A NAS A WEEK - 21 MUHARRAM 1435

And not equal are the blind and the seeing, nor are those who believe and do righteous deeds and the evildoer. Little do you remember [Ghafir, 40:58].

REPOSITIONING MANTIK BACK TO ITS GLORY

Shahir Akram (left) posing with two of the eleven paper presenters

Shahir Akram Hassan, a RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate Student pursuing Research Mode) student who is currently pursuing his PhD on mantik (logic) has participated in 'Seminar Ilmu Mantik 2013' at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) Kuala Terengganu, from 17 till 18 september 2013. The theme of the seminar was 'Literasi Mantik Memantapkan Epistemologi' (Literacy on Logic Strengthens Epistemology), organized by the Faculty of Contemporary Islamic Studies, UniSZA with the cooperation of the Institute for Mathemaical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Malaysian Mathematical Sciences Society (Persama). The seminar gathered scholars in various fields especially in Mathematics, Usuluddin, Fiqh and Law.

According to Shahir Akram Hassan, his participation in the seminar was a valuable opportunity. Besides having the chance to share knowledge and exchange information with scholars of various expertise, it convinced him that mantik exists in each branch of knowledge. The different is only found in the terms and approaches used. Nonetheless, they share similar objectives, that is to protect one's thinking from errors. 

The seminar entailed with three resolutions, as recorded by Bernama on 18 september 3013. They are firstly, that mantik needs to be studied and that the learning is reinforced at the school as well as university's levels. Secondly, it proposes the reduction in several ways of various forms of obstacles in the learning of mantik in order to restore the spirit and enthusiasm of learning  mantik. Thirdly, it proposes an allied merger between Islamic Studies and Mathematical Sciences to produce leading Islamic scholars similar in standing to those from the golden age of Islam.

A NAS A WEK - 15 MUHARRAM 1435

‘Amir said “A man came to ‘Abd Allaah bin ‘Amr while the people were with him. He sat with him and said “Tell me anything that you heard from the Apostle of Allaah(salallahu 'alaihi wassalam)”. He said “I hears the Apostle of Allaah() say “A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand the Muslims remain safe and an emigrant is he who abandons what Allaah has prohibited.” [Hadith from Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 15, Hadith 4, Grade: Sahih].

The 8th INGRAW SETS A NEW RECORD FOR ISDEV

The participants of the 8th INGRAW 2013

The 8th ISDEV International Graduate Workshop 2013 (INGRAW2013) saw 113 papers presented. The 2-day workshop which began on 30 October 2013 had successfully gathered the most number of presenters compared to previous workshops. As in previous years, the 8th INGRAW was jointly organized by the Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV), School of Social Sciences with the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS).

Murni (right) an ISDEV student presenting on Islamic Relationship Marketing

The presenters comprising of postgraduate students from ISDEV and other universities, among them, from Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), and Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) assembled at the University Conference Hall (DPU) to share their postgraduate research all of which were related to Islam.

The opportunity for these postgraduate students to present their research papers proved the readiness of students to openly discuss their research and ideas in return for feedback, comments, debates and even criticism on how best they could improve their research endeavors and theses writing. For some presenters the opportunity to present their research before a reviewer and an audience had definitely helped them to inject some level of confidence and perhaps erase some fear of public speaking within themselves.

Dr Azrin Adnan of UniSZA (centre) the appointed Resource Person
for this concurrent session

Dr Shaik Abdullah of PJJ (centre) as the Resource Person attentively listens
to a presenter's presentation

The 8th INGRAW started with a keynote Address by ISDEV Director, Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh on ' Ways of Graduate Studies '. In his address, Prof. Syukri posed three questions and hoped that students were able to reflect and critically assess their intentions, their institutions of learning's expectations and the bases used to fulfil those expectations in pursuing their postgraduate studies. He hoped that students aspire to be imbued with the characteristics of the 'Oceanic Intellectual' as is expected of them by most of the postgraduate institutions of today.

Dr Warjio (right) presenting his books to Prof Syukri (left) at the launch

Immediately following the Keynote Address was the launch of two books by ISDEV member, Dr. Warjio and an introduction to the 12 books written by ISDEV lecturers and students published by Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka. These books are scheduled to be officially launched early next year during the Perutusan Naib Chanselor 2014 of USM.

A crowd puller - The ISDEV Book Sale booth 

A NAS A WEEK - 7 MUHARRAM 1435H

And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness [Taha, 20:132].

ISDEV IN THE MAKINGS OF 'ULUL-ALBAB'

(seated from left to right) Distinguished Prof. Tan Sri Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan,
Prof. Muhamad Jantan (Deputy Vice-Chancellor) and Prof. Syukri Salleh (ISDEV Director)

The term 'Ulul al- Baab' is derived from the verses in the Quran. There are 16 different instances where the term is used in the Quran. Ulul al-Baab in its literal sense means 'the members of the door' but in its Quranic terminology brings forth the meaning that a group of people who have understanding about their creation and that they are in a constant state of remembrence to  Allah SWT. It is said that these characteristics could be present in each and every ISDEV member especially ISDEV students. Thus it is not an impossibility that ISDEV has the ability to give birth to this group of Ulul al-Baab.

Prof. Tan Sri Mohd Kamal delivering his lecture

This is the view expressed by YBhg. Distinguished Professor Tan Sri Dr. Mohd. Kamal Hassan during a closed-door meeting-cum-discussion session with ISDEV fraternity held in the afternoon of 21 October 2013 at the University Conference Hall (DPU), USM. During this session, students were given the opportunity to interact and discuss openly on identifying these Ulul al-Baab, the challenges