Osman Bakar

Professor Dr. Osman Bakar is a leading contemporary Muslim philosopher and one of the foremost authorities on Islamic science, cosmology, and civilizational thought. Born in 1946 in Malaysia, Osman Bakar’s intellectual journey exemplifies a rare synthesis of Western academic rigor and traditional Islamic scholarship. His lifelong work reflects an unwavering commitment to the intellectual revival of the Muslim world through a re-centering of metaphysical knowledge, cosmological principles, and the spiritual foundations of science.

Education and Intellectual Formation

Osman Bakar began his academic career in the sciences. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mathematics from the University of London, a discipline that would later inform his analytical approach to philosophy and epistemology. However, it was his decision to pursue a Ph.D. in Islamic philosophy at Temple University in the United States that marked a significant shift in his intellectual orientation. At Temple, under the influence of scholars such as Seyyed Hossein Nasr, he immersed himself in the study of Islamic metaphysics, cosmology, and the classical tradition of knowledge (‘ilm).

His intellectual orientation was shaped not only by his academic mentors but also by his deep engagement with the classical Muslim philosophers and sages—al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Suhrawardi, and Mulla Sadra. In particular, his reading of al-Ghazali and Ibn ‘Arabi deepened his understanding of the unity between rationality, revelation, and spiritual insight.

Academic Career

Over the past several decades, Prof. Bakar has held key academic and intellectual leadership roles across the Muslim world. He served as Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Malaya, and later as Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chairholder of the Al-Ghazali Chair of Epistemology and Civilizational Studies at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), founded by Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. His tenure at ISTAC placed him at the heart of the Islamic intellectual revival movement in Southeast Asia.

Bakar also served as Visiting Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and was actively involved in initiatives related to interfaith dialogue and civilizational cooperation. His leadership at the Center for Civilizational Dialogue at the University of Malaya was especially impactful, fostering collaboration between scholars of various religious and philosophical traditions.

Philosophy and Vision

Prof. Bakar’s philosophy is rooted in the principle of Tawhid (Divine Unity), which he sees not merely as a theological doctrine but as the ontological and epistemological foundation of all authentic knowledge. According to him, modern science, while successful in the empirical domain, suffers from a metaphysical void that can only be filled by a sacred cosmology—something abundantly present in the Islamic intellectual tradition.

He is a vocal critic of the compartmentalization of knowledge in modern education and advocates for an integrated model of knowledge—where natural sciences, metaphysics, ethics, and spirituality are seen as part of a holistic worldview. This vision is most clearly laid out in his landmark work, Classification of Knowledge in Islam, where he revives the traditional Islamic hierarchy of knowledge, culminating in the knowledge of God (‘ilm al-tawhid).

Prof. Bakar also emphasizes the Qur’anic worldview as the primary source of intellectual reform. In his writings, he frequently highlights how the Qur’an provides both an ethical and cosmological vision for humanity—guiding both the soul and society. This insistence on scriptural foundations distinguishes his work from merely comparative or secular philosophy.

Major Themes and Contributions

• Islamic Cosmology: Bakar is one of the few contemporary thinkers who have revived a serious discourse on cosmology from an Islamic perspective. He argues that cosmology, once central to Islamic civilization, must be restored as part of the spiritual and intellectual architecture of Muslim societies.
• Science and Spirituality: Through works like Tawhid and Science and The History and Philosophy of Islamic Science, Bakar explores the intersections between scientific inquiry and religious metaphysics. He challenges the modern narrative that pits science against religion and instead offers a vision where the two are harmonized within a sacred framework.
• Civilizational Dialogue: Bakar is a proponent of meaningful dialogue between civilizations, not based on superficial tolerance but grounded in mutual metaphysical understanding. His work Islam and Civilisational Dialogue is a call for a deeper engagement between Islam and the world’s other great traditions—especially Confucianism, Christianity, and Western philosophy.
• Intellectual Renewal: Central to his mission is the Islamicization of contemporary knowledge—a project that aims to re-root modern disciplines in the epistemology of revelation. This approach is both critical and constructive, seeking not to reject modernity outright but to reform it from within the Islamic intellectual paradigm.

Influence and Legacy

Prof. Osman Bakar’s impact extends far beyond academic circles. His writings are used in universities across the Muslim world and in Western academic institutions. He is a respected voice in the fields of Islamic philosophy, comparative religion, history of science, and interfaith dialogue. His unique ability to articulate complex metaphysical ideas in accessible language has made his work influential among students, scholars, and policymakers alike.

He has played a pivotal role in the intellectual resurgence of Islamic thought in Southeast Asia and has contributed significantly to global Islamic discourse through lectures, seminars, and international publications. His affiliation with leading Islamic thinkers—such as Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and others—places him within the continuity of a living tradition of Islamic metaphysical scholarship.

Today, he continues to write and teach, focusing on themes such as sacred knowledge, ethics, environmental stewardship, and the renewal of Islamic civilization.

Selected Short Writings and Essays

• “The Nature and Extent of Criticism of Evolutionary Theory” – A philosophical and theological evaluation of Darwinian theory from an Islamic viewpoint.
• “Islam and Confucianism: A Civilizational Dialogue” – Explores points of convergence and dialogue between Islamic and Confucian civilizations.
• “Reformulating Contemporary Knowledge: An Islamic Perspective” – Advocates for a renewal of knowledge grounded in Islamic metaphysical principles.
• “Science in the Qur’an: Reflections on Its Purpose and Methodology” – Investigates the role of scientific reasoning and knowledge in the Qur’anic worldview.

Institutions and Honors

• ISTAC (International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization): Prof. Bakar has served as Deputy Director and Chairholder at this key institution for Islamic intellectual thought.
• Al-Ghazali Chair of Epistemology and Civilizational Studies: A prestigious academic post held by Prof. Bakar at ISTAC-IIUM.
• He has also been involved with the Center for Civilizational Dialogue at the University of Malaya and has participated in various international forums promoting interfaith and intercivilizational understanding.
• In 2009, he was ranked among the 500 Most Influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre.