Trends and Patterns in Islamic Endowment for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Education, and Sustainability Research: A 25-Year Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on Islamic endowment at the intersection of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), education, and sustainability between 2000 and 2025. Using 895 documents retrieved from the Scopus database, the study examines the evolution of scholarly output, identifies key contributors and collaboration patterns, and maps dominant and emerging research themes. Bibliometric techniques were applied using Harzing’s Publish or Perish for citation metrics, OpenRefine for data cleaning and standardisation, and VOSviewer for visualising co-authorship networks, keyword co-occurrences, citation structures, and thematic clusters. The findings reveal a marked growth in publication output, particularly after 2015, indicating increasing academic and policy interest in aligning Islamic endowment with global sustainability agendas. Research activity is concentrated in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, and Indonesia, reflecting both Western engagement with ESG frameworks and strong leadership from Muslim-majority countries. Collaboration networks remain moderately clustered, suggesting opportunities for broader cross-regional and interdisciplinary partnerships. Thematic analysis identifies established research streams centred on philanthropy, education financing, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development, alongside emerging themes such as eco-Islamic endowment, climate action, green learning, and financial inclusion. Citation and co-citation analyses highlight a core intellectual foundation drawing from economics, development studies, environmental science, and ethical governance, indicating that Islamic endowment research is increasingly embedded within wider ESG and sustainability scholarship. Conceptually, the findings demonstrate a shift from predominantly normative and institutional discussions toward more applied, impact-oriented research that positions Islamic endowment as a strategic instrument within ESG ecosystems rather than a standalone charitable mechanism. The study contributes to the literature by offering the first long-term bibliometric mapping of Islamic endowment research across ESG, education, and sustainability domains. Its findings provide practical insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to strengthen governance frameworks, enhance educational outcomes, and mobilise Islamic endowment assets for sustainable development. The analysis also identifies research gaps that can guide future empirical, comparative, and policy-oriented investigations.