Education
- MA Islamic Studies, SOAS, University of London, London, United Kingdom, 2019
- BS Social Sciences and Liberal Arts (Major: Political Sciences), Institute of Business Administration, Karachi, Pakistan, 2017
Courses Taught
- Hikma: History of Islamic Thought
- Introduction to Islamic Law
- What is Modernity?
- Religion and Modernity
- Rhetoric and Communication
Teaching Experience
- Lecturer, Habib University, Karachi Pakistan, August 2023 – Present
- Adjunct Faculty, Habib University, Karachi, Pakistan, January 2020 – May 2023
Biography
Zainab Saleem has completed her MA in Islamic Studies from SOAS, University of London. The main focus of her education at SOAS involved an in-depth study of the foundations of Islamic orthodox knowledge which involved the study of social, cultural and political factors in shaping these doctrines. She also learnt about contemporary reformist thinkers, who sought to rethink aspects of Islamic thought, and contributed to providing an Islamic narrative for reconciling Islam with lived experiences of modern Muslims. These narratives ranged from rethinking legal issues on gender, warfare and family, to rethinking theological issues related to the nature of Qur’an and on providing alternative theories of prophecy. In addition to this, Zainab Saleem’s education background involves a faith-based approach to the study of Islam. She has studied the Dar se Nizami course offered by Dar ul Uloom, Karachi. In the course, she had subjects on Islamic law, theology, logic and exegesis, and she studied the works of prominent medieval Sunni scholars, including the works of Marghinani (d.1197), Quduri (d.1037) and Taftazani (d.1322).
Zainab’s research interests focus on classical Islamic tradition and Islamic revivalism. With respect to classical Islamic tradition, she is interested in studying the historicity of religious doctrines. Islamic legal and theological doctrines were procedurally formed during the classical period between 8th-12th century.
Publications
- Saleem, Z. (2023). Addressing Q.4:34: Mahmoud Taha’s Hermeneutics vs Muslim Feminists’ Hermeneutics.Hawwa – Journal of Women of the Middle East and the Islamic World. (forthcomming)
- Saleem, Z. (2023) [Review of Kecia Ali, “Progressive Muslims and Islamic Jurisprudence: The necessity for Critical Engagement with Marriage and Divorce Laws”. In Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender and Pluralism, edited by Omid Safi (Oxford: One World, 2008), 163-190]. Islamic Studies, International Islamic University, Islamabad, vol. 62, no. 2,
http://irigs.iiu.edu.pk:64447/ojs/index.php/islamicstudies/article/view/2660 - Saleem, Z. (2022). [Review of the book Legal Maxims in Islamic Law: Concept, History and Application of Axioms of Juristic Accumulation by Necmettin Kizilkaya]. Manchester Journal of Transnational Islamic Law & Practice, Vol. 18, no. 1, https://www.electronicpublications.org/stuff/909
