About Dr. Sayed Hassan Akhlaq

Biography

Professor Dr. Sayed Hassan Akhlaq, Ph.D.

Sayed Hassan Akhlaq was born in 1976 in Sayghan, Bamyan, Afghanistan, into a religiously educated family. His father, Hujjat-ul-Islam Sayed Hussain Ali Hussaini, faced persecution under the communist regime, forcing the family to migrate to Iran. Growing up as an immigrant, he witnessed stories of Jihad, ideological clashes, and the tension between modern and traditional thought—experiences that shaped his lifelong pursuit of truth and critical inquiry.

He began his education at the Hawza Ilmiya of Qum and later continued in Mashhad, completing advanced Islamic studies with a degree in Kharej-e Fiqh wa Usul. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Allameh Tabataba’i University in Tehran, following the completion of a Master’s degree in Philosophy at Imam Khomeini International University, where his thesis on Nietzsche and Heidegger was awarded the Best Thesis of the Year. His doctoral research focused on comparative philosophy between the Enlightenment and classical Islamic philosophers.

Dr. Akhlaq has taught in Iran, Afghanistan, and the United States, offering courses in philosophy, Islamic theology, comparative religion, and ethics. In Afghanistan, he served as Chancellor of Gharjistan University (Farah Branch) and as an advisor to the Afghanistan Academy of Sciences. He also taught at Al-Mustafa International University and Payam-e Noor University.

Since relocating to the United States, Dr. Akhlaq has held several prominent academic positions. He has been a Visiting Scholar at the Catholic University of America (2012–2017), George Washington University (2013–2016), Princeton University (2017), and Boston University (2017–2018). He has taught courses in Islamic studies, philosophy of religion, Shi‘ite thought, mysticism, ethics, and law at institutions such as George Washington University, Marymount University, Coppin State University, and Northern Virginia Community College. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies.

A prolific author, Dr. Akhlaq has published extensively in Persian and English, with works spanning Islamic philosophy, comparative religion, ethics, critical theory, and interfaith dialogue. His recent publications include The Making of Shia Ayatollahs (2023) and Intellectual and Spiritual Debates in Islam (2023), along with numerous earlier works in Iran and Afghanistan. A complete list of his books and scholarly papers can be found in the Books and Publications sections of this website.

In addition to academic writing, Dr. Akhlaq contributes regularly to the public sphere through op-eds and essays on platforms such as BBC Persian, OpenDemocracy, Huffington Post, and Islamicity. His writings often bridge classical Islamic thought and modern philosophy, exploring themes of ethics, modernization, interfaith dialogue, and social justice.

Dr. Akhlaq has been active in interfaith and intrafaith dialogues, participating in conferences and lectures across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He believes in the potential of religious and philosophical traditions to enrich human life through critical reflection and dialogue. His academic expertise spans Islamic philosophy, Sufism, Hikmat, Sharia, Kalam, ethics, comparative theology, and the philosophy of religion.

Above all, he identifies himself as a philosopher and seeker of truth, committed to critiquing stereotypes, engaging with modernity, and drawing connections between diverse intellectual traditions. He often describes his mission as bringing “the lost spring of the mountains” into philosophy, ethics, and human life—working for the betterment of humankind.

Academic Activities & Roles

  • Over 20 years of experience in teaching, curriculum development, and academic leadership across Afghanistan, Iran, and the United States.
  • Professor of Philosophy at Coppin State University and Marymount University.
  • Professor of Religion at The George Washington University, and Northern Virginia Community College
  • Editor-in-Chief of Paideia (2017–2021)
  • Editor of Rayehey-e Azadi (“The Smell of Freedom”), Afghanistan’s first intellectual journal post-2001.
  • Advisor at the Afghanistan Academy of Sciences
  • Chancellor of Gharjistan Institute of Higher Education (Farah branch, Afghanistan)
  • Adviser at the Center for the Study of Islam and the Middle East (Washington, D.C.)
  • Research Fellow and Visiting Scholar at:
    • Boston University (2017–2018)
    • Princeton University (2017)
    • The Catholic University of America (2012–2017)
    • George Washington University (2013–2016)

Teaching Experience

🇺🇸 United States of America

The Catholic University of America

  • Lectures and Discussions on Islamic Science and Faith

The George Washington University

  • Islamic Law, Introduction to Shia Islam, Principles of Jurisprudence in Shia Islam, Shia Political Thought, Shia Mysticism and Philosophy, and Shia Theology.

