Profile

I completed by undergraduate degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Leeds in 2001. In the same year I commenced my MA in  Qur'anic Studies and completed my studies in 2003.

Between 2006–2011, I studied for a PhD in Comparative religion specifically focussing on the notion of creation from a medieval and modern perspective within the Abrahamic faiths.

I am a regular media contributor who has appeared on Sky TV,  BBC radio, iTV and France24. I am also a feature columnist for Spanish newspaper LaRazon based in Madrid.

Responsibilities

• Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Leeds Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Leeds for Life Personal Tutor

Research interests

Selected Publications

Books

• Shaikh, A.B. (2017) Unity, Prophecy and Eschatology in the Abrahamic Traditions Noor Publications, Dusseldorf. 
• Shaikh, A.B. (2011) ‘Medieval and Modern Concepts of Creation in the Abrahamic Faiths’, Lincom Europa Munchen Germany ISBN 9783862880966. LINCOM Cultural Studies 06. 302pp.

Unpublished Works 

• Shaikh, A.B. (2011) Medieval and Modern Concepts of Creation in Judaism, Christianity and Islam with reference to the tenets of faith, PhD Thesis University of Leeds 

Book Contributions

• Contributed to Hill, D.J and Whistler D (2013) The Right to Wear Religious Symbols, Palgrave Macmillan  

Journals

Shaikh A.B. (2011) Science and Religion at the Crossroads: Conflict and Conciliation. In Journal of Interdisciplinary Research on Religion and Science, volume 1, issue 9, (University of IASI, Romania), July 2011, pp.43-61.

Shaikh, A.B. (2017) Oriental Neighbours: Middle Eastern Jews and Arabs in Mandatory Palestine. In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies 18:3, 390-391, DOI: 10.1080/14725886.2019.1626058 

Shaikh, A.B  (2019) Jews, Christians and Muslims in Medieval and Early Modern Times: A Festschrft in Honor of Mark R. Cohen, In Journal of Modern Jewish Studies (March 2017) http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/BbAi3YEftzTuEnnZeQ7f/full 

Shaikh, A.B, Raja, I.A, (2021) British Muslims and the Rise of Ethnic Media in the Digital Age. A Case Study of 5Pillars. Global Media Journal. Vol.19:42, pp.1-7.
Raja, I, Dowson, R, Shaikh, A.B, El-Hadary, T. (2021) A Discussion of Relevant Religious Teachings from Islam and Christianity to the Covid19 Crisis. International Journal of Religion, volume 2, number 1, pp.71-86.

Shaikh, A.B (2023) The Power of Reconciliation by Justin Welby. London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2022, In Muslim World Book Review 45:3 (March 2023).

Shaikh, A.B (2025) One State: The Only Democratic Future for Palestine Israel, London, Pluto Press, 2023. 

Shaikh, A.B. Experiencing Ramadhan in a Covid19 World. (2025). Islam and Civilisational Renewal (ICR), International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia

Al-Otaibi, N, Cohen, I, Dowson, R, Raja, I, Shaikh, A.B. (2025 forthcoming) Religious Festivals in the Age of “Lockdown” and “Social Distancing”: A Comparative Study of Easter, Passover, Rama Navami, Vaisakhi and Eid. 

Raja, I.A., Shaikh, A.B. (forthcoming 2026) Is Qatar a New Victim of framing by (Western) or British Media: A Case Study of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 

Chapters in Books
Raja, I.A, Shaikh, A.B. (2019) Digitalised Ethnic Press and the Representations of British Muslims in the Wake of the 7/7 Bombings: The Case Study of Passion Islam in Yu, S and Matsaganis, M. (eds) Ethnic Media in the Digital Age. Abingdon, Routledge, Part 1, Chapter 5, pp.57-65.

Raja, I.A, Shaikh, A.B. (2025 forthcoming) Reporting the Fall of Kabul: A Comparative Analysis of the headlines in the American and British and Chinese media, Vernon Press, USA
 

Postgraduate Supervision

Current Students

• Jawad Shah (GB) Writing Women in the Arabic biographical dictionary: authorship and authority in a reinvented genre. 
  Gun Gun Gunawan (IND) The Representation of the Prophet Muhammad in Christian and Muslim Tradition

• Completed Students

• Mariam Fargin (GB) Permissibility of Organ Donation in Islam (MAR) (completed)
• Abeer Aldawsari (KSA): ‘The challenges of a mixed-Gender working environment facing women in Saudi Arabia’.
• Samy Al Khattab (EGY) Peaceful co-existence in societies from the past to the present; A critical analytical study in the light of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sunnah’

