Centre for Study & Research

05/10/2026

Dr. Muhammad Rizwan, Director, Centre for Study and Research (CSR), met with Prof. Amitabh Kundu and Dr. Amirullah Khan in New Delhi.

During the interaction, Dr. Rizwan presented two recent CSR publications:

- Two Decades After Sachar: A Meta-analysis of Socio-Economic Survey of Indian Muslims.

- A Survey of Muslim-Affiliated Higher Education Institutions in India.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share CSR’s recent research and exchange perspectives on socio-economic and educational issues concerning Muslims in India.

05/10/2026

Dr. Muhammad Rizwan, Director, Centre for Study and Research (CSR), met with Prof. Amitabh Kundu and Dr. Amirullah Khan in New Delhi.

During the interaction, Dr. Rizwan presented two recent CSR publications:

- Two Decades After Sachar: A Meta-analysis of Socio-Economic Survey of Indian Muslims.

- A Survey of Muslim-Affiliated Higher Education Institutions in India.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share CSR’s recent research and exchange perspectives on socio-economic and educational issues concerning Muslims in India.

29/09/2026

From Sachar to Vision 2026: Discussion on Impact and Future Prospects

A meeting was held on 27 September 2026 in New Delhi to discuss the journey since the Sachar Committee Report, with a focus on the work, trajectory, and evolution of Vision 2026, an initiative of the Human Welfare Foundation (HWF).

The discussion began with the origins of Vision 2016, its transition to Vision 2026, and the work carried out over the years in response to the concerns highlighted by the Sachar Committee. The participants also discussed the need to understand the impact of these interventions and to explore their future possibilities.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Amir Ullah Khan, Research Director, Centre for Development Policy and Practice (CDPP), and a development economist; Prof. Amitabh Kundu economist and former Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr. Mohammed Rizwan, Director, Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi; M. Sajid Abdulla, General Secretary, Human Welfare Foundation; and Dr. Abu Saleh Shariff, development economist and former Member-Secretary of the Sachar Committee.

The meeting also discussed a proposed CSR–CDPP collaboration to study the impact and future prospects of Vision 2026. The collaboration will focus on documenting the work undertaken, examining its impact, and identifying possibilities for its future direction.

27/09/2026

Panel Discussion | Is Planting Trees Enough?
_The Politics & Philosophy of the Environmental Crisis_

New Delhi: As part of the An Noor Literature Festival 2026, a panel discussion titled “Is Planting Trees Enough? The Politics & Philosophy of the Environmental Crisis” was held on 27 September 2026 in New Delhi.
Dr. Mohammad Rizwan, Director, CSR, participated in the discussion, alongside Mujahidul Islam and Abdul Quddus Suhaib, with Obaidur Rahman serving as the moderator.
Dr Mohammed Rizwan contributed to the discussion by highlighting the deeper philosophical and structural dimensions of the environmental crisis. He examined the underlying philosophies shaping the crisis, particularly how modernity and the colonial logic of consumerism, profit, and exploitation contribute to environmental degradation. He also pointed to the growing environmental implications of AI companies and their large scale infrastructural projects. At the same time, he accentuated the importance of taking meaningful steps at the individual level, within the possibilities available to us.
Mujahidul Islam and Abdul Quddus Suhaib also contributed to the discussion by bringing Islamic perspectives on environmental responsibility and ethics.
The discussion provided a thoughtful space to explore the environmental crisis at philosophical, political, and Islamic levels, offering deeper reflection on how we understand nature, development, consumption, and our responsibility towards the environment.

19/09/2026

📢 Deadline Extended

The application deadline for the CSR–ICIPP Research Fellowship Programme has been extended.

📅 New Deadline: 25 September 2026
📩 Apply: [email protected]

Please refer to the original post for details about the fellowship, research themes, eligibility, and application requirements.

📢 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

CSR–ICIPP RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

The Centre for Study and Research (CSR) and the Indian Council on Islamic Perspective in Psychology (ICIPP) invite applications for a structured research fellowship with expert academic mentorship.

🔹 Research Themes:

1. The Role of Cognitive Reframing in Depression as Enumerated by Al-Balkhi

2. Al-Biruni and the Advocacy of Experimental Psychology

3. The Development of Psychology as an Independent Discipline as Suggested by Al-Kindi

🔹 The Fellowship Offers:

• Expert academic mentorship
• Structured research experience
• Publication opportunities
• Research methodology and academic writing experience
• A small honorarium
• Travel assistance (TA) for required meetings

📍 Mode: Primarily remote, with occasional in-person meetings requiring travel when necessary

🎓 Eligibility: Master’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a related field.

📄 Apply with: CV, SOP, academic writing sample, and a declaration of AI usage in submitted materials.

📅 Deadline: 15 September 2026
📩 Email: [email protected]

05/09/2026

Interactive Session & Lecture on Islamic Studies: Study of Religion and Beyond

New Delhi: The Centre for Study and Research (CSR), the Centre for Educational Research and Training (CERT), and the Indian Institute of Islamic Studies and Research (IIISR), New Delhi, collaboratively organised a special lecture on “Islamic Studies: Study of Religion and Beyond” on 26 August 2026.

