About the Department

Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed Centre for Islamic Studies was established in the University of Madras with a grant from the South Indian Educational Trust on an initiative by late Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed, a great visionary who understood the need for developing harmony through promoting mutual understanding. The Centre, first of its kind in Tamil Nadu, came into existence in the year 2002 with the objective of contributing to nation building by imparting quality education and disseminating objective learning and understanding on Islam and Muslim societies, thus promoting religious tolerance and pluralism. The Post Graduate Course offered at the Centre include courses in Quranic Studies, Hadith Methodology, Islamic Jurisprudence, History, Islamic Thought, Gender Studies, and Studies in Orientalism. The Centre has organized various events including National Seminars, Round Tables, and public lectures on themes of contemporary relevance. The Centre is also involved in outreach programmes on Islam in the city colleges.