Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas
Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas | |
|---|---|
Al-Attas in his library | |
| Born | 5 September 1931 Buitenzorg, Buitenzorg Residency, Dutch East Indies (now Bogor, Indonesia) |
| Died | 8 March 2026 (aged 94) |
| Resting place | Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery |
| Spouse | Latifah al-Attas |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Iqbal Centenary Commemorative Medal (Pakistan) |
| Education | |
| Education | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| Alma mater | University of Malaya (BA) McGill University (MA) SOAS University of London (PhD) |
| Thesis | The Mysticism of Hamzah Fansuri (two-volume doctoral thesis) [1] (1962.) |
| Academic advisors | Martin Lings Arthur John Arberry |
| Philosophical work | |
| Era | Modern |
| School | |
| Main interests |
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| Notable works | [2] Islam and Secularism, Historical Fact and fiction, The Concept of Education in Islam: A Framework for an Islamic Philosophy of Education, Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam, Islam: The Covenants Fulfilled |
| Notable ideas | Islamisation of knowledge |
Syed Muhammad al Naquib bin Ali al-Attas (Arabic: سيد محمد نقيب العطاس Sayyid Muḥammad Naqīb al-ʿAṭṭās; 5 September 1931 – 8 March 2026) was a Malaysian Muslim philosopher of Arab descent. He was considered one of the few contemporary scholars who was thoroughly rooted in the traditional Islamic sciences and studied theology, philosophy, metaphysics, history, and literature. He pioneered the concept of Islamisation of knowledge. Al-Attas's philosophy and methodology of education have one goal: Islamisation of the mind, body, and soul and its effects on the personal and collective life of Muslims as well as others, including the spiritual and physical non-human environment. He was the second Malaysian to be awarded the title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja) after the late Ungku Abdul Aziz.
Al-Attas was the author of 27 works on various aspects of Islamic thought and civilisation, particularly on Sufism, cosmology, metaphysics, philosophy and Malay language, and literature.
He was the second Malaysian to receive the title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja) after Ungku Abdul Aziz.