346 chapter eight
- To take practical steps for ideological, moral, intellectual economic
and technological developments, ideas and principles in accor-
dance with the norms of Islam and to take necessary steps for
developing practical solutions of contemporary problems.
Like IIUM, IIU is not confined to a narrow curriculum of Islamic
studies. It has a wide range of faculties covering the following main
areas: applied sciences, management sciences, usuluddin/Islamic stud-
ies, Arabic language, Sharì"ah and law, social sciences and language
and literature. In addition, the university has two main specialised
institutes: Islamic Research Institute and International Institute of
Islamic Economics that were established in 1987, two years after the
establishment of the University. The research objectives and func-
tions of institutes can be shown as follows as stated in the publica-
tions of the Islamic Research Institute (IRI, IIU, 1987):
- Act as the research arm of the University and conduct research
in the field, - Develop and disseminate methodology for research in various fields
of Islamic learning, - Study/interpret the teaching of Islam in the context of the intel-
lectual and scientific progress of the modern world, - Publish monographs, books, research reports, research journals
and such other research material as may be considered necessary
for the promotion of knowledge of Islam, - Serve as a clearing house of knowledge of various aspects of Islam,
- Appoint study groups for identifying issues facing Muslim society,
- Organise seminars, conferences, symposia, and workshops to pro-
mote harmonious understanding amongst various schools of thought
in Muslim societies, - Perform such other functions as may be necessary for realization
of objectives.
The Islamic environment has become ripe for a renaissance in
the Islamic economic literature. This is our main concern in the fol-
lowing chapter. Having explored aspects of revivalism in the Islamic
world, academic and otherwise, we are now in a position to look
into the development of Islamic economics in the twentieth century.
This is our next, and last, chapter.