Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Zain

Professor of Islamic Studies and History of Religion

Email

izain@hbku.edu.qa

Office location

C.00.060

Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Zain

Professor of Islamic Studies and History of Religion

Educational Qualifications

PhD in Religion

MA in Religion

Entity

College of Islamic Studies

Program

Master of Arts in Contemporary Islamic Studies

Division

Islamic Studies

Biography

Dr. Ibrahim Zain is a Professor of Islamic Studies and History of Religion at the College of Islamic Studies (CIS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). His various academic postings include Dean of the Kulliyyah (Faculty) of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (KIRKHS) and Dean of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). He writes extensively on the history of religions and reform of Islamic education and has authored over 50 publications, including several books, in English and Arabic. Dr. Zain is a leading scholar on the study of the Covenants of the Prophet Muḥammad.

PhD in Religion

Temple University, Pennsylvania

1989

MA in Religion

Temple University, Pennsylvania

1986

MA in Philosophy

University of Khartoum

1984

BA (Hons.) in Philosophy

University of Khartoum

1980

  • The covenants of the Prophet Muhammad and relevancy to the reconstruction of the Sīra and interreligious dialogue
  • Teaching and learning Islam in contemporary Muslim institutions of higher learning
  • Religion and art in Tayeb Salih novels
  • History of religion
  • Maqāṣid al-sharī‘a and codification of Islamic rulings

Acting Dean

College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

2024 – Present

Professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion

College of Islamic Studies, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

2016 – Present

Dean

Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge & Human Sciences, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Malaysia

2013 – 2016

Dean

International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Malaysia

2007 – 2010

Deputy Dean of Student Affairs

Centre for Postgraduate Studies, International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

2004 – 2005

Professor

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

2003 – 2016

Deputy Dean of Academic Affairs

Centre for Postgraduate Studies, International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

2003 – 2006

Deputy Dean, Academic Affairs

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1999 – 2001

Head of Department of Fiqh and Usul Al Fiqh

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1998 – 1999

Associate Professor

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1997 – 2003

Head of Department of Islamic Revealed Knowledge & Human Sciences

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1996 – 1996

Deputy Dean

Pre-sessional Programme, International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1995 – 1996

Coordinator

Diploma of Islamic Studies, and Usul Din & Comparative Religion, International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1994 – 1995

Assistant Professor

International Islamic University in Malaysia (IIUM)

1993 – 1997

Head of Department of Islamic Studies

University of Khartoum

1992 – 1993

Assistant Professor

University of Khartoum

1989 – 1993

Teaching Assistant

University of Khartoum

1981 – 1989

Rane, H. & Zein, I. (2025). Covenants with Allah: Keystone of Islam. Routledge. 

Zein, I., & El-Wakil, A. (2023). Umar ibn al-Khattab’s encounter with an unnamed monk: From history to legend. Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, 34(2), 157-181.

Zein, I., & El-Wakil, A. (2022). The Siffīn Arbitration Agreement and statecraft in early Islamic political documents. Journal of Islamic Studies, 33(2), 153–202.

Abdelwahid, I. M. Z., & El-Wakil, A. (2022). The covenants of the Prophet Muhammad: From shared historical memory to peaceful co-existence. Routledge.

Zein, I., & El-Wakil, A. (2021). On the origins of the hijrī calendar: A multi-faceted perspective based on the covenants of the Prophet and specific date verification. Religions, 12(1), 42. 1–21.