About the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies

The Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies seeks to illuminate Islamic history from its beginnings to the twenty-first century, the religion of Islam in its many aspects, and the diversity of Muslim cultures and societies, past and present. The global extent of Islam and the growth of its diasporas require that faculty and students cover not only the Middle East but also the rest of the world, including South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. Alongside Arabic, other languages used by Muslims (e.g., Turkish, Farsi, Urdu, Swahili) are integral to the Program’s course of study.

In addition to geographical breadth, Islamic studies at Stanford promotes the use of varied scholarly resources from both the humanities and the social sciences. Participating faculty and students bring perspectives and methods from numerous academic fields, including anthropology, art, economics, history, international relations, languages, law, literature, philosophy, political science, and religious studies.

The Abbasi Program’s mission is to serve as a forum for interdisciplinary research and teaching in Islamic studies. Its inter-departmental curriculum is complemented by a rich variety of seminars, colloquia and public lectures.