بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Islam House of Wisdom
بَيْتُ الْحِكْمَةِ الإِسْلَامِيّ
- Ushering the Age of Enlightenment & Renaissance
- Reviving Bayt al-Hikma after 1,200 years
- The Great Mosque of CórdobaPhotograph, 1880s–90s
- The courtyard of al-Qarawiyyin, FezPhotograph, published 1921
- A fountain in the courtyard of al-Qarawiyyin, FezPhotograph, published 1921
- The Hall of Justice, Alhambra, GranadaPhotograph, 1880s–90s
- The Court of the Myrtles, Alhambra, GranadaPhotograph by Alphonse Delaunay, 1854
The Spirit of Inclusive Scholarship
The original Bayt al-Hikma, established in Baghdad during the reign of Caliph al-Ma'mun (813-833 CE) stands as one of humanity's greatest intellectual achievements not merely for what it produced, but for how it operated. It was an institution that asked one question of its scholars: “What can you contribute to the achievement of knowledge?”. It did not ask whether they were Arabs, or Persians, Muslims or Christian or Jew or Sabian.
Hunayn ibn Ishaq, a Nestorian Christian, became the greatest translator of Greek medical and philosophical texts into Arabic.
Thabit ibn Qurra, a Sabian from Harran, made fundamental contributions to mathematics and astronomy. Jewish scholars, Persian polymaths, and Turkmen thinkers all worked side by side within its walls. The House of Wisdom was the intellectual center of Islam Golden Age, hosting great thinkers and philosophers like Al-Khwarizmi (Algebra), Al-Kindi (philosophy), Al-Battani (astronomy and mathematics), and many others. The House of Wisdom in the truest sense, was a house of humanity's collective intellect.
The Islamic Age of Enlightenment came to a gradual end when the ruling elite formed an alliance with the religious establishment, requiring that all scientific scholarship pass through theological scrutiny. This narrowing of intellectual horizons-this subordination of inquiry to ideology-impoverished not only Islamic civilization but the world.
Today, many Arabs and Muslims states, continue to struggle because they have practiced forms of exclusion-ethnic, sectarian, and individual - disenfranchised of their own population. The Islam House of Wisdom is founded on the conviction that these failures can be reversed, and that the path forward lies in the returning to the original spirit of inclusive, fearless scholarship that once made Islamic civilization the beacon of the world.
The membership selective process framework is designed to ensure that the 100 Distinguished Scholars of the Islam House of Wisdom reflect this founding spirit: diverse in origin, pluralistic in faith and perspective, rigorous in qualification, and united only in their commitment to the advancement of knowledge in service of common good. The Islam House of Wisdom will be an autonomous academy, separate from political or government institutions. Hopefully the Islam House of Wisdom, with scholastic contributions from outstanding scholars and generous funding, will live and thrive beyond our lifetime.
Thank you.
IHW Core Values
Our Missions
- 01
Islamic Manifesto for the Millennium
This group of scholars and professionals will operate as a “virtual think tank” as well as in-house scholars and formulate the “Islamic Manifesto for the Millennium. Ushering the New Age of Ijtihad and Islamic Enlightenment and Renaissance” and “Islamic Liberation Theology” and thoughts that have been dormant for centuries, hostage to political and religious institutions.
- 02
Islamic Sharia
What is needed is emphasis on “Maqasid”—the higher objectives of Sharia as a guiding principle—with the need to create a framework of multiple valid interpretations rather than a single “correct” version. Engaging with diverse scholarly perspectives across “Madhahib” legal schools, recognizing that Sharia was never meant to be codified in the modern sense.
- 03
Sunni-Shiite Reconciliation
This historic theological and political schism must end. The historical root of this political issue translated into a theological schism that has had a devastating impact on the “Muslim Umma” for centuries and has translated over time to armed political conflicts between Muslims based on a historical decision that took place some 1,400 years ago. Time for the “Muslim Umma” to reach a historic peace accord that will benefit the Umma for generations.
- 04
New World Economic and Financial System
Offering an alternative perspective on addressing economic justice distinct from both the failed Marxist system and the Capitalist Neoliberal system that enriched the few at the cost of billions. Understanding the contemporary implementation challenges of Islamic economics—including Zakat as a Wealth Redistribution Mechanism, Prohibition of Riba, Ethical Limitations on Economic Activities, and the Balance between Individual and Collective Rights.
- 05
The “Impossible State” Is Possible
It is essential to create a framework for a “Model State Informed by Islamic Values” that emphasizes shared ethical principles while ensuring equal citizenship for all—Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others. These are universal principles found in Islamic tradition that support equality, justice, human dignity, and public welfare with emphasis on citizenship.
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Scholarly Discourse
Articles
View All Articles- Islam House of Wisdom Launches Initiative to Establish a Global Academy of Distinguished ScholarsThe Islam House of Wisdom, a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution, today announced the launch of a landmark initiative to establish an international Academy of 100 Distinguished Scholars — a modern revival of the legendary Bayt al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) that flourished in Baghdad under Caliph al-Ma'mun between 813 and 833 CE.
- From Bayt al-Hikma to the Nobel Prize: Does Islam Need a New “House of Wisdom”?More than 1.5 billion Muslims are the inheritors of a civilization that once lit the world's lantern — yet today it stands nearly absent from the highest ledger of human intellectual achievement. The Islam House of Wisdom is being built to recapture the spirit of the original Bayt al-Hikma: convening 100 Distinguished Scholars across disciplines and faiths to ensure Islam's greatest contribution to the 21st century has not yet been made.
- SPECIAL INVITATION - The Spirit of Inclusive ScholarshipBayt al-Hikma was an inclusive intellectual center where diverse scholars advanced knowledge beyond religious or ethnic boundaries. Its decline followed ideological restrictions; its modern revival seeks to restore open, pluralistic scholarship.