IDMAC11 SETS TO GO

Preparations for the 5th ISDEV International Islamic Development Management Conference (IDMAC11) to be held tomorrow and the day after tomorrow (13-14December 2011) at USM's University Conference Hall are settled. A total of 61 papers will be presented at the Conference. Participants from as far as Pakistan and as near as Thailand have begun to arrive in Penang.

On the first day of the Conference, ISDEV Director Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh will deliver a Keynote Address entitled Preliminary Understanding of Islamic Marketing and Asset Management, while on the second day, the leader of Ban Nua Community in Thailand Dr Tabrani Abdul Latif will deliver a second Keynote Address entitled An Islamic Grassroots Approach to Asset Management: A Ban Nua Experience.

Registration for participation is still open. Those interested could ring Hanim at +6-04-653 3422 or Noor at +6-04-653 5812.

A NAS A WEEK - 15 MUHARRAM 1433

Say, "It is He who has produced you and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful." [al-Mulk, 67:23].

THE WEEKLY TUESDAY'S TEACHING

8 Nov - 10th of Zulhijah would be a historical event for all Muslims. 'Sacrifice', is a word which carries multiple meanings and interpretations for each individual, but for sure the story behind that date would be a lessons for all Muslims.

In conjunction with the recent Eid -al Adha that was celebrated by Muslims all countries in the world, Ustaz Yasir also took the opportunity by recalling the events that took place between Prophet Ibrahim As and his son Prophet Ismail AS that led to the events of the Sacrifice.

The story started from the beginning till the end of the events of the Sacrifice which had involved them both. The session become calm and melancholy when each attendees began to feel the sacrifice made, and are aware of the lessons to be collected based on the story. For women, Siti Hajar's sacrifices taught one that a wife must be willing to sacrifice her feelings to her husband and son who both wanted to obey Allah's commandments, and striving for Allah SWT which should be emulated and practiced in daily life.

PRACTISING ISLAM IN NATURE

A lecture on animal slaughtering rules by Ustaz Mohd Shukri Hanapi

After two semesters learning about Islam and the Islamic Development Management field academically, the Master students in Islamic Development Session 2010 (MISDEV10) finally had the opportunity to put theory to practice at the Sedim Eco Park, Kulim, Kedah Darul Aman. Together with ISDEV lecturers and its Academic Staff Training Scheme (ASTS) Fellows and a few of MISDEV11 students, the journey to Sedim started at 8.30 a.m with the USM bus ride.

Practical lesson on Friday sermon

The two days and one night programme was organised by a group of five from MISDEV10 as part of their assignments for the Human Capital Development course. While this group showed their capability in organising such programme, the others from MISDEV10 had to undergo several tasks throughout the programme. There were animal slaughtering, Friday sermons, supplications for good tidings, reminders (tazkirah), leading the congregational prayer (as imam), and night prayer (qiamulail). These tasks were mostly carried out during the first day in Sedim.

A practice of supplications for good tidings

On the bright morning of the second day, participants were brought to the tree top walk trail. As in the name, this trail provided the opportunity for one to walk at a high level, swaying side to side at the top part of the trees in this reserved forest. It also provided a chance to the walkers to overcome their phobia to height.

The Tree Top Walk

Within the time, it maybe too short for participants to practice everything that they have learn in theory before. However, during this short period of time they had showed their capabilities and abilities to practice Islam in nature and thus providing that Islam indeed is a way of life in every aspects and that Islam is not a religion of mere rhetoric.

THE WEEKLY TUESDAY'S TEACHING

1 Nov - This week's lecture was held at C23, School of Social Sciences. As usual, the Tuesdays Teaching were divided into two sessions which started with the Tazkirah session followed by the lecture session.

The Tazkirah session was delivered by Brother Ridwan Nurdin who talked on the topic pertaining to 'Wanton Wastefulness in Islam'. According to him, Ibnu al-Qayum al-Jauziah has said that there are 9 types of wastage in Islam such as wastage in knowledge, deeds, wealth, the heart, the body, love, time, the mind, and zikir (remembering of Allah SWT) if it does not give any effect to the heart.

The second session then was led by Ustaz Yasir Yusuf who talked on 'Chapter of Marriage' with the focus on 'Personalities of Spouse'. The question and answer session which ensued as definitely lively as a number of queries were fielded to Ustaz Yasir who had managed to answer them all well.

ISDEV GRADUATE DISCOURSE – PHD PRESENTATION

28 October - On this blessed Friday morning, two PhD candidates presented their PhD thesis before a group of 40 attendees consisting of ISDEV lecturers and postgraduate students at the Conference Room of C06, School of Social Sciences.

The two candidates were given 20 minutes each to present their PhD thesis. The first Phd candidate was Sunaryo (pic. above) who presented his thesis " Pengaruh Faktor-faktor Dominan Terhadap Kesetiaan Muslim di Perbankan Syariah Malang, Indonesia" (Influential Dominant Factors on Muslim Customers' Loyalty in Malang Syariah Banks, Indonesia) while the second PhD candidate, Suhrawardi presented on "Wakaf Tunai Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara: Kajian Hukum dan Potensi" (Northen Sumatera Muhammadiyah Cash Waqf: Study in Rulings and Potentials).

Second PhD candidate- Suhrawardi

Both of the these candidates tried their best to explain in details the contents of their theses. Scores of questions to them ensued their presentations which included questions fielded by ISDEV Director, Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh.

After a detailed evaluation and comments given by ISDEV lecturers, both of them finally received the good news that they could proceed to the next stage of their PhD theses with modifications to be carried out based on the feedback given by the evaluators - Dr Zahri Hamat for Sunaryo's thesis and Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad for Suhrawardi's thesis.

They were elated with joy upon hearing that they have been given the endorsement to submit their thesis proper. Both candidates expressed their gratitude to Allah SWT and to their respective supervisors and co-supervisors for the guidance in helping them in writing their thesis.

Heartiest Congratulations Sunaryo and Suhrawardi!

Associate Professor Dr. Abdul Fatah giving his comments

THE WEEKLY TUESDAY'S TEACHING

25 October - This week's lecture was held at C23 with more than 30 students including lecturers as well as Director and Deputy Director of ISDEV attending. The Tazkirah session was delivered by Ustaz Shahir Akram while the lecture session was given by Ustaz Syakir.

The topics of the teachings for that day were linked to each other. The Tazkirah was about "knowledge". According to Ustaz Shahir, before making a decision to learn any knowledge, one must first identify that the knowledge is derived from true sources, as mentioned in famous saying which brings forth the meaning in "Do not follow a knowledge if you do not know because all will be asked and accounted for later in the Hereafter" (Janganlah kamu mengikuti sesuatu ilmu sekiranya kamu tidak tahu kerana semuanya akan ditanya di akhirat nanti).

Ustaz Syakir then continued the lecture session with a reminder that once knowledge is obtained one had to be persistent (gigih), diligent (tekun) and stand firm (teguh pendirian) to achieve one's ambitions. In other words, the "3Ks" (kegigihan, ketekunan, keteguhan) is the key to success in life. Thus he urged fellow ISDEV members to strive and get true knowledge and practice the "3Ks" concept. With Allah's will (insyaAllah) everyone can definitely succeed in life.