The Faculty of Islamic Studies was officially established on May 18, 1970, in conjunction with the founding of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). It was among the initial faculties formed at UKM, alongside the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. However, the origins of the faculty can be traced back to the establishment of Kolej Islam Malaya in Klang in 1955. The faculty’s formation was a continuation of the aspirations and intellectual endeavors of a group of Malay scholars committed to the establishment of an Islamic higher education institution in Malaysia.
In 1968, the Ministry of Education approved the elevation of Kolej Islam Malaya to the status of a University College. Concurrently, there was a growing nationalist movement advocating for the establishment of a university that utilized the Malay language as the medium of instruction. This vision was realized in 1970 when the government officially announced the establishment of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, incorporating the Faculty of Islamic Studies as one of its founding faculties.
At the time of its inception, the faculty comprised only two departments: the Department of Shariah and the Department of Usuluddin (Theology), supplemented by an Arabic Language Unit. Subsequently, on May 15, 1974, the Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization was established. Currently, the Faculty of Islamic Studies consists of five departments and one Arabic Language Unit, namely: Department of Shariah; Department of Usuluddin and Philosophy; Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization; Department of Da’wah and Leadership Studies; and Department of Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah Studies
During the 1970–1971 academic session, the faculty had a total of six academic staff members, comprising one professor, one lecturer, and four assistant lecturers, all of whom were graduates of Middle Eastern universities. The first cohort of students consisted of 37 individuals—24 male and 13 female students—all of whom were graduates of Kolej Islam, Petaling Jaya.
Presently, the Faculty of Islamic Studies houses five research centers: Center for Shariah Studies; Center for Usuluddin and Philosophy Studies; Center for Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization; Center for Da’wah and Leadership Studies; and Center for Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah Studies.
As of the 2024/2025 academic session, the faculty employs 118 academic staff members and enrolls 1,853 undergraduate students and 499 postgraduate students. The faculty offers five undergraduate degree programs: [1] Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Honors) in Shariah; [2] Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Honors) in Usuluddin and Philosophy; [3] Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Honors) in Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization; [4] Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Honors) in Da’wah and Leadership Studies; and [5] Bachelor of Islamic Studies (Honors) in Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah Studies.
