Suleyman Sertkaya

Course Director3893148

Dr Suleyman Sertkaya

BA Marmara Univ., MA Marmara Univ., PhD ACU, GCLTHE CSturt

Course Director / Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies
CISAC Melbourne

Dr Suleyman Sertkaya is a Course Director and Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Australia. He graduated from the School of Divinity at the University of Marmara in Istanbul. He pursued his Master's degree in the field of tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), focusing on chapter 18 of the Qur'an, at the same university. Dr. Sertkaya completed his PhD thesis on modern approaches to the sīrah (biography of Prophet Muhammad) genre at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). Suleyman is the author of Modern Approaches to the Sīrah Genre (Springer, 2025) and has published extensively on themes of peace and war in Islamic tradition. He also serves as the Managing Editor of the Australian Journal of Islamic Studies. His primary areas of research include the sīrah (biography) of the Prophet and sīrah philosophy, Qur’anic exegesis, hadīth (Prophetic tradition), interpretation of Islamic sacred texts, Islamic systematic theology (kalām), Islam and morality, radicalisation and Islam, the history of prophets, oral history, and the history of Islam and Muslims in Australia.

Suleyman lectures in topics related to classical Islamic Studies, contemporary Islamic studies and coordinates the research subjects:

  • ISL181 Sirah (Life of Prophet Muhammad)
  • ISL1481 Philosophy of Prophet Muhammad’s Life (Sirah)
  • ISL282 History of Prophets: Adam to Jesus
  • ISL232 Usul al-Hadith (Methodology of Prophetic Traditions)
  • ISL333 Advanced Study of Hadith Literature

Supervision:

Principle Supervisor:

Mostafa El-Gashingi (PhD). “A Critical Analysis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Classical Islamic Texts vs Contemporary Fatwas: Exploring its Conceptualisation, Identification, Treatment and Modern-day Difficulties.”

Zahida Quashem (PhD). “7th Century Arabian Peninsula: Analysis of the Transformational Leadership of Prophet Muhammad.”

Co-Supervisor:

David Drennan (PhD). “Beyond Flexibility in Fatwas: Engaging Power, Progress, and Modernity in Islamic Thought in Northwest Africa.” (Completed).

Ikramullah Ahmad (PhD). “Sighting the Moon for Ramadan in Islamic Law: A Critical Evaluation of Diverse Views on Calculation and Physical Sighting.” (Completed)

Ensar Cutahija (PhD). “The Five Resolute Prophets: A Comparative Analysis of the Portrayal of Ulū al-ˊazm Prophets in the Selected Tafsīrs and Islamic Historiography.”

Suleyman’s research interests include:

  • Sīrah of the Prophet and Sīrah Philosophy
  • Exegesis of the Qur’an
  • Hadīth (Prophetic Tradition)
  • Interpretation of Islamic Sacred Texts
  • Islamic Theology
  • Islam and Morality
  • History of Prophets
  • Comparative Theology
  • History of Islam
  • Muslims in Australia
  • Oral History

Suleyman is actively involved in academic associations and community organisations. Suleyman is currently the member of:

  • Australian Association of Islamic and Muslim Studies (AAIMS)
  • Centre for Religion, Ethics and Society (CRES)
  • Guest Editor, Comparative Islamic Studies
  • FOAE Faculty Course Committee at Charles Sturt University
  • CISAC Research Team, CSU
  • CISAC School Board, CSU
  • Comparative Theology Reading Group, ACU