Umar Abd Allah Kamil
- Died
- 1436 AH
- Born in
- -
Umar Abd Allah Kamil (d. 1436 AH / 2015 CE) was a contemporary Islamic scholar and author known for his writings on the ethics of debate, the moderation of scholarly disagreement, and contemporary ideological challenges.
Thought and scholarly contribution
Kamil placed significant emphasis on the revitalization of constructive dialogue and the observance of ethical boundaries during scholarly disagreement, identifying the neglect of reasoned dialogue as a major cause of discord and intellectual rigidity in the modern era. He cautioned against ideological extremism and the practice of charging other Muslims with religious innovation (bidʿah), deviance, or disbelief over secondary matters of jurisprudence that have historically accommodated valid differences of opinion. In his view, praiseworthy scholarly disagreement is an integral feature of Islamic jurisprudence, and neither an independent jurist nor a follower of a legal school should censure another over permissible subsidiary differences. He held that enlightened religious thought is indispensable for civilizational renewal and can only develop within an environment that fosters Islamic discourse.
He articulated these principles in his treatise Adab al-Hiwar wa Qawaid al-Ikhtilaf ("The Etiquette of Dialogue and Rules of Disagreement"), which was prepared as a research contribution for an international conference on Islam's stance on terrorism organized under the auspices of Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. He analyzed militant factions in works such as al-Mutatarifun: Khawarij al-Asr ("The Extremists: The Modern-Day Kharijites"). Kamil also addressed contemporary intellectual movements in writings such as al-Islam fi Muwajahat al-Almanah ("Islam in Confronting Secularism"), where he characterized secularism as worldly reductionism (al-dunyawiyyah) and advocated for scholars to actively study and provide rigorous intellectual responses to secular literature rather than leaving it unanswered.
Answer updated
List of Works
Adab al-Hiwar wa Qawaid al-Ikhtilaf (The Etiquette of Dialogue and Rules of Disagreement) is a treatise examining the ethics of debate and the principles governing scholarly disagreement in Islam. Originally prepared as a research paper for a conference on Islam's stance on terrorism, the work serves as a guide to establishing constructive discussion, addressing intellectual discord, and curbing intolerance surrounding disputed subsidiary matters.