Coppin State University

  • Logic, Moral Philosophy, Metaphysics, Biomedical Ethics, Introduction to Philosophy, and Ethics

Marymount University

  • Exploring Philosophy Through Ancient Wisdom, Introduction to Philosophy, Biomedical Ethics, Cyberethics, and Business Ethics

Northern Virginia Community College

  • Introduction to Islam and Religions of the East

Boston University, University of Louisville, University of Idaho

  • Guest lectures and research on gender, Persian literature, Sufism, and comparative theology

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

Afghanistan Academy of Sciences

  • History of Islamic Philosophy
  • Research on “Development in Afghanistan Using Domestic Philosophy”

Gharjistan University (Farah & Kabul)

  • Founding Chancellor
  • Established faculties in Social Sciences, Law, Economics, and Computer Science

🇮🇷 Iran

Al-Mustafa International University

  • Comparative Philosophy, Islamic Theology, Sufism, Current Islamic Schools

Payam-e Noor University

  • Western Philosophy, Transcendental Wisdom, Formal Logic

Research & Academic Focus

Dr. Akhlaq’s scholarship spans:

  • Comparative Philosophy (Islamic & Western)
  • Shi’ite political and mystical thought
  • Interfaith and intra-faith dialogue
  • Islamic jurisprudence and ethics
  • Religion and the environment (eco-theology)
  • Philosophical foundations of development and identity in Afghanistan

He is a regular speaker at international philosophy and religion conferences, including:

  • MESA, AAR, APA, ACSIS, and Society of Biblical Literature

Select Publications

Dr. Akhlaq is the author or editor of over 12 academic books, including:

  • Exiled Scholars in Western Academia (Palgrave Macmillan, in press)
  • The Making of Shia Ayatollahs (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023)
  • Intellectual and Spiritual Debates in Islam (Cluj University Press, 2023)
  • The Etiquette Guidelines of Critical Thinking (Roya Institute, 2023)
  • From Balkh to Weimar (Khane Mawlana, 2021)
  • The Sacred and the Secular: Complementary and/or Conflictual? (CRVP, 2017)
  • The Enlightenment Tradition in Islam and the West (Amir Kabir, 2009)

He has also published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, encyclopedia entries, and book reviews in international academic outlets such as:

  • Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
  • Religious Studies Review
  • The Ecumenical Review
  • Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia
  • Consensus Journal of Public Theology

Professional Affiliations

  • Middle East Studies Association (MESA)
  • American Academy of Religion (AAR)
  • American Philosophical Association (APA)
  • American Society of Islamic Philosophy and Theology (ASIPT)
  • Association of Political Theory (APT)
  • American Council for the Study of Islamic Societies (ACSIS)

He regularly chairs academic panels, reviews publications, and presents at global conferences.

Media & Public Engagement

Dr. Akhlaq’s thought leadership extends beyond academia. He has been featured in:

  • BBC Radio 4, Voice of America (VOA), Washington Times, Afghanistan International TV, and OmidTV Canada
  • He regularly comments on Afghan politics, Islam and human rights, Taliban ideology, and religious reform
  • Contributor to HuffPost, OpenDemocracy, Islamicity, and other international opinion platforms

Community Engagement

  • Offers public lectures, interfaith seminars, and cultural awareness programs
  • Advisor to American Councils for International Education and Imam Mahdi Center (DC)
  • Encourages civic participation and critical thinking among refugee and immigrant communities