Syed Muhammad al Naquib bin Ali al-Attas (Arabic: Sayyid Muḥammad Naqīb al-ʿAṭṭās; 5 September 1931 – 8 March 2026) was a Malaysian Muslim philosopher of Arab descent. He was considered one of the few contemporary scholars who was thoroughly rooted in the traditional Islamic sciences and studied theology, philosophy, metaphysics, history, and literature. He pioneered the concept of Islamisation of knowledge. Al-Attas's philosophy and methodology of education have one goal: Islamisation of the mind, body, and soul and its effects on the personal and collective life of Muslims as well as others, including the spiritual and physical non-human environment. He was the second Malaysian to be awarded the title of Royal Professor (Profesor Diraja) after the late Ungku Abdul Aziz.
“Islamisation of knowledge” — a single phrase that gathers the spirit of the work.
Principal Contributions
- 01.Islamisation of knowledgeA concept central to Syed's thought.