Kant the Unlikely Muhaddith? Basmalah and the Hidden Islam of Modern Philosophy

Abstract: This paper uses an interdisciplinary approach—bridging intellectual history, philosophy, and religious studies—to explore overlooked intersections between Immanuel Kant’s philosophy and Islamic thought. It takes the intriguing appearance of the Basmalah (the Islamic invocation “In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate”) on Kant’s 1755 doctoral diploma as a point of departure for examining cross-cultural intellectual influences in the Enlightenment era. The analysis compares Kant’s ideas with those of prominent Islamic philosophers—especially the epistemological skepticism of al-Ghazālī and the metaphysical principles of Avicenna—to identify conceptual resonances and potential channels of influence on Kant’s critical philosophy. Through this comparative examination, the study illuminates previously unrecognized links between Enlightenment philosophy and medieval Islamic thought. The findings suggest that elements of Kant’s thought were shaped, directly or indirectly, by Islamic philosophical traditions. This exploratory yet assertive inquiry into Kant’s “hidden Islam” challenges the conventional narrative of modern philosophy as a purely Western enterprise and underscores the globally interconnected intellectual lineage of Enlightenment thought. Overall, the study’s conclusions invite a re-evaluation of the origins of modern philosophy and highlight the broader implications of acknowledging Islamic contributions within the foundations of Western philosophical discourse. Keywords: Immanuel Kant, Basmalah, Islamic philosophy, al-Ghazālī, Avicenna, modern philosophy. Title: Kant the Unlikely Muhaddith? Basmalah and the Hidden Islam of Modern Philosophy Author: Mohammad Abul Mufazzal, Naseem Fatima Chaudhary International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 13, Issue 4, October 2025 - December 2025 Page No: 610-624 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 25-December-2025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18052012 Paper Download Link (Source) https://www.researchpublish.com/papers/kant-the-unlikely-muhaddith-basmalah-and-the-hidden-islam-of-modern-philosophy