College of Islamic Studies Approves Research Proposal

The College of Islamic Studies at the Islamic University of Minnesota - Main Center - held a scientific seminar to discuss the research proposal submitted by Afshan Rizvi, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Islamic Studies (English Program). The proposal was entitled: “The Influence of Positivist Epistemology on Muslim Youth’s Conception of Knowledge.”

The seminar was conducted via Zoom on Thursday, May 14, 2026, as part of the University’s ongoing efforts to support scholarly research and encourage contemporary intellectual studies addressing philosophical and epistemological issues relevant to the modern Islamic context and its evolving challenges.

The proposed study seeks to explore the impact of positivist epistemology on the ways Muslim youth perceive knowledge and its sources, as well as to examine the implications of this influence for intellectual and cultural awareness among younger generations in light of the profound intellectual and epistemological transformations taking place in today’s world.

The seminar committee was chaired by Assistant Professor Dr. Manal Mustafa, Head of the Department of Islamic Studies (English Program). Committee members included Dr. Samir Moulay Al-Hassan Faridi and Dr. Naeem Mohammed Mohiyaddin.

The session featured in-depth academic discussions covering the theoretical and methodological dimensions of the proposed research. Committee members offered a number of scholarly observations and recommendations aimed at strengthening the study’s conceptual framework and refining its methodology to ensure the effective achievement of its research objectives.

The committee emphasized the significance of the topic, noting that it addresses a contemporary intellectual issue related to concepts of knowledge and its sources among Muslim youth. They further highlighted the potential of the study to enrich English-language Islamic scholarship and provide valuable academic insights into the epistemological challenges facing emerging generations.

At the conclusion of the seminar, the committee formally approved the research proposal after reviewing and discussing the necessary academic observations. The members expressed their appreciation for the researcher’s efforts in preparing the proposal and wished him success in completing his dissertation and contributing a meaningful scholarly addition to the field of contemporary Islamic studies and academic research.