A NAS A WEEK - 16 DZULQAEDAH 1428

[28] "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.

[ar-Ra'd, 13:28]

A NAS A WEEK - 9 DZULQAEDAH 1428

Narrated An-Nu'man bin Bashir: Allah's Apostle said, "You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it."

[Hadith from Sahih Bukhari, Book No. 73: 'Good Manners and Form (Al-Adab)', Hadith No. 40]

PHD DEFENSE BY NOR AZZAH KAMRI

ISDEV Research Associate Nor Azzah Kamri will sit for her viva voce on 26 November 2007 (Monday) at 9.00am. She will be defending her PhD thesis entitled Implementation of Islamic Code of Ethics in Islamic Development Organization: A Case Study of Lembaga Tabung Haji Malaysia.

Before her real defense, Nor Azzah will be familiarized by ISDEV with a stituation of a viva voce through a mock viva to be held on 23 November 2007 (Friday) at 3.00pm at Meeting Room C05 (ISDEV), School of Social Sciences. The mock viva will be chaired by Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh while Dr Mohamad Zaini Abu Bakar and Dr Nizam Sahad will act as examiners. All are welcome

A NAS A WEEK - 2 DZULQAEDAH 1428H

[99] No authority has he (Satan the Rejected One) over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.

[an-Nahl,16:99]

INVITATION TO ISDEV RESEARCH DISCOURSE SERIES ON ISLAMIC CAPITAL MARKET AND ISLAMIC RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

During November and December this year, ISDEV will host four series of Research Discourses. Two would be on the Islamic Capital Market and the other two on the Islamic Research Methodology.

Both titles relate to the two research projects that are currently carried out by ISDEV. All are cordially invited and the details are as follows.

12 November 2007

"Equity in Islamic Capital Market: Concept and Operational Mechanism" by Professor Dr Abdul Ghaffar Ismail (Coordinator of EKONIS, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), 10.00am - 12.30 pm, Training Room of Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

22 November 2007

"Sukuk in Islamic Capital Market: Concept and Operational Mechanism" by Professor Dato' Sano Koutoub Mustapha (Deputy Rector, International Islamic University Malaysia), 10.00 am - 12.30 pm, Training Room of Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

12 December 2007

"Islamic Critiques of Conventional Research Methodology" by Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Mumtaz Ali (International Islamic University Malaysia), 9.00 am - 10.30 am, Ibn Khaldun Room, Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

13 December 2007

"Application of the Methods of Usul-Fiqh in Research" by Professor Dato' Paduka Mahmood Zuhdi (Islamic Academy, Universiti Malaya), 13 December 2007 at 8.30 am - 10.00 am, Ibn Khaldun Room, Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

4 ABILITIES TO EXTRACT INFO DURING FIELDWORK

When carrying out a fieldwork, one has to be equipped with at least four abilities in order to extract maximum information and data needed.

The first is the ability to understand respondents' stance so that discussion could be done along, and not contrary to, that stance. The second is the ability to understand terms and talk of the day of the respondents so that the same language could be used to be part of the respondents and smoothen the discussion. The third is the ability to make ourselves important to the respondents so that they would not ignore us. And lastly, the fourth is the ability to justify the importance of the research for the respondents so that prejudices and uncertainties among the respondents could be avoided.

These are what had been developed and used by Muhammad Tahir (above) during his fieldwork in Bandung, Indonesia recently. He deliberated these during the recent Monthly Graduate Supervision held on 2 November 2007, to be shared by other fellow graduates and lecturers.

Muhammad Tahir is doing his doctorate on Tazkiyah An-Nafs in Islamic Development - The Case of Kopentren of Darut Tauhid in Bandung, Indonesia under the supervision of Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh and Dr Khairul Anwar Othman. He is currently writing the analysis of the findings from his fieldwork.

ISDEV INTRODUCES ANOTHER ACTIVITY, THE ISDEV RESEARCH DISCOURSE

In view of an increasing number of research projects undertaken by ISDEV and of the need to provide a maximum benefit to as many interested intellectuals as possible, the Centre now introduces a new activity called ISDEV Research Discourse.

In this Discourse, intellectuals and researchers from other institutions outside Universiti Sains Malaysia will be invited to speak on a topic related to any particular research that is being carried out by ISDEV.

This Discourse is a little bit different from ISDEV In-House Seminar, of which the speakers are from outside Universiti Sains Malaysia, presenting their ideas on a given topic that is thought to be helpful in concretizing ISDEV researches. In ISDEV In-House Seminar, the speakers are the members of ISDEV research teams themselves, presenting their research findings to be shared and commented by other colleagues.

Until the end of the year, four ISDEV Research Discourses on topics particularly related to ISDEV researches on Islamic Capital Market and Islamic Research Methodology have been scheduled. They are as follows:

1. 12 November 2007: "Equity in Islamic Capital Market: Concept and Operational Mechanism" by Professor Dr Abdul Ghaffar Ismail (Coordinator of EKONIS, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), 10.00am - 12.30 pm, Training Room of Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

2. 22 November 2007: "Sukuk in Islamic Capital Market: Concept and Operational Mechanism" by Professor Dato' Sano Koutoub Mustapha (Deputy Rector, International Islamic University Malaysia), 10.00 am - 12.30 pm, Training Room of Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

3. 12 December 2007: "Islamic Critiques of Conventional Research Methodology" by Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Mumtaz Ali (International Islamic University Malaysia), 9.00 am - 10.30 am, Ibn Khaldun Room, Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

4. 13 December 2007: "Application of the Methods of Usul-Fiqh in Research" by Professor Dato' Paduka Mahmood Zuhdi (Islamic Academy, Universiti Malaya), 13 December 2007 at 8.30 am - 10.00 am, Ibn Khaldun Room, Institute of Graduate Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

All are cordially invited.

Announcements and reminders of the Research Discourses will be posted from time to time.

A NAS A WEEK - 24 SYAWAL 1428H

Masruq is reported to have asked 'A'isha about the action (most pleasing to) the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She said: He (the Holy Prophet) loved (that action) which one keeps on doing regularly. I said (to 'A'isha): When did he pray (at night)? She replied: When he heard the cock crow, he got up and observed prayer.

[Hadith from: Sahih Muslim, Book No. 4: 'The Book of Prayers (Kitab Al-Salat)', Hadith No. 1614]

LECTURES AT ISDEV MONTHLY GRADUATE SUPERVISION IN DVDs

Graduate students and interested parties who are interested in lectures pertaining to graduate research and thesis writing could now get them in DVD from ISDEV. These DVDs, based on lectures delivered at ISDEV Monthly Graduate Supervision (all in Malay), have been produced by ISDEV Media Unit and sold at a very low cost of RM5 each (excluding of postage).

To date, the titles that are available are as follows:

1. Fieldwork by Dr. Azlinda Azman
2. Constructing Research Proposal by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdul Fatah Che Hamat
3. Research Objectives, Questions & Hypotheses by Dr Zulkarnain A. Hatta
4. Past Research by Dr. Lilis Surienty Abd Talib
5. Literature Review by Dr. Nor Malina Malik

Those interested to have the DVDs as references or personal collection could now make an order from Sukainah at suekainah@yahoo.com or +6-04-653 4601 (office phone) or +6-04-653 2124 (fax).

Availability of new titles will be announced from time to time via ISDEV NEWS at http://isdevnews07.blogspot.com/ and ISDEV Site at http://isdev.usm.my/