Dr. Thomas Eich

Biography

Thomas Eich is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Hamburg, where he has been a faculty member since 2010. He completed his Magister degree at the University of Bamberg in 1999 and earned his doctorate from the Ruhr University Bochum in 2002. His academic research primarily focuses on Sufism during the late Ottoman Empire, analyzing the social-political dimensions of Sufi writings. His dissertation on Abu l-Huda al-Sayyadi emphasized personal network relationships and their transformations throughout al-Sayyadi's life. In addition to this work, he has published further articles contributing new material to the field. Eich's interests extend to contemporary debates among Sunni Muslim jurists regarding ethical questions in medicine, particularly concerning reproductive medicine and prenatal screening since the 1980s. His research aims to understand how technological advancements are discussed within Islamic law and their societal implications in the Middle East. Additionally, he has developed a focus on Arabic-Islamic texts from the 7th to 12th centuries, including works in fiqh, hadith, and the Quran, aiming to establish a historical understanding of these texts within contemporary jurisprudential discourse. Eich has collaborated with an international research team on Islamic bioethics, supported by a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council, from 2015 to 2021.

Research Interests

Experience