Islamic Research Academy Karachi

The Islamic Research Academy, Karachi was established on 4 March 1963 following a meeting in Lahore presided over by Syed Abul A‘la Maududi and attended by leading scholars and figures of Jamaat-e-Islami. It was founded with the objective of developing serious Islamic scholarship, producing literature in major languages, preparing educational material from an Islamic perspective, and responding intellectually to the challenges posed by modern thought and Western civilisation.

For more than six decades, the Academy has worked to present Islam as a comprehensive and intellectually relevant way of life, particularly to educated younger generations confronting rapidly changing social, political and philosophical ideas. Its research covers contemporary social and political questions, family and civilisation, Islamic education, and critical engagement with modern intellectual trends.

A major responsibility of the Academy is the preservation, authentication, publication and digital dissemination of the works of Syed Maududi. It also publishes the biannual research journals Tahleel and Ma‘arif Journal of Research, produces translations of important international scholarship through its longstanding Ma‘arif feature, and undertakes the translation and publication of books and research material relating to Islam and the Islamic movement.

Through its Department of Tafhim al-Qur’an, the Academy offers programmes in Islamic studies, including Dars-e-Nizami and Ta‘limat-e-Diniyah, alongside support for the study of Arabic, Persian and Turkish. It also trains young researchers capable of engaging both the Islamic scholarly tradition and contemporary disciplines.

Today, the Academy continues to bring together scholars, researchers, editors and educators in pursuit of a central objective: to develop rigorous Islamic thought capable of engaging the intellectual questions of the present age and contributing meaningfully to the future of Muslim society.