Dr Badreldeen Ismail

Founding Dean & Senior Lecturer in Islamic Intellectual Thought

Dr Badreldeen Ismail al-Husayni is a senior lecturer at The Classical Institute since 2018, delivering courses in various fields of Islamic studies including Arabic language and literature, kalam theology, sufi traditions, Shafi’i jurisprudence & legal theory, Quran & Hadith studies as well as Islamic and western philosophy.

After undertaking a BA (Hons) in Arabic Language, Literature and Islamic Studies from the University of Cairo, he received an MA with distinction in Quranic Studies and Medieval Arabic Theology at SOAS. Thereafter, he completed his PhD at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research interests

- Philosophical theology (ilm al-kalam)

- Islamic philosophy (falsafa)

- Sufism (tasawwuf)

- Intersection between kalam theology and Sufism

- Interface between kalam theology and medieval Christian philosophical theology.

Recent Publications

Al-Qushayri's Teleological Theology (De Gruyter, 2025): Dr. Badreldeen Ismail explores the fusion of theology and Sufism in al-Qushayri’s thought, highlighting its teleological dimensions. Read more here.

Tracing Contemporary Western Scholarship in Sunni Kalam (Journal of Al-Hikma Al-Islamiyya, 2024) Dr. Badreldeen Ismail analyses recent academic approaches to Sunni kalam, emphasising its rational and philosophical depth. Read more here.

Book Review: Unlocking the Medinan Qur'an, ed. Nicolai Sinai (Journal of Islamic Studies, Vol. 35, Issue 2, 2024): A critical review by Dr Ismail assessing the work’s contribution to Qur'anic studies. Read more here.