Dr. Asad Q. Ahmed, the Magistretti Distinguished Professor of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, and Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley, shares insights into his academic journey and his current research on intellectual exchanges in the Mughal Empire and its neighboring regions.
Could you tell me about your academic journey and how it led to your current research?
Asad Q. Ahmed: My academic journey began with a focus on Western philosophy and comparative literature. Early on, I developed a fascination with ancient philosophy, particularly the works of Aristotle and Plato. This eventually led me to Graeco-Arabic studies, which explore the transmission of Greek knowledge into the Arabo-Islamic world.
Over time, my interests evolved toward the post-classical period between 1200 and 1900, focusing on transregional interactions among scholars, texts, and languages. This work connects regions such as the Middle East and South Asia, and it forms the foundation of my current research on the intellectual exchanges within the Mughal Empire and its interactions with neighboring regions.
What sparked your interest in Islamic social and intellectual history?
AQA: I have always been fascinated by how knowledge moves across cultures and languages. My primary interest lies in understanding how ideas are transmitted from one cultural and linguistic context to another, and how they transform during this process.
For example, Greek ideas were transmitted into Arabic, then into Latin, Persian, and Urdu. In each transition, these ideas took on new shapes to serve different purposes. They were both naturalized within their new environments and transformative in those same contexts. This dynamic process of transmission and adaptation is what drives much of my research.
Can you elaborate on your Mughal Empire project?
AQA: The project focuses on how the Mughal Empire’s diverse languages and cultural spaces interacted internally and with neighboring regions. It investigates how intellectual and material exchanges within the Mughal world—and beyond its cultural and political boundaries—shaped a global history of ideas.
One of our goals is to shift the focus away from the dominant narrative centered on Persian and instead examine the broader impact of the Mughal world through Arabic and other languages. This includes understanding how transregional connections, often overlooked, shaped the Mughal world and its interactions with areas to the east.
What challenges does this research face, and how do you approach them?
AQA: One significant challenge is finding scholars proficient in multiple languages, particularly Arabic and South Asian languages like Tamil and Gujarati, which are not commonly emphasized in Islamic Studies.
Another challenge is the technical nature of the subjects involved. This project requires expertise in fields like philosophy, astronomy, medicine, and astrology, alongside linguistic proficiency. Building a team with the necessary interdisciplinary skills is essential to overcoming these challenges.
What are the broader implications of this research?
AQA: One major outcome is to reveal a more interconnected premodern world than we might imagine today. Before the advent of nation-states, scholars and texts moved relatively freely across regions, facilitating rich intellectual exchanges.
This research underscores the historical openness of trade and scholarly exchange, offering a perspective on intellectual history that transcends contemporary geopolitical boundaries. It helps us see a world of ideas that is much more interconnected than modern borders suggest.
What are your plans for the future of this project?
AQA: Looking ahead, I hope to develop a multi-volume collaborative project on Muslim intellectual history in South Asia. The idea is to map the intellectual trajectory of Muslim South Asia from the eighth century to the late pre modern period.
This will be a long-term undertaking, likely spanning many years, but I believe it is crucial for understanding the intellectual history of the region in its full complexity.
How has the France-Berkeley Fund (FBF) supported your research?
AQA: The FBF grant has been instrumental in facilitating collaboration with scholars who bring specialized expertise. For instance, I’ve worked with Naveen Kanalu, who focuses on Hanafi Islamic law and its influence on South Asian land tenure systems and civil law. His expertise fills gaps in my knowledge and strengthens the project.
Another collaborator, Fabrizio Speziale, contributes insights into Persian interactions within Muslim South Asia and the development of medicine and mysticism through exchanges with Indic languages. The grant has allowed us to adopt a multidisciplinary approach, shaping the project into something much broader and more ambitious than initially envisioned.
Do you have any advice for future FBF applicants?
AQA: My biggest advice is to prioritize interdisciplinary partnerships. Look for collaborators who can fill the gaps in your expertise and help actualize a vision that you couldn’t achieve alone. The FBF provides a platform for ambitious, collaborative projects, so use it to bring together diverse international perspectives.
The grant has significantly enhanced the scope and potential impact of this project. While each researcher brings their expertise, we all have limitations. By finding the right partners from different disciplines and regions, you can carry out projects that are far greater in scope and ambition than anything you could achieve alone.
I thank and extend my gratitude to Dr. Asad Q. Ahmed for sharing his insights.