Research at the Institute centres around a number of select areas (listed below) that include the ten principles of Islam Hadhari. These principles address the political, legal, scientific, intellectual and social aspects of Islam in modern Muslim societies.

Each of these areas cover a range of topics as follow:

I. The Islam Hadhari concept

I.1. The meaning and definition of Islam Hadhari, its objectives and component principles.

I.2. The issue over terminology of Islam Hadhari.

I.3. Islam Hadhari and its grounding in the authentic teachings of Islam.

I.4. Islam Hadhari and the goals and purposes (maqasid) of Shari'ah.

I.5. The role of renewal (tajdid), reform and ijtihad in Islam Hadhari.

I.6. The role of Islam Hadhari in the policy programme of the Government of Malaysia.

I.7. Curbing extremist interpretations of Islam through the Islam Hadhari approach.

I.8. What do we learn from the Qur’anic principle of moderation and balance (wasatiyyah). 

I.9. Identifying the priorities of Islam Hadhari for Malaysia and other Muslim countries: what are the most
challenging issues?

I.10.Social harmony in multi-religious societies from the perspective of Islam Hadhari.

I.11.Consistency and convergence between the various principles and sub-themes of Islam Hadhari.

II. Faith in God and Piety

II.12. The quest to promote faith and piety among Muslims.

II.13. Identification and development of the most effective ways and Methods of teaching Islam to a modern
generation of Muslims

II.14. Divine Unity and its implications for the Muslim society and civilization.

II.15. Ritualism versus substance in the understanding of faith and piety in Islam

II.16. Islam and Islamic values in the constitution and laws of Malaysia

II.17. Faith and piety: how are they manifested in the school and university curricula in Malaysia and other
Muslim  countries?

II.18. Islam in the constitutions and laws of Muslim countries.

II.19. Freedom of religion and religious practices in Malaysia:   problems and prospects

II.20. Apostasy and the challenges it poses in Malaysia and other Muslim countries

III. Just and Trustworthy Government

III.21. Principles of governance in Islam: accountability and   Trust

III.22. Social justice and the issue of equitable distribution of wealth: an Islamic perspective

III.23. Harmonisation of the Shariah and civil law: problems and prospects

III.24. Separation or unity in the cause of justice: issues of jurisdiction between the civil and Syariah
courts in Malaysia

III.25. Justice and the rule of law in the Muslim world: problems and prospects

III.26. Violating the trust: an Islamic perspective on corruption

III.27. Malaysia’s anti-corruption campaign under Abdullah Badawi’s leadership

III.28. Detection and measurement of corruption: A survey of the available methods.

IV. The Islamic Conception of Freedom

IV.29. Freedom from within: the role of tawhid and taqwa in the Islamic personality and culture

IV.30. The liberated individual: lessons from the Qur’an and Hadith

IV.31. Civil liberties as manifested in the constitution and laws of Malaysia

IV.32. Freedom of expression and freedom from unlawful arrest: problems and prospects

IV.33. Freedom in Islam and the liberal West: similarities and differences

IV.34. The gap between the theory and practice of constitutional   freedoms in Muslim countries

V. Knowledge and the Pursuit of Excellence

V.35. Tawhid and knowledge: a holistic approach to education in Mesjid Islam

V.36. Advancing a perspective on knowledge: its priorities and characteristics in the writings
of leading educationists of Islam

V.37. The role of inductive/experimental methods in Islamic Epistemology

V.38. Religion and science: An Islamic perspective

V.39. Overcoming dualities: a comparative analysis of Islamic and modern educational methods

V.40. The Islamic university movement: mission, priorities and Challenges

V.41. Knowledge and capacity building: the Islam Hadhari approach

VI. Balanced Economic Development

VI.42. Advancing the people’s welfare: an Islamic perspective

VI.43. The role of distributive justice in a balanced economy

VI.44. The role of charities and charitable endowments in advancing a balanced economy

VI.45. Trade and commerce: lessons from the Qur’an and hadith

VI.46. Aspiring to excellence in the workplace according to Islam

VI.47. Islamic business ethics and the role of morality in economic development

VI.48. Islamic banking and finance: past achievements and future Challenges

VI.49. Towards a better system of collection and administration of zakah in Malaysia

VII. A Good Quality of Life

VII.50. Identifying the salient components of a good life

VII.51. The moral and material dimensions of well-being: an Islamic perspective

VII.52. Human dignity in the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah

VII.53. Good living and the civilisational objectives of Islam Hadhari

VII.54. Capacity building, human development, and the quality of life in Muslim countries

VIII. Rights of Women and Minorities

VIII.55. Islam and pluralism: theological and juristic perspectives          

VIII.56. Adapting the fiqh tradition to contemporary realities: the role of the maqasid and ijtihad

VIII.57. Social harmony and development: two of the overriding themes of Islam Hadhari

VIII.58. Religious fraternity and human fraternity in the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah

VIII.59. Fiqh of minorities with special reference to the rights of Muslim minorities in non-Muslim majority countries

VIII.60. Closing the ranks and advancing unity between the Sunnis and Shias

VIII.61. A survey of the laws of Malaysia concerning women: problems and prospects

VIII.62. Developing outlines of a model Islamic family law

IX. Cultural and Moral Integrity

IX.63. Culture, custom and civilisation: similarities and Differences

IX.64. The quest for virtue: a perennial challenge and a common denominator of great civilisations

IX.65. Empowering the legal struggle against corruption with the teachings of Islam

IX.66. Moral integrity and the challenges of rampant secularity among Muslims

IX.67. Sex education without promiscuity

IX.68. Protecting the moral fabric of society without invasion of privacy: problems and prospects

X. Safeguarding the Environment: A Shared Concern of All Nations

X.69. Spirituality and ecological degradation: the inter-linkage of Issues

X.70. Protecting the natural environment: lessons from the Qur’an and Sunnah

X.71. Man as the trustee and custodian of the earth: the Islamic principles of Divine Oneness (tawhid),
vicegerency (khilafah), and trusteeship (amanah)

X.72. Taking responsibility for environmental damage and rehabilitation: an Islamic perspective

X.73. Malaysia’s agricultural policies under Abdullah Badawi’s leadership

XI. A Fiqh-based Approach to Harmonisation of Halal Standards

XI.74. Basic guidelines on the determination of halal and haram in Islam

XI.75. A comparative analysis of the various schools of fiqh on halal and haram

XI.76. The role of custom in the popular acceptance or rejection of foods and beverages

XI.77. Developing methodological guidelines for the harmonization of global halal standards:
problems and prospects

XII. Outlines of a Model Islamic Family Law

XII.78. Identifying issues affecting the status of family law in different countries and regions of the Muslim world

XII.79. Islamic family law reform: past achievements and future Challenges

XII.80. The failure of prescriptive reforms: a reappraisal of strategies

XII.81. Toward an egalitarian regime of family law: the role of maqasid and ijtihad

XII.82. Pernicious customary practices and women’s rights

XIII. Advancing Interfaith/Inter-civilisational Dialogue

XIII.83. Beyond platitudes: attempts to identify approaches toward a meaningful dialogue of civilizations

XIII.84. Common grounds and values among world religions

XIII.85. The role of faith and reason in the conduct of interfaith Dialogue

XIII.86. Taking stock of Malaysia’s interfaith dialogue: problems and prospects

XIII.87. The Pope and Vatican: An evaluation of the “Common Word” between the Muslims and
Christians worldwide.