A Project Still in Motion? Naleemiah Institute of Islamic Studies and the Quest for Integration of Knowledge in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Scholarly analyses of Muslim engagement with modern Western epistemology reveal three major responses: early reformers such as Afghani and Abduh emphasized the compatibility of Islam and the West; critics like Maududi rejected secular epistemologies outright; and the Islamization of Knowledge (IOK) movement sought to reorganize modern disciplines on the basis of Islamic principles, reconstructing knowledge according to the Islamic worldview. Building on these earlier currents, the ‘integration of knowledge’ framework has emerged, sparking debates over its distinction from IOK. However, this discourse has largely developed in Muslim-majority contexts, often overlooking Muslim minority experiences. In this context, this paper examines the Naleemiah Institute of Islamic Studies (NIIS), a prominent Islamic studies institution in Sri Lanka. NIIS aspires to produce religious scholars trained in both Islamic and human sciences, serving as a case study for this examination. Through an analysis of NIIS’s intellectual foundations, curriculum evolution, and graduate perspectives, the study finds that NIIS should be considered a pioneering academic institution in manifesting

integrative aspirations. Since its inception, it has incorporated this spirit, producing graduates well-equipped to reflect Islam from a multidisciplinary perspective. Being a privately funded institution, this represents a significant achievement in a Muslim minority context. However, its impact has been constrained by methodological ambiguities. The findings underscore the need for clearer epistemological frameworks and institutional strategies to bridge Islamic and modern knowledge meaningfully. By centring a minority perspective, this study also argues that scholarly discussions on the integration of knowledge and related discourses, such as Tawḥīdic Epistemology (TE), should consider minority experiences and the specific challenges they face in engaging with these epistemic frameworks. It should explore ways to foster greater collaboration and mutual exchange of ideas, thereby advancing the discourse to make it truly global and relevant.