The internationally recognized work “Religion as Critique: Islamic Critical Thinking from Mecca to the Marketplace” by Irfan Ahmad, a faculty member in the Department of Sociology at Ibn Haldun University, has been translated into Arabic by the Doha Institute’s Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. Published as part of the “Tercuman” translation series in a 408-page edition, the book was translated by Yaser Thabit under the title “Religion as Critique” [الدين بوصفه نقدًا].
In the work, Prof. Dr. Ahmad challenges the modern assumption that “critical thinking belongs exclusively to the West,” demonstrating that Islam possesses a robust internal tradition of critique. He highlights how concepts such as taqwa, ijtihad, and nasihah reveal the ways criticism operates within Islam at both individual and societal levels. Through fieldwork, he shows that critique is not merely an intellectual exercise but a living practice embedded in everyday life—from marketplaces to mosques. He also critiques orientalist approaches, arguing that Islam is not merely an object of study but an active critical subject. The translation of this work into Arabic enables it to reach a wider readership across the Islamic world, opening new avenues for discussion on religion, modernity, and critical thought.
We congratulate our esteemed faculty member and wish him continued success in his scholarly contributions.