Conferences and Talks

• Islamophobia in Context Sue Ryder November 2024
• Peace and Reconciliation in the Middle East, Let’s Talk about Palestine University of Leeds Islamic Society, (ISOC) 7th November 2024
• Leeds Languages Week Taster Arabic Language Session New College Pontefract November 2024
• Leeds Languages Week Taster Arabic Language Session Cockburn John Charles Academy Leeds November 2024.
• Lingustars Residential Taster Session Arabic Language University of Leeds June 2024. 
• Islamophobia and the Way Forward Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) and Leeds City Council 2023
• Islamophobia and the Way Forward Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) and Leeds City Council 2022
• Islamophobia and the Way Forward Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) and Leeds City Council 2021
• The Global Islamic Caliphate Explained, Summer Series Lifelong Learning Centre University of Leeds 2015 
• Islam: Beliefs, Practices and Traditions, Summer Series Lifelong Learning Centre, University of Leeds June–July 2014
• The Position of Muslim Women in the UK, South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, Republic of India December 2013 (Invited)
• The Role of Interfaith work in the United Kingdom, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh UP December 2013 (Invited) 
• The Impact of Islamic Law on Modern Western Societies, University of Leeds November 2013
• Islam and the Challenges of Modernity, Summer Series Lifelong Learning Centre  University of Leeds, 6 June–10 July 2013 
• Confronting Anti-Semitism & Islamophobia: an exploration of their socio-historic and theological roots & similarities', Joseph Interfaith Foundation in conjunction with Leeds University Islamic Society, 28 November 2012.
• AHRC/ESRC Workshop Religious Symbols and Discrimination, University of Liverpool, 25–26 May 2012.
• ‘Dialogue, Tolerance and Mutual Understanding in Judeo-Christian and Islamic Traditions’ University of Leeds Lifelong Learning Centre Al-Hikmah Centre, Batley, November 2011.
• The Qur’ān: Peace and Morality. Paper presented at the conference analysed the concept of creation and the presentation of this theme in the Bible and the Qur’ān, University of Leeds, December 2003.

Memberships of Organisations

• Secretary of North Kirklees Interfaith Council  (2012–2015)

Membership of Committees 

• LLC Ethics Committee 2016-2018
  LLLC Taught Admissions Committee 2018-2021
  Iqbal Centre for Critical Muslim Studies (2023-)

External Examiner

External Examiner Birmingham Newman University 

Consultancy Work

• Consultant at Quills Consultancy (Diversity, Engagement and Funding), Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Collaborative Partnerships

Part of the steering committee for the new AHRC-funded network, ‘Philosophy and Religious Practices’ organised by the Department of Philosophy at the University of Liverpool, the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Chester and the Department of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at Liverpool Hope University in partnership with local religious organisations.

Additional Information

Foreign and Commonwealth Office ‘Projecting British Muslims’ Delegation to India 13–17 February 2012. I visited Calicut, Deoband and New Delhi as part of UK Muslim delegation to foster co-operation and mutual dialogue with Muslims in India.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office/ UK High Commission in India delgation to Gujarat February 2013. I visited Muslim educational establishments and non-governmental  (NGO’S) institutes  in Vadodra, Ahmedabad, Surat.

Media Interaction

Racism at Yorkshire CCC

• Protests and death threats stoke Yorkshire cricket’s racism scandal

Azeem Rafiq Race Row Yorkshire CCC

• Crowd protest outside Headingley Stadium over Azeem Rafiq racism row
• Yorkshire cricket racism: Former official says other counties are having 'the same problem' as fans call for further resignations

Batley Grammar School and the Prophet Muhammad Cartoon Controversy (Interviews appeared in Press Association, BBC, ITV, Independent) and across global media news outlets in print, online and broadcast media.

• 5 Pillars media March 2021
• ITV March 2021
• BBC news website March 2021
• Tommy Robinson and the editor: how a newspaper sows division where Jo Cox died September 2nd 2018
• France 24  'Syria UNESCO Palmyra world heritage site under ISIS threat' 15th May 2015 La Razon Internacional 15 May 2015.
• Un ejemplo para los Arabes, La Razon Internacional 30 March 2015
• Interview with Sky Sports 'Cricket in the Community' Mount Cricket Club 5 May 2013 
• BBC Asian Network radio interview ‘Twenty years on from the Gujarat Riots’ February 2012
• Scholars from Britain interact with Students, The Hindu, 14 February 2012
• British Muslims in state to study communal harmony, Times of India edition, 14 February 2012

Qualifications

• BA Arabic and Islamic Studies
• MA Islamic Studies
• PhD Abrahamic Religions

Professional memberships

• Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Student education

Past Modules

• Introduction to Arab/Islamic Civilisation
• Studying the Middle East: Culture, Politics, Religions and Societies ( co-teach on module with colleagues)
• Final Year Project
• Dissertation
• Dissertation in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
• Debating the Middle East
• Early and Medieval Islamic History
• Arabic for Beginners
• Material Cultures and Cultures of Consumption (Contributor)
• World Histories (Contributor)
• Religion and Violence (contributor)
• Palestine and Israel Conflict (Module convenor and contributor)
• Arabic for Beginners 2

Research groups and institutes

• Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
• Arabic
• Conflict

Current postgraduate researchers

• Gun Gun Gunawan