Department of Comparative Religion

The Department of Comparative Religion at International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan was founded in 1985 as a part of Faculty of Usuluddin (Islamic Studies). Soon after its establishment, the Department started offering graduate, post graduate, and later on, doctoral degree programs. The Department is committed to studying the world’s religions objectively taking its cue from the Qur’anic principles of recognition of religious diversity and religious freedom proclaimed in the following verses:
  • For each of you We have made a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made a single community of people, but (He did not), so that He may test you in what He has given to you. (al-Qurân 05:48)
  • There is no compulsion in religion. (al-Qurân 2:256)
The aims and objectives of the department include a) to produce competent scholars who are well versed in basic Islamic disciplines and capable of guiding the Muslim Ummah in molding its life in accordance with the teachings of Islam; and b) to produce world class scholarship in the field of historical, social, psychological, and phenomenological study of religion.
 
During their BS, MS and PhD level specialized studies, the students take courses such as the Qur’anic concept of religion, Muslim contributions to the study of religion, contemporary approach to the study of religion, sociology of religion, comparative mysticism, thematic study of religions, religious cosmologies, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Chinese and Japanese Religions, new religious movements and so on. The Department also offers courses on sources languages of different religious traditions such as Hebrew, Hindi, Latin, and Tamil.
 
Dr. Muhammad Akram,
Assistant Professor
Head of Department
Ph:
92 51 9019551