By Muhammad Ibrahim Nadwi
International Islamic University Malaysia

Recently, on 15 March 2026, corresponding to the blessed night of 26 Ramadan, at 12:15 at night, Dr. Zeenat Kausar passed away (may Allah forgive her and raise her ranks). This is a noteworthy event for circles associated with the academic world. She worked for a long time in the field of teaching and research and continued writing on her subjects, especially Islamic and Western political thought, women’s issues, and modern Western theories. After her death, the need to review and understand her academic work anew is felt more strongly.

In the present era, the debates that are emerging at the intellectual level, especially various concepts about women, hold a central position. These debates have also created many questions in Muslim societies, which are related to identity, values, and the social system. In this situation, scholars have tried to critically study these theories and understand them in the light of Islamic principles. The work of Dr. Zeenat Kausar is worth studying in this context. She analysed Western thought, especially feminism, and tried to understand its basic assumptions. In her writings, a comparative style is generally found, where on one side she presents Western theories and on the other side clarifies the Islamic point of view. This article attempts to present a review of the life and academic services of Dr. Kausar, in which special attention will be given to her intellectual work and its scope, so that the nature of her scholarly efforts can be clearly understood.

Education and Teaching

The late Dr. Kausar belonged to the city of Hyderabad (Telangana) in India, where she obtained her early education. Later she obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Osmania University and completed a Master’s in Political Science from Sri Venkateswara. For higher education, she turned to Aligarh Muslim University, from where she obtained M.Phil in 1986 and PhD in 1991.

After marrying a young man from Hyderabad, Dr. Mumtaz Ali, who at that time was doing a PhD in Islamic Studies at Aligarh Muslim University, she moved with him to Malaysia, where she performed services of teaching and research for a long time in the Department of Political Science at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. The academic environment of this institution played a prominent role in her intellectual formation. In later years, she also served at Qatar University.

From 1970 to 1980, during her education, she continued studying Allama Iqbal, Maulana Syed Abul A‘la Maududi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Said Nursi, Ali Shariati, Dr. Ismail Raji al-Faruqi, and Allama Yusuf al-Qaradawi (may Allah have mercy on them all), among others. However, she was most influenced by the thought of Maulana Maududi and his method of reasoning. Therefore, she presents Islam as a complete picture of life and a system of living. She does not appear impressed or overawed by the intellectual dominance of the West; rather, she presents the reality and truth of life on scholarly and scientific bases and appears criticising Western concepts and theories in many of her writings.

Scholarly and Intellectual Field

The late doctor, along with teaching, continued the process of research and writing continuously. Her research topics include Islamic and Western political thought, critical review of Western ideologies such as modernity, globalisation, feminism, etc., as well as women’s issues and modern intellectual debates. She worked on different but interconnected subjects, due to which coherence and continuity are found in her thought.

With regard to Islamic political thought, her effort has been that modern political concepts should be understood in the light of Islamic principles. She emphasises that to understand any political system, it is necessary to keep in view the intellectual foundations behind it. Thus, she presents Islamic political thought as such a system which is not limited merely to the structure of power or state, but is connected with moral and social principles. She has clarified this aspect in her writings, especially in Political Development: An Islamic Perspective, where modern concepts of political development have been reviewed in an Islamic context.

In the same continuity, she studies Western ideologies. For example, in Modern Political Ideologies: An Islamic Critique, she considers modern Western ideas of freedom and individualism as the result of specific historical conditions of Europe. In this way, she clarifies that every theory has its civilizational foundation, and transferring it to other societies without critical awareness can give rise to intellectual confusion.

Her intellectual position on feminism is also seen in her study of women and society. She sees Western feminism as an intellectual structure whose foundation is based on specific historical and social experiences. In this regard, in her book Women’s Empowerment and Islam and research articles, it is made clear that limiting the issue of women only to the concept of equality is not sufficient; rather, it is necessary to see it together with family system, social balance, and moral values.

In analysing Western feminism, she draws attention to the fact that its foundation was laid in a particular historical background where women faced deprivation at social and legal levels for a long time. In this background, the movement emphasised demands of equality and freedom, but with time a dimension developed in which the relationship between man and woman began to be seen from the angle of conflict instead of mutual cooperation. According to her, this is the point where the concept of feminism loses balance.

In contrast, Dr. Kausar presents the Islamic concept of woman on a different foundation. According to her, in Islam the status of woman is neither defined merely by a list of rights nor restricted to a single social role; rather, she is understood as part of a system where individual, family, and society are interconnected. In this context, she emphasizes that women’s rights and responsibilities should be seen together with their natural roles and social balance, as she has clarified in Women’s Empowerment and Islam.