The lecture was delivered by Prof. Imtiyaz Yusuf, Professor of Islam and Dialogical Studies at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The session explored key developments and approaches in Islamic Studies and comparative religion, including Muslim contributions to the study of religions and the need to move beyond conventional and reductionist frameworks.

Ateeq Rahman, Secretary, JIH, was also present at the programme, while Dr. Mohammed Rizwan, Director of CSR, actively contributed to the session. The programme provided a valuable platform for scholarly engagement and reflection on contemporary approaches to the study of religion.

02/09/2026

📢 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

CSR–ICIPP RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

The Centre for Study and Research (CSR) and the Indian Council on Islamic Perspective in Psychology (ICIPP) invite applications for a structured research fellowship with expert academic mentorship.

🔹 Research Themes:

1. The Role of Cognitive Reframing in Depression as Enumerated by Al-Balkhi

2. Al-Biruni and the Advocacy of Experimental Psychology

3. The Development of Psychology as an Independent Discipline as Suggested by Al-Kindi

🔹 The Fellowship Offers:

• Expert academic mentorship
• Structured research experience
• Publication opportunities
• Research methodology and academic writing experience
• A small honorarium
• Travel assistance (TA) for required meetings

📍 Mode: Primarily remote, with occasional in-person meetings requiring travel when necessary

🎓 Eligibility: Master’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, or a related field.

📄 Apply with: CV, SOP, academic writing sample, and a declaration of AI usage in submitted materials.

📅 Deadline: 15 September 2026
📩 Email: [email protected]

31/08/2026

Special Lecture on Islamic Studies: Comparative Religion and Beyond

New Delhi: The Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), organised a special lecture titled “Islamic Studies: Comparative Religion and Beyond” on 25 August 2026 at 10:30 AM at MHB 109, Seminar Room, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Imtiyaz Yusuf, Professor of Islam and Dialogical Studies at IIUM Malaysia, and presided over by Prof. Iqtidar Mohd Khan, Head, Department of Islamic Studies, JMI.

Prof. Yusuf discussed different approaches to understanding religious experience, outlining four broad forms: the sacred experienced from outside the self, associated with monotheistic traditions; the sacred experienced from within in a monistic framework, associated with Hindu traditions; the sacred experienced from within through a non-theistic framework, discussed in relation to Buddhism; and experiences of the sacred through a mediating person or practice, illustrated through shamanism.

The lecture critically examined the development of comparative religion and Islamic Studies, including the influence of Orientalist approaches and the reductionist treatment of religion in modern scholarship. Prof. Yusuf referred to approaches that explained religion primarily through economic or anthropological factors, including Karl Marx's economic interpretation of religion and early anthropological ideas of “primitive religion.”

He contrasted these with non-reductionist approaches, particularly the phenomenology of religion, and discussed the emergence of postcolonial approaches to the study of religion, including the work of Talal Asad. The discussion also critically examined Western approaches to knowledge and the categories through which religions have been studied.

Prof. Yusuf highlighted the contribution of Muslim scholars to the study of other religions, noting that Muslim engagement with religious traditions predates modern Western scholarship. In discussing Buddhism, he noted that Western academic study developed much later, with 1844 highlighted in the lecture, while Muslim scholars had already engaged with Indian religious traditions centuries earlier. The contribution of Ismail Raji al-Faruqi to comparative religion and his broader engagement with Islamic Studies and the critique of Western knowledge frameworks was also discussed.

An important concluding point was the need for appropriate language and conceptual tools to study a religion. Understanding a religious tradition requires attention to its own concepts, categories, and forms of religious experience rather than relying only on external frameworks.

Dr. Mohammed Rizwan, Director of CSR, also actively contributed to the session and shared insights related to the discussion. He introduced participants to CSR, its work, and its research activities, connecting the lecture with the Centre's broader academic and research engagement.

The session provided a focused discussion on comparative religion, Islamic Studies, Muslim contributions to the study of religions, reductionist and non-reductionist approaches, and the need to rethink the conceptual frameworks used in studying religion.

29/08/2026

Special Lecture on Islam-Buddhist Relations in Southeast Asia:
History and Contemporary Challenges

The Centre for Study and Research (CSR), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Centre for Research on Madrasa Education, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, organised a special lecture titled “Islam-Buddhist Relations in Southeast Asia: History and Contemporary Challenges” on 24 August 2026 at 10:30 AM at Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. The lecture was delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Imtiyaz Yusuf, Professor of Islam and Dialogical Studies at ISTAC-IIUM, International Islamic University Malaysia.

The session examined the historical relationship between Islam and Buddhism and the contemporary importance of dialogue between the two traditions, with particular attention to Southeast Asia. Prof. Yusuf highlighted that Muslim scholarly engagement with Buddhism dates back centuries before the emergence of modern Western Buddhist studies. He particularly drew attention to the work of Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, the eleventh-century Muslim scholar, whose writings engaged substantially with the religious and intellectual traditions of India, noting that the study of Buddhism in the West developed much later, with 1844 marking an important point in its development.

