His doctoral dissertation examined the role of religious ideas in contemporary Islamic revival in Malaysia. Professor Sinanovic obtained a BA in Islamic Studies, and a BA in Political Science, both from the International Islamic University Malaysia. He then received an MA in Islamic Civilization from the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) in Kuala Lumpur, where he wrote a Masters thesis on the majority principle in Islamic legal and political thought. He obtained an MA in Political Science from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, where he also pursued a doctoral degree in political science.