About

Since 2023, Dr. Umam has served as a lecturer in History and Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia. In addition to his teaching role, he manages the Islamic Studies Review and co-leads the Center of Islamic Manuscripts and Written Texts. He was previously a Leverhulme Postdoctoral Fellow at SOAS University of London (2022–2023) for Mapping Sumatra’s Manuscript Cultures project. Dr. Umam earned his MA and PhD (2013–2021) in Premodern Intellectual History and Middle Eastern Studies from the Free University of Berlin, following graduate studies at the Australian National University and a few of Istanbul institutions, where he studied contemporary Middle Eastern and Central Asian politics, languages, and Islamic history.

He published an article in Studia Islamika (2024) exploring Yusuf al- Makassari’s (d. 1699) periods in Arabian and Syrian contexts. Beyond his academic work, he contributes essays on Islamic social and cultural issues to various Indonesian media outlets, engaging a broader public audience.

His research interests span Islamic history and manuscript cultures, as well as contemporary issues in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. His scholarly work has been supported by several fellowships. He also provides expert consultancy to government agencies and private organizations on matters of Islamic art, history, and culture.