The reference to al-Biruni illustrated the importance of serious comparative study of religious traditions within the Islamic intellectual tradition. The lecture emphasised that understanding other traditions requires engagement with their ideas, histories, and intellectual contexts rather than relying on assumptions or limited representations.

A central theme was the importance of dialogue between Islam and Buddhism. Prof. Yusuf stressed the value of creating opportunities for greater understanding between the two traditions, particularly in contemporary societies where different religious communities increasingly interact. The Southeast Asian context provided an important setting for examining these historical encounters and contemporary possibilities for interreligious engagement.

Dr. Mohammed Rizwan, Director of CSR, also contributed meaningfully to the programme. He offered insights during the discussion and introduced participants to CSR, its vision, and its engagement with research and academic activities, connecting the lecture with the broader importance of research and intellectual exchange.

The lecture was followed by a lively discussion in which students participated actively, raising questions and engaging with the ideas presented. The interaction extended the session into broader reflections on Islamic intellectual history, Buddhism, comparative religious studies, and interreligious dialogue.

The programme was organised under the academic leadership of Dr. Abroo Aman Andrabi, HoD, Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, with Dr. Waris M. Mazhari, In-charge of the Centre, and Dr. Safia Amir and Dr. Najmus Sahar serving as conveners.

The programme provided a valuable academic platform to examine the history of Muslim engagement with Buddhism, the contribution of al-Biruni, and the contemporary importance of Islam-Buddhist dialogue. The contributions of Prof. Yusuf and Dr. Rizwan, together with the active participation of students, made the session a meaningful space for academic discussion and reflection.

27/08/2026

Interactive Session on Islamization of Knowledge: The Dream, the Project, the Critique

New Delhi: The Centre for Study and Research (CSR India), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Centre for Educational Research & Training (CERT), organised an interactive session titled “Islamization of Knowledge: The Dream, the Project, the Critique” on 23 August 2026 at JIH Markaz, New Delhi. The session featured Prof. Imtiyaz Yusuf, ISTAC, International Islamic University Malaysia, and was attended by 50+ participants, including students, researchers, academics, and young scholars.

Designed as an interactive academic conversation, the programme revisited the origins, development, challenges, and contemporary possibilities of the Islamization of Knowledge (IOK) project. Prof. Yusuf explained what the project originally sought to achieve, how it developed, the challenges it encountered, and the efforts now being made to rethink and revive its intellectual agenda.

The discussion situated IOK within the wider concern of engaging modern knowledge with an Islamic worldview. It emphasised that IOK was not simply about adding Islamic references to existing disciplines, but about critically examining the assumptions, values, purposes, and conceptions of reality underlying knowledge and exploring how scholarship could be developed from an Islamic intellectual orientation.

Prof. Yusuf also highlighted the contributions of major thinkers associated with the project, particularly Ismail Raji al-Faruqi, whose work played an important role in articulating and institutionalising the IOK project. The discussion also acknowledged the important contribution of Mohammad Nejatullah Siddiqi, especially his work in Islamic economics and his engagement with contemporary disciplines through Islamic intellectual and ethical frameworks.

A major part of the session examined what happened to the IOK project after its initial development. While the project generated considerable scholarship and institutional initiatives, the discussion pointed to the difficulty of translating its broader vision into sustained academic practice and the need to move beyond simply reinterpreting existing knowledge.

In this context, Prof. Yusuf emphasised the need for greater theorisation in the field. The future of Islamic scholarship requires the development of new concepts, theories, analytical frameworks, and methodologies, rather than relying primarily on existing academic theories and attempting to adapt them. Such intellectual creativity is essential for producing genuinely new knowledge capable of addressing contemporary realities.

The discussion then turned to the renewal of the IOK project. Prof. Yusuf explained that he and his colleagues are attempting to revisit the project by learning from its earlier experiences and responding to present intellectual challenges. This renewed effort involves greater attention to contemporary scholarship, interdisciplinary research, methodological development, and actual knowledge production.

The idea of Islam-inspired knowledge was also discussed as an important direction. This would not simply involve attaching an Islamic label to existing knowledge; rather, Islamic intellectual and ethical principles could inform the questions asked, assumptions examined, concepts developed, ethical orientations, and purposes of knowledge production, while remaining engaged with academic rigour, critical inquiry, and contemporary research.

Dr. Mohammed Rizwan, Director of CSR, contributed valuable insights to the discussion, particularly in connecting the historical trajectory of IOK with contemporary questions of research, education, theorisation, and knowledge production. Mr. Roshan Muhiyudeen, Director of CERT, was also present, adding to the academic and institutional significance of the programme.

With active participation from 50+ attendees, the session became a substantive platform for reflection on the history and future of IOK. Overall, the discussion highlighted that the contemporary relevance of the project lies not merely in reviving its earlier terminology, but in developing the intellectual capacity to generate new concepts, theories, methodologies, and bodies of knowledge informed by an Islamic worldview.