Public PhD Viva-Voce Examination of Ms. Hawa Yahya Ali Mohammed Al-Amair, from the Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Ms. Hawa Yahya Ali Mohammed Al-Amair has successfully awarded the PhD Degree in Islamic Studies, majoring in Islamic Thought, from the Faculty of Arts & Humanities – Sana’a University. Her dissertation, titled “The Islamic Civilization in the Eyes of Orientalists: A Critical Study,” was defended on Wednesday, Sha’ban 13, 1446 Hijri, corresponding to February 12, 2025

The Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
1. Prof. Huda Ali Al-Emad, Internal Examiner, Sana’a University, Chair.
2. Prof. Ahmed Ali Musleh Mazrou, External Examiner, Dhamar University, Member.
3. Prof. Dr. Adel Saleh Al-Faqih, Main Supervisor, Sana’a University, Member.

The primary objective of the dissertation was to explore the characteristics of the Orientalists’ methodologies and sources in their examination of Islamic civilization, while also analyzing and critiquing the prevalent biases against Islamic civilization propagated by certain fervent Orientalists. Additionally, it investigated the ramifications of these Orientalist perspectives on both Western society and Arab and Muslim scholars.

The dissertation yielded several significant findings, notably:
1. Islamic civilization has attracted considerable attention from Orientalists, emerging as a prominent focus within their scholarly writings and studies. This interest is attributed to the richness, diversity, and comprehensiveness of Islamic civilization, which has led Orientalists to engage with it through various academic disciplines and research methodologies, often involving evaluation, questioning, and skepticism.
2. An examination of the methodologies employed by certain Orientalists in their studies of Islamic civilization revealed substantial methodological errors that do not align with accepted scientific standards of objectivity and neutrality. Consequently, the outcomes of these studies were found to primarily serve the underlying motives and objectives from which they originated.
3. The research identified three distinct positions regarding the Orientalist discourse: first, a position of uncritical acceptance of Orientalist contributions; second, a blanket rejection of all Orientalist scholarship; and third, a critical engagement with Orientalist works that selectively acknowledges or critiques aspects in accordance with or in opposition to Islamic law, emphasizing that scholarly contributions should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
4. The dissertation further illuminated the extent of Orientalist studies related to Arab and Islamic civilization—both ancient and contemporary—while simultaneously highlighting the efforts made by Islamic scholars to respond to and critique these Orientalist writings.

The researcher advocated for a critical examination of the methodologies employed by Orientalists when addressing issues pertaining to Islamic civilization, asserting that this scrutiny is essential prior to addressing specific inaccuracies and fabrications present in their works. She emphasized that focusing solely on particular details without investigating the foundational erroneous approaches that yield such results is an inefficient use of time, effort, and resources.

The Viva-Voce was attended by several academics, researchers, students, and several colleagues and family members of the researcher.