IRST Institute of Religious & Social Thoughts
Welcome to IRST
We are at Institute of Religious and Islamic Thoughts (IRST) makes an effort to foster a deeper understanding of traditional Islamic thought as well as contemporary ideas in the natural and social sciences.
Our Aims and Objectives
- Bridging the gap and fostering dialogue between Islamic and modern approaches to social thought.
- Conducting academic courses for madrasa graduates to generate greater appreciation for the vast intellectual legacy of Islamic thought and explore its relevance in the modern world.
- Training madrasa graduates in modern social thought through various courses and workshops, and equip them with the tools to understand and interpret Islamic religious texts in modern contexts.
- Facilitating peace and coexistence in society through promotion of interfaith relations.
- Publishing books and journals in Urdu and English to bridge key academic and intellectual gaps with respect to the representation and engagement of Islam in the modern world.
- Establishing links with the prominent contemporary Islamic universities and religious centres in India and abroad for widening the influence of the purposes of the institution and its academic activities.
- Providing dedicated intellectual and academic support to female graduates of madrasas in order to ensure their active contribution in the reform and development of Muslim society.
- Nurturing a culture of critical thinking, healthy debate and open discussion among Muslims by organizing period gatherings of Muslims from different strata of society to engage in intellectual dialogues, co-learning and exchange.
- For the sake of the intellectual awakening and reform in the Muslim society, organizing seminars and conferences at national and international level on the pertinent and critical issues Muslims are facing today.
From Chairman's Desk
IRST was founded for an earnest purpose. Provoking to revive intellectual awareness based on Islamic rationalism within the Muslim community, it prefers not to engage in national politics. Unless the emergence of an intellectual renaissance is not produced among Muslims; they will not play their role in the contemporary world. For an intellectual renaissance, we need the development of Islamic thought. In this context, the promotion of a moderate Islamic view is needed. As moderation is the spirit of Islam, its importance is repeatedly emphasised in Islam. In front of Islamic thought, there are several socio-political issues to be responded. We are part of a global and multi-cultural society which has its specific needs and challenges. For Muslim scholars, it is crucial to understand those needs and challenges. We want to make aware the representative generation of Islamic thought to understand those challenges so that a society whose beliefs in practical aspects of human values and peaceful-co-existence could be imagined and provide a constructive role in nation-building. It is a small step, but in the beginning, every effort seems small. If determinations are strong and aims are high, the same efforts may come up with extraordinary results. We request you to be part of our efforts.
Dr. Waris Mazhari
Chairman, IRST, New Delhi
He is a traditionally-trained Islamic scholar. He teaches in the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi. He graduated from the Dar ul-Uloom Deoband, one of the largest traditional Islamic seminaries in the world, and did his doctorate from the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has written extensively on various issues related to Islam, Muslims and interfaith relations. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi.