Osman Bakar, PhD

Prof. Osman Bin Bakar (born 18 December 1946) is a renowned Malaysian philosopher and academic. He is currently serving as the 7th Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), a position he has held since 23 September 2024. Throughout his distinguished career, he has contributed significantly to the fields of philosophy, epistemology, and Islamic thought. He is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Malaya and has served as the Chair Professor and Director of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Bin Bakar is also a fellow at the Center for Civilisational Dialogue at the University of Malaya and Doshisha University in Japan. In addition, he previously served as the President of the Islamic Academy of Sciences of Malaysia. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the honorary title “Dato” by the Sultan of Pahang in 1994 and later received the title “Datuk” from the King of Malaysia in 2000. He has also been included multiple times in the list of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World. Currently, he holds the Al-Ghazali Chair of Epistemology and Civilisational Studies and Renewal at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC), International Islamic University Malaysia.