Editorial Note 

When the first issue of the American Journal of Islamic Studies 
(AJIS) came out last spring, we announced that it was an organ of the 
Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) and that it is intended to 
serve as a forum for dialogue between Muslims in these United States 
and those elsewhere in the global Muslim community. We hope the 
number of articles published in the first and second issues of the journal 
have served this purpose. 

In this third and fourth numbers of the journal we wish to announce a 
change of name. Why are we changing the name of the journal and what 
is the new name? Well, the new name is the American J o u m l  of Islamic 
Social Sciences (MISS). The decision to change the name of the journal 
was made by the newly elected Executive Committee of the AMSS. 
Under the new President, Dr. Abdulhamid AbuSulaymanm, the 
Executive feels that the term “Islamic Studies” does not necessarily 
convey the wider meaning and research objectives of the AMSS. I t  is 
true that “Islamic Studies” encompasses a great deal in terms of studies 
on and about the Muslim World and peoples, but to further the cause of 
the AMSS and its members, the journal must begin to deal with the 
social science issues that bear on the Muslim World. This journal, the 
Executive believes, could serve as the intellectual vehicle through which 
the Muslim identity and Muslim scholarship can not only benefit but also 
develop along more authentic and less dependent lines. Of course some of 
us in the Muslim World and within the ranks of the AMSS may argue 
that the very name is presumptous. The point is well taken. Presently an 
Islamic social science is yet to develop but there is room for aspirations. 
The effort is certainly aspirational and the members of the AMSS and 
others interested in Islamic affairs and in research about the Muslims 
are called upon to give the idea a chance to develop. 

But actually, what is Islamic social science? This is a body of 
knowledge that interprets scientifically acquired data along Islamic 
lines. It employs much of the tried and tested social science research 
methods to explain, analyse and discuss the human condition in Muslim 
societies; it formulates hypotheses and theories in the tradition of Ibn 
Khaldun and Ibn Taymiyah and pursues knowledge to the farthest 
limits set by the divinely created uq1 (human intellect). One 
distinguishing characteristics of an Islamic social science is the set of 
motives that propel the researcher. Rather than pursue knowledge 
simply for the sake of knowledge, this approach to knowledge-acquiring 
and knowledge-processing places much emphasis on man’s role as 



khalifa on earth, man’s role as a neighbor to his fellowmen, and man’s 
possible degeneration as a human being into the savage condition. This is 
to say t h a t  m a n  can reduce himself to the level of the lowest of creation 
through self-abuse. An Islamic Social Science works not only for the 
improvement of the human material condition but it attempts to have a 
better understanding of man and his habitat so that man’s roles 
identified above can be better fulfilled on earth. If the methodological 
and theoretical arguments can be marshalled for the gradual but firm 
development of this field of research and study, then the idea of an 
Islamic social science is worthy of human labor and human reflection. 
This is the stated aspiration of the journal and we hope that Muslim and 
non-Muslim scholars interested in this aspect of the Muslim experience 
in America and beyond would collaborate with us in the expansion of the 
frontiers of knowledge. Ibn Khaldun and al-Biruni did it during their 
times. The challenge is much greater today, but we believe there a r e  
enough talents in the Muslim World and beyond to achieve this goal of 
making social science a loving and caring companion of d i n  al-Islam 
(religion of Islam). 

Sulayman S. Nyang, Ph.D. 
Editor-in-Chief