemical and apologetic, which involve defending, refuting, and extensive criticism; while some others are analytical, involving serious studies of certain aspects of other religions. The treatises produced by Muslim scholars on other religions are not necessarily limited only to one particular style, for some of them employ different approaches. But despite of such a rich heritage Muslim thought in context of religious studies is currently stagnant. Main stream text and approaches in Muslim academia revolves largely around whether savage refutation or apologetic. Contemporary researches stands far away from the modern approaches and theories known in field of Religious Studies like those of Polymethodic Studies, Methodological Neutralism, Ethnographic approaches. The paper intends to explain the problem and suggest Muslim academia what steps to take, by presenting the analysis of its current trends and Muslim heritage in the field, to move forward in thought process in the field of Religious Studies coping up with the contemporary theories in academic as well as social context.