The German scholars have always had a very long presence in modern Islamic studies and research. German research and scholarship into Islam goes back to the 1800s. 19th century German scholarship was meticulous in almost every field of research. The 'German method' in academic research was synonymous with strict discipline and in being thorough.
19th century German scholars were almost always Arab linguists who took years to not only master the Arabic language but travelled to the Middle East to immerse themselves in the source materials, in the culture and environment to better understand their subject.
This tradition continues in Germany with a group known as the Inarah School. Inarah is an independent research association devoted to the historical-critical study of early Islam and the Qur'an. Inârah comes from Arabic inārah ("enlightenment" or "illumination"). The organization was founded in 2007 in Saarbrücken, Germany.
Well known German scholars associated with Inarah include: Karl-Heinz Ohlig, Markus Groß, Robert M. Kerr, Christoph Luxenberg.
They are an independent scholarly association (non-profit organization) that organizes conferences, publishes books, and sponsors research. Their work is cited in discussions of revisionist Islamic studies.
They are becoming more prominent and well regarded among western academic circles. I think we will likely be hearing more about them.
