RECLAIMING EPISTEMIC AUTHORITY: THE ROLE OF MUSLIM MUSEUM CURATORS IN SHAPING HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL NARRATIVES

Abstract

This article explores the epistemic authority of museum curators in shaping public understanding of history, culture, and identity. Far from being neutral custodians of artifacts, curators act as powerful agents who construct narratives through selective interpretation, exhibition design, and textual framing. Drawing on critical museological literature, the article examines how colonial and nationalist ideologies have historically influenced curatorial practices, often marginalizing alternative worldviews. It further introduces Islamic perspectives particularly the tawhid worldview, the ethics of adab, and the maq??id al-shar??ah as frameworks for ethical and spiritually grounded curatorship. The article argues for a decolonial and epistemically just approach to museum practice, urging Muslim curators to reclaim their narrative agency and contribute to intellectually liberating and dignified representations of history and culture.