The second double issue of Signs of the Times for 2025 features a thematic section dedicated to the challenges and prospects of contemporary Muslim theological thought. The issue opens with an exceptionally valuable critical contribution by Academician Rešid Hafizović, which addresses the fundamental challenges facing Islamic thought in the 21st century. The problem is structured into four sections within which the author examines the issue of allied neo-imperialism involving security risks, followed by the question of the influence of Western European epistemic imperialism on the Muslim experience of intellectual heritage, intra-Muslim divisions, and finally the challenge of reinterpreting the tradition of thought and the tradition of belief. This is followed by an article by Rusmir Šadić, in which he outlines the basic principles of neotraditionalism as one of the most significant tendencies within contemporary Muslim theological thought. The author shows how neotraditionalism emerges as a call for the renewal of authentic tradition and the development of a critical attitude toward modernity, where the central elements of its critique of modernity relate to the “loss of the Sacred” and the “decline of metaphysics” within the Western intellectual tradition. The text by Ömer Özsoy, titled “The Decontextualization of the Qur’an: Modern Interpretations or the Construction of Modern Qur’ans,” represents a valuable contribution to the thematic section on the challenges of contemporary Muslim theological thought. It is primarily concerned with the question of the “weakness of contemporary Muslim thinking,” namely the problem of “projecting” modern meanings onto the Qur’anic text. Almir Fatić addresses the question of scientific interpretation of the Qur’an, presenting and comparing various critical perspectives that range from complete rejection to uncritical acceptance. Drawing significantly on the perspectives inherent in Muhammad Abduh and Ahmad Khan, the author also offers a series of his own critical reflections. Edin Peštalić, in his paper, reminds us of the complexity of the question of understanding, historical development, and application of ijtihad as a category of creative thinking within Muslim theological thought. In addition, the paper traces examples of its realization and reception within the Bosnian and Herzegovinian theological tradition.
The final article within the indicated thematic section is authored by Maryam Sanjabi, Baqer Talebi Darabi, and Mehdi Farmanian, who, in a highly engaging manner, attempt to shed light on the phenomenon of the influence of philosophical perspectives on the historical development of the science of kalām in a modern context.
The article by Berin Bajrić examines the influence of Akbarian metaphysics on the thought of Ali-dede Bošnjak, one of the most significant Ottoman-Bosnian scholars of the 16th century. The paper represents a substantial contribution to a more comprehensive understanding of the channels through which Ibn Arabi’s intellectual and spiritual legacy spread in Ottoman centres, as well as the importance of Ali-dede Bošnjak for the development of Sufi thought in Bosnia.This is followed by a paper by Fatima Kadić, in which she analyzes the meaning and spiritual symbolism of the stepped mihrab motif, which is often found on prayer rugs. Her study primarily draws on the rich Sufi tradition and its associated conceptual framework. And the final contribution in the “Articles” section is authored by Bernard Harbaš, who, under the somewhat provocative title “The Economy of Dispossession,” engages in an outline of a postmodern critique of the very concept of ownership. He emphasizes that human freedom is not affirmed through property ownership, but rather through the possibility for everyone to have equal opportunities for participation in the public sphere.
Finally, we present a review of the valuable content of Suhrawardi’s book “The Whisper of Gabriel’s Wing,” in an outstanding translation by Mubina Moker, with the review written by Orhan Jašić.