Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi in Ankara, Turkey

Opening Paper by Prof. Andrew Rippin: 
"On Contemporary Scholarly Reading of the Qur'an"

28 July - ISDEV lecturer, Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi was given a great opportunity, to be among famous academicians of the world, as one of the presenters at the 1st International Symposium on Rethinking the Qur'an. With the theme on Quranic Worldview, the symposium was held at Gur Kent Hotel, Ankara, Turkey from 2 until 8 May 2013. The symposium was organized by the Research Institute for Philosophical Foundation of Disciplines.

At the Research Institute for Philosophical Foundation of Disciplines

The Research Institute for Philosophical Foundation of Disciplines set the main objective of the symposium to establish that whatever is termed as tasawwur (or worldview) must be built from the ultimate main source that is the Qur'an. First it is not right that a tasawwur is said to be an Islamic tasawwur if it is based on the mind and logic alone; second “Quranic Worldview” is a new field which is not found in any symposium or conference that discusses about it; and third, the need to expose to the Muslim community in Turkey about this Quranic worldview. It is hoped that this Quranic worldview can become the mould to shape their lives.

Lunchtime: Dr Shukri (left) with Prof. Oliver Leaman (right) from  
University of Kentucky 

The participants of this symposium were academicians came from all parts of the world. Among them were from Lebanon, Egypt, Gambia, Palestine, Saudi Arabia (Mecca & Medinah), Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, USA, Australia, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Holland, Algeria, Scotland and Malaysia.

With Prof. Werner G. Jeanrond (right) from the University of Oxford, 
an expert in the field of Theological Hermeneutics

This symposium was also attended by a number of world renowned academicians such as Prof. Andrew Rippin from the University of Victoria, Canada; Prof. Ziauddin Sardar from London and Prof. Oliver Leaman from the University of Kentucky, USA. 

A picture for keeps - with the Mayor of Ankara (third from right), Kamil Kilic