The Scholars’ Symposium
About the Scholars’ Symposium
The Scholars’ Symposium is the most research-intensive sub-project under the Legacy of Knowledge initiative. It is designed to facilitate high-level scholarly study, discussion, and resolution on contemporary and emerging issues affecting Muslims—particularly in minority contexts.
Inspired by the structure and ethos of Majmaʿ al-Fiqh al-Islāmī, this Symposium provides a disciplined framework for juristic research and collective ijtihād, conducted through consultation, peer critique, and structured decision-making.
This is not an open lecture or academic conference. It is a scholars-only assembly where detailed research is requested, reviewed, presented, and discussed in accordance with agreed-upon scholarly processes—leading to the production of considered, robust resolutions.
Objectives
The Scholars’ Forum aims to:
✔ Produce Research-Based Scholarly Guidance
Address contemporary legal, ethical, and social questions through rigorous research and structured deliberation.
✔ Facilitate Collective Scholarly Deliberation
Bring together scholars from diverse disciplines and schools to engage in respectful, textually grounded dialogue on complex issues.
✔ Develop Context-Sensitive Resolutions
Ensure that outcomes reflect both the integrity of our jurisprudential heritage and the lived realities of Muslim minorities.
✔ Build a Repository of Authoritative Opinions
Establish a growing body of well-documented resolutions, opinions, and papers to support scholars and institutions worldwide.
✔ Raise the Standard of Juristic Engagement
Promote methodological excellence, academic rigour, and transparency in how conclusions are reached and shared.
Process & Structure
The Symposium follows a structured, multi-phase process:
1. Topic Selection
2. Call for Research
Selected researchers are commissioned (or invited) to submit in-depth papers on specific aspects of the topic.
3. Pre-Circulation & Peer Review
Drafts are circulated among participating scholars ahead of the Symposium for preliminary review and commentary.
4. Symposium Weekend
Papers are presented in person or online
Deliberations are moderated by an academic lead or facilitator
Differences are analysed; common ground is identified
A resolution committee is convened to begin drafting outputs
5. Resolutions & Publication
Agreed-upon resolutions are finalised and documented
Minority or divergent views may also be noted
Resolutions are shared through publications, white papers, and institutional channels
Who Participates
The Scholars’ Symposium is a closed forum designed for:
– Scholars with recognised expertise in jurisprudence, ethics, economics, bioethics, governance, and social policy
– Researchers and postgraduate academics working on applied Islamic thought
– Imams and senior duʿāt with extensive field experience in Western or minority-Muslim contexts
- – Subject matter experts (SMEs) brought in to present data or technical insight (when relevant)
- – All participants are expected to adhere to a scholarly code of conduct and the methodological framework of the Symposium.
Part of the Legacy of Knowledge Family
The Scholars’ Symposium completes the trilogy of Legacy of Knowledge initiatives:
1. The Scholars’ Forum – For peer-to-peer connection and collaborative dialogue
2. The Scholars’ Retreat – For immersive reflection, upskilling, and rejuvenation
3. The Scholars’ Symposium – For in-depth research, deliberation, and resolution on contemporary issues
Together, they offer a holistic platform that nurtures the life of the scholar—through connection, reflection, and intellectual contribution.
