After seventeen years of silence, Islamica returns. Founded in 1992 by a group of Muslim undergraduate students at the London School of Economics, Islamica began as an audacious attempt to think seriously and independently about ourselves, our faith, our politics and our society, at a time when few platforms allowed Muslims to do so on their own terms. That founding spirit—rigorous, unapologetic, and rooted in genuine scholarship—is what we return to now.
Back then we were confronting two formidable challenges: one from within, in the reductionist, puritanical, and ideological caricatures of our deep tradition and civilization, and another from without, which fed on hate, fear, prejudice and ignorance of the past and the present.
Islamica was born from the conviction that these twin challenges could only be faced through serious, independent Muslim thought—voices speaking from within our traditions with intellectual honesty and moral courage.
© Sohail Nakhooda / ISLAMICA MEDIA
Islamica’s closure in 2009 left a void in Muslim media that has only deepened as Islamophobia has intensified and Muslim narratives have been filtered through external lenses. Our own institutions too often lost the plot and couldn’t navigate wisely through the turbulent sea of our modern predicament. Islam and Muslims continue to be distorted by stereotypes, reduced to headlines about conflict, or simply rendered invisible. In a media landscape where misinformation thrives and one-dimensional portrayals dominate, Islamica emerges not as a luxury, but as a necessity.
Islamica was born from the conviction that these twin challenges could only be faced through serious, independent Muslim thought—voices speaking from within our traditions with intellectual honesty and moral courage.
When communities cannot tell their own stories, others fill the void with their narratives of fear and marginalization. Even in 2026 the only Muslim characters in popular culture remain extremists or victims. Newsrooms lack Muslim journalists or, worst still, their voices are stifled or cancelled if they call out injustices or unravel the interests of lobby groups bent on demonising 2 billion Muslims. Our traditions are explained by those who have never lived them. In this absence, prejudice takes root. Islamica provides Muslims with the platform to reclaim their voices, to showcase the rich diversity, complexity, and humanity that mainstream media consistently overlooks. We centre Muslim perspectives—our scholars, artists, entrepreneurs, activists, and everyday people are living nuanced, multi-faceted, complex lives.
Newsrooms lack Muslim journalists or, worst still, their voices are stifled or cancelled if they call out injustices or unravel the interests of lobby groups bent on demonising 2 billion Muslims.
Islamica will celebrate our contributions to science, art, philosophy and society. Our stories matter, and our identities are assets, not liabilities. We will build bridges of understanding between ethnic and multifaith communities and recognize shared humanity beyond the monolith.
This inaugural relaunch issue reflects our ambition. We feature outstanding contributions across spirituality, current affairs, business and finance—the full intellectual and practical life of our communities. We do not look away from the defining atrocities of our time; these pages include our analysis of the Gaza genocide and the moral questions it demands. We also celebrate achievement and hope through exclusive interviews with remarkable figures such as Sari Chairunnisa of Paragon/Wardah from Indonesia on halal beauty products; Paul Pogba, the world-class footballer navigating faith and sport at the highest level; and Maryum Ali, daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, speaking to faith, legacy, and resilience. We also examine critical questions on humanity’s approach to AI and ask how we can protect our critical thinking and autonomy in the future.
We honor in these pages the formidable intellectual legacy of the late Royal Laureate Professor Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, whose vision of Islam is not merely one of religion, but of a civilization that serves human flourishing, justice, beauty and spirituality.
To ensure our publishing remains robust in the digital age, we are launching a vibrant website that will serve as the living heart of Islamica’s daily engagement with our global audience. Our digital editorial timeline will deliver frequent, timely content responding to the currents of contemporary events and ideas—analysis that moves at the pace of the moment. Yet we believe that not all important work can be rushed. Our print editions will showcase the deep dives, the long-form essays, the comprehensive explorations of focused topics and sectors that demand sustained attention, reflection and new approaches. This marriage of digital immediacy and print depth is necessary for informed and wise thinking in our digital age.
In an era of rising hate crimes and discriminatory policies fueled by anti-Muslim sentiment, Islamica is an essential platform for our communities. We are your megaphone, your archive, your counter-narrative. We ensure that future generations inherit a truthful, resilient, humble, inquisitive, courageous and responsible vision of who they are and their contribution to the world. Our stories deserve to be told by us. Islamica makes that possible.
July 2026, Kuala Lumpur
Author
Sohail Nakhooda is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Islamica.
