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Thinking with Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas: Islam, Knowledge, and Decolonial Futures — 25 – 26 March 2027

An international conference on the thought of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (1931–2026) — adab, ta’dib, the Islamisation of knowledge, and his critique of secularism and the postcolonial condition. Abstracts invited from scholars worldwide.

Reserve a place

About the event

Overview

The Centre for Study & Research, New Delhi, invites abstracts and papers for an international conference on the thought of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (1931–2026), one of the most significant Muslim philosophers of the modern period. Marking his recent passing and the enduring relevance of his work, the conference critically engages his concepts of adab, ta’dib, the Islamisation of knowledge, and his far-reaching critique of secularism, modernity, and the postcolonial condition.

Through his influential idea of the “Islamisation of knowledge,” al-Attas argued that the modern Muslim crisis is fundamentally an epistemological one: the uncritical adoption of Western secular categories has led to confusion in the Muslim mind regarding the nature of reality, knowledge, and human purpose. At a time when decolonial and postcolonial theories of knowledge are widely discussed, revisiting al-Attas opens fertile ground for South–South conversations on epistemic justice, spiritual intelligence, and alternative modernities.

Abstracts of 250–350 words should be submitted in Word format to info@csrindia.org with the subject line: CFP – Al-Attas Symposium – [Your Name].

Programme

Sessions & speakers

The final programme will be announced after acceptance notifications are issued.

  1. Theme

    Adab, ta'dib, and the idea of the educated person in al-Attas

    The formation of the person as the centre of al-Attas's philosophy of education.

  2. Theme

    Islamisation of knowledge and decolonisation of the university

    How the Islamisation project speaks to contemporary debates on the decolonial university.

  3. Theme

    Critique of secularism, secularisation, and Eurocentric universalism

    Al-Attas's diagnosis of secularisation and its bearing on the modern Muslim condition.

  4. Theme

    Convergences with Latin American decolonial theorists

    Reading al-Attas alongside Quijano, Mignolo, and Dussel.

  5. Theme

    Al-Attas's philosophy of education today

    Applications in contemporary schooling and higher education.

  6. Theme

    Islamisation of the natural and social sciences

    Possibilities, limits, and critiques of the disciplinary programme.

Key themes

What the programme engages

  • Adab, Ta'dib, and Islamic Philosophy of Education
  • Islamisation of Knowledge
  • Decolonising the University
  • Al-Attas and Decolonial Theory
  • Critique of Secularism and Eurocentrism
  • Islam, Science, and Modern Disciplines
  • Epistemic Justice and Spiritual Intelligence

Call for papers

Send an abstract

Abstracts of 250–350 words, in Word (.doc/.docx) format, are invited from scholars, researchers, and doctoral candidates working across Islamic studies, philosophy, education, and decolonial theory.

Submission guidelines

  1. 01 Abstract length: 250–350 words, with 4–6 keywords and a short bio note (max 100 words).
  2. 02 Submit in Word (.doc/.docx) format; PDF submissions will not be processed.
  3. 03 Use the subject line: CFP – Al-Attas Symposium – [Your Name].
  4. 04 Include your name, designation, institutional affiliation, email, and phone number on a separate cover page.
  5. 05 Papers must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.
  6. 06 Full papers: 5,000–8,000 words, Times New Roman 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, Chicago referencing style.
  7. 07 Presentations are 15–20 minutes, followed by discussion; selected papers will be considered for an edited volume.

Participation is free. Outstation presenters should indicate any accommodation requirement at the time of abstract submission.

Send abstract → Download the call for papers (PDF)

Email to info@csrindia.org with the subject line “CFP – Al-Attas Symposium – [Your Name]”.

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