A NAS A WEEK - 25 RABI'UL AWWAL 1431H

Khaula bint Hakim Sulamiyya reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (salallahu 'alaihi wassalam) as saying: When anyone lands at a place, and then says:" I seek refuge in the Perfect Word of Allah from the evil of what He has created," nothing would harm him until he marches from that stopping place [Hadith from Sahih Muslim, Book 035: The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness (Kitab Al-Dhikr) , Hadith Number 6541].

RADIEAH WON TAN SRI MUHYIDDIN MOHD YASSIN BEST MASTER THESIS AWARD 2010

Radieah with her Award

In an awarding ceremony held at Prince & Residence Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on 21 February 2011, ISDEV Master Mixed Mode 2008 student, Radieah binti Mohd Noor was announced as the winner of the annual national Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin Best Master Thesis Award 2010.

Based on an assessment on her thesis entitled Principles of Islamic-based Development in Ibn Khaldun's Mukadimah, the Award consists of a gold medal, cash and certificate totalling RM10,000.00 altogether. The Award was delivered at the ceremony by Deputy Prime Minister YAB Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Haji Mohd Yassin himself.

Another ISDEV Master Mixed Mode 2008 student, Zaleha Embong has also won an Excellent Master Thesis Prize. Her thesis was on the analysis of Nik Abdul Aziz's Thought on Spiritual Development.

Radieah with her supervisor Prof Muhammad Syukri Salleh (left) and her husband (right)

Zaleha Embong (2nd left) at the Awarding ceremony

In the 2010 exercise, a total of 38 nominations consisting of 24 PhD and 14 Master theses on Islam submitted by Malaysians to universities worldwide have been assessed. The Best PhD Thesis Award has been won by Dr Munif Zarirrudin Fikri Nordin of Universiti Utara Malaysia, with his thesis entitled Bahasa Kepimpinan Rasulullah SAW: Analisis Wacana Khutbag Ghazawat al-Rasul, submitted to the University of Malaya.

A NAS A WEEK - 11 RABI'UL AWWAL 1432H

And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose: verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion [al-Talaaq, 65:3].

PHD STUDENT MUHAMMAD TAHIR NOMINATED FOR BEST THESIS AWARD

Muhammad Tahir (sitting, 2nd left) with members of the Board of Examiners

Another ISDEV PhD student, Muhammad Tahir, has successfully passed his PhD with flying colours. He has been suggested by all his three thesis examiners, external and internal, to be nominated for USM Best Thesis Award (Pure Arts) 2011. This was decided at the end of his viva voce held on Thursday 10th February 2011. The title of his thesis is The Methods and Practice of Tazkiyyah An-Nafs in Islamic-Based Development: A Case Study of Koperasi Pondok Pasentren (KOPENTREN), Darul Tauhiid, Bandung, Indonesia.

Prior to this, in 2008, three ISDEV PhD students, Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad, Dr Zahri Hamat and Dr Nor Azzah Kamri were also nominated by the School of Social Sciences for the same Award. Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad won it and later in 2009, she also won Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin Best PhD Thesis Award. In 2009, another ISDEV PhD student Dr Ahmad Azrin Adnan was also nominated by all his three thesis examiners for the USM Best Thesis Award (Pure Arts). His nomination was postponed to 2011 as he has yet to received his degree in a convocation. However, in the same year, another ISDEV student, Master student Shereeza binti Mohamed Saniff won USM's Persada Kencana Award (the Best Student - Coursework & Mixed Mode).

The nomination of Muhammad Tahir this year would mean a competition with Dr Ahmad Azrin Adnan, another ISDEV Phd student. Whoever wins the Award, however, ISDEV would be equally happy as both of them have been nurtured by ISDEV.

Congratulation Muhammad Tahir and many thanks to all who have contributed to his success, direct or indirectly.

ISDEV brothers wishing Muhammad Tahir good luck after a special solatuhajat held before the viva

ISDEV brothers and sisters expressed their thanks to God after knowing Muhammad Tahir has passed his PhD with flying colurs

Finally, a feast of thanks hosted by ISDEV, held immediately after the viva voce

A NAS A WEEK - 4 RABI'UL AWWAL 1432

Narrated 'Abdullah: I visited the Prophet salallahu'alaihi wassalam during his illness and touched him while he was having a fever. I said to him, "You have a high fever; is it because you will get a double reward?" He said, "Yes. No Muslim is afflicted with any harm, but that his sins will be annulled as the leave of a tree fall down." [Hadith from Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 70: Patients, Number 565].