Muzaffar Iqbal

Muzaffar Iqbal was born in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1954. He earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, but soon shifted his focus to the intersection of Islamic thought, science, and philosophy. Over the years, he has worked as a scholar, writer, editor, and translator, engaging deeply with classical Islamic texts and contemporary debates on modernity and scientific thought. His early career included serving as Director of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences and working with UNESCO on science policy in the Muslim world.

Iqbal’s growing interest in the historical and philosophical relationship between Islam and science led him to establish the Center for Islamic Sciences, an independent research institute dedicated to exploring the intellectual traditions of Islam and their engagement with scientific inquiry. He has written extensively on Qur’anic studies, Islamic metaphysics, and the epistemological challenges posed by modern science. His works include Islam and Science (Ashgate, 2002), The Making of Islamic Science (The Islamic Foundation, 2009), Dante and the Islamic Tradition (University of Toronto Press, 2020), The Qur’an and the Prophet in Islamic Thought (Routledge, 2016), and the multi-volume Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qur’an.

Iqbal has served as editor of Islam & Science (later renamed Journal of Islamic Sciences), a peer-reviewed academic journal that provides a critical platform for the study of Islam’s intellectual engagement with science, philosophy, and theology. Through his work, he has contributed significantly to reviving traditional Islamic epistemology in the face of contemporary scientific discourse. He regularly lectures on Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic intellectual history, and the development of scientific thought in Muslim societies. His ongoing research explores how Islamic traditions can offer insights into modern debates on the nature of knowledge, spirituality, and the role of science in human civilization.