On this basis, in her thought, “equality” is not understood as “sameness.” She explains that ignoring natural and social differences between men and women and insisting on complete sameness is neither practically possible nor beneficial for social balance. Instead, she speaks of a balance in which recognizing the positions and roles of both, a harmonious system is formed.

Scholarly Services and Analysis of Books

If the scholarly services of Dr. Kausar are seen in their overall continuity, it becomes clear that her work takes the form of a regular intellectual project. In her writings, on one side there is analysis and critique of Western ideologies, and on the other side clarification of Islamic principles, along with comparison between the two. These dimensions form the basic structure of her academic services.

A prominent aspect of her authorship is the critical study of Western ideologies. Her book Modern Political Ideologies: An Islamic Critique is an important effort in this regard, in which she examines Western political thoughts such as secularism and liberalism in their intellectual background. Her method is that she first clarifies the internal structure and historical context of a theory, then reviews it in the light of Islamic principles.

Similarly, in Colonization to Globalization, she presents Western colonialism as a continuous process. She clarifies that colonialism was not only about occupying lands, but also about changing the intellectual and cultural foundations of local societies. Changes in education systems, cultural preferences, and social structures were part of this process.

Through historical examples, it is shown that the colonial period affected not only political systems but also ways of thinking. That is why even after independence many societies could not fully come out of its influence, and its effects remained in different forms. In this background, neocolonialism is understood, where instead of direct control, influence is maintained through economic, intellectual, and cultural means. In the same continuity, globalization is also seen from this angle. Apparently, it seems like a system of global connection and cooperation, but the question is raised whether it really provides equal opportunities to all societies or promotes a particular system globally.

Another important dimension of her work is Islamic political thought, expressed in Political Development: An Islamic Perspective, where she reviews Western models and presents an alternative viewpoint based on Islamic principles.

On women and society, her books such as Muslim Women at the Crossroads, Women in Feminism and Politics: New Directions Towards Islamisation, and Women’s Empowerment and Islam appear in a connected manner. In these, she analyses intellectual and social problems faced by Muslim women and considers how this discussion can be given a new direction in the light of Islamic principles.

She also continued presenting her ideas through research articles, in which topics include critique of United Nations gender programmes, effects of globalization, and explanation of Islamic perspective in modern intellectual debates. If all her work is seen together, it can be said that the central theme of her work is “understanding contemporary issues on Islamic foundations.”

Recognition and Final Prayer

Dr. Zeenat Kausar’s scholarly services were appreciated at different levels. Due to her continuous efforts in research and teaching, she was awarded Excellent Researcher, Quality Research Award (2002), and Outstanding Author Certificate by the International Islamic University Malaysia. She was also included in Marquis Who’s Who in the World.

Her attachment to academic work until the last days of her life is a sign that, according to her, knowledge was a continuous process. Her intellectual sensitivity towards the issues of the Ummah, especially the issue of Palestine, was also part of her scholarly awareness. After her death, the need to study her work in a comprehensive perspective has become more evident, so that benefit can be taken from her writings and ideas.

Finally, we pray that Allah Almighty forgives her, accepts her scholarly efforts, and grants her a place in His mercy.

اللهم اغفر لها وارحمها ، وتجاوز عن سيئاتها ، واجعل علمها النافع صدقة جارية لها، وارفع درجاتها في الجنة ، آ مین ۔

O Allah, forgive her, have mercy on her, overlook her shortcomings, make her beneficial knowledge a continuous charity for her, and raise her ranks in Paradise. Ameen.

 The list of her books and articles is as follows:

 List of Books

• To an Abode of Peace — 1980
• Dialogue for Truth — 1991
• Islam and Nationalism: An Analysis of the Ideas of Azad, Iqbal and Mawdudi –1994
• Women in Feminism and Politics: New Directions towards Islamization — 1995
• Reproduction Technology or Adultery: An Islamic Alternative — 1997
• Woman as Head of State in Islam? — 1997
• Political Participation of Women: Perspectives of Gender Feminists and Islamic Revivalists — 1997
• Women’s Empowerment and Islam: UN Beijing Document / Platform for Action — 2000
• Women’s Issues: Women’s Perspectives — 2002
• Political Development: An Islamic Perspective — 2003
• Social Issues in Malaysia: Muslim Women’s Perspectives — 2003
• Politicization of Sex and Family Devaluation in Feminism: An Islamic Alternative — 2003
• Modern Western Political Ideologies: An Islamic Critique — 2005
• Social Ills in Malaysia: Causes and Remedies — 2005
• Contemporary Islamic Political Thought: A Study of Eleven Islamic Thinkers — 2005
• Muslim Women at the Crossroads: Rights of Women in Islam and General Muslim Practices — 2006
• Women in Politics: The Case of Peninsular Malaysia — 2006
• Colonization to Globalization: Might Is Right Continues — 2007
• Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi on the Empowerment of Women in Family, Society, State and Islamic Movement — 2008
• New World Order (NWO) or New Western Order? Need for the Reorganization of the Islamic Ummah with Its Socio-Political Base — 2008
• Islamic Guidance on Justice in the Context of Gender — 2017
• Islamic Action Plan for Women’s Empowerment: An Islamic Alternative to Beijing Platform for Action — 2019

 List of Articles

• Dynamics of Islamic Polity: Comparison of Western and Muslim
• Political Thought in the Context of Nationalism, Islamic Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 2, 1992.
• Oikos/Polis Conflict in Western Political Thought and Feminism: Necessity of Islamization, American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 4, 1996.
• Political Development: Western and Islamic Perspectives, Islamic Quarterly, Vol. 40, No. 2, 1996.
• Sexuality and Reproductive Rights in Platform for Action and Islam, Encounters, Vol. 3, No. 2, 1997.
• Breakdown of Family in the West: Islamic Solution, Journal of Objective Studies, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1997.
• Development or De-Development: Congruencies & Contradictions Between Rights of Women and Children, Islam and the Modern Age, Vol. 28, No. 2, 1997.
• National Development Planning Policies: The Case of Malaysia (1957–1997), Islam and the Modern Age, Vol. 29, No. 4, 1998.
• Fundamental Flaws in the Platform for Action: Fourth World Conference on Women, Islamic Quarterly, Vol. XLIII, No. 3, 1999.
• Tawhidic Framework for Family Life: Reflections on Islamic Texts, Muslim Education Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 3, 1999.
• Gender Perspective in UN Document on Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing: An Analysis of Platform for Action, Hamdard Islamicus, Vol. 23, No. 2, 2000.
• Debate on the Political Participation of Women and Interpretations of Islamic Texts: Few Reflections, Islam and the Modern Age, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2001.
• Iqbal on Democracy: Acceptance or Rejection? Iqbal Review, Vol. 42, No. 4, 2001.
• Political Dimensions of Islamic Resurgence and Global Democratization: Need for Civilizational Co-Existence, IKIM Journal, 2002.
• Maududi on Democracy: A Critical Appreciation, Islamic Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 4, 2003.
• Women between Family and Workplace: Islamic and Feminist Perspectives, Insight Islamicus, Vol. 3, 2003.
• A Philosophical Critique of Nationalism: Reflections of Iqbal, American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2003.
• A Critique on the Ideological Components of the New World Order and the Need for the Reorganization of the Islamic Ummah, Islamic Quarterly, 2004.
• Sayyid Abul A‘la Mawdudi on the Empowerment of Women: Islamic Revivalism versus Muslim Traditionalism and Feminism, Encounters, Vol. 10, No. 1, 2004.
• Islamic Stance for a Non-Hegemonic Globalization, Studies on Islam, July 2005.
• Women’s Issues: Three Main Perspectives—Islamic, Cultural and Feminist, Insight Islamicus, Vol. 6, No. 6, 2006.
• Communal Riots in India—Muslim Conflict and Resolution, Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 2006.
• Nation-State System and Globalization: Indispensable Parts of Western Hegemonization, Hamdard Islamicus, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2006.
• Battle of Books! Diverse Trends in Muslim Thought on Women’s Issues: Need Bias Cleansing, Journal of International Women Studies, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2014.
• Where is Family in the UN Document Platform for Action, BPA & in its 20 Years Celebration in March 2015? A Critique and Islamic Position on the Issues, Hamdard Islamicus, 2015.
• Pessimism in Modern Scientific Method and in Fukuyama’s Hypothesis on Democracy, Islamic Quarterly, London, Vol. 59, No. 3, 2015.
• Islamic Feminism Fully Exposed: Amina Wadud and Margot Badran vis-á-vis ‘Allama Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Jamal Badawi on Women’s Issues, Tafhim: IKIM Journal of Islam and the Contemporary World, Vol. 9, 2016.
• Islamic Feminism: Is It Calling for a Non-Patriarchal Interpretation of the Qur’an or It Conveys that the Qur’an Remained Neutral to Patriarchy, Islamic Perspective Journal, Vol. 18, Winter 2017.