The Reformist

Ziauddin Sardar, 57, is one of the leading contemporary Muslim intellectuals. He specialises in topics dealing with the future of Islam, as well as Islamic science and technology, and has published more than 40 books on related topics. What sets him apart from the rest is his command over the language, which he uses to such a good effect that he could be read as a fiction writer…

Muslim Must Work for Justice

Soeryo Winoto, Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
15th October 2006

One of the world’s foremost Muslim intellectuals, Zianuddin Sardar, recently came to Indonesia to participate in the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, which he said was an important event to promote civil society.

Despite his tight schedule, he made time to sit down with The Jakarta Post for an interview, sharing his thoughts…

Islam is Like an Ocean

A week in Indonesia gives a good glimpse to British scholar Ziauddin Sardar about the future of Islam. In his eyes, Indonesia is the shape of Islam in the future. He considers that the diverse variety found in Indonesia might just be the uniting bound. In a relaxing atmosphere for an interview inside the British Council, Jakarta, Sardar accepted Iman F Yuniarto, Amin Madani, Johar Arief, and Ifan Junaidi from…

Paradise Lost, a Future Found

Ziauddin Sardar and Ehsan Masood, 16 – 05 – 2006
Ziauddin Sardar is one of the most prolific and influential Muslim writers in Britain. He tells Ehsan Masood, who has edited a new collection of his writings, about his vision of pluralist Islam, the Qur’an as guide not manual, and the future of European Muslims.
16 – 05 – 2006

Ehsan Masood

Muslim Societies Must Discover a Contemporary Meaning of Islam

Ziauddin Sardar, an internationally renowned Muslim scholar and the author of Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim, represents one of the most authoritative moderate voices in Islam. Here, in a major intervention on the controversy over the cartoons of Prophet Muhammed published in the European media, he explores both sides of the debate and calls for “reformulating” Islam in contemporary terms.

Q. Even those

On Social Change and Islamic Reform

Q. You are obsessed with change. This is in fact, your critics argue, one of the main problems with your thought.

A. Wouldnt you be, if you see so much injustice, poverty and degradation all around you?

Q. But see social change as essential. A natural part of life.

A. I see change is normal; indeed, a natural part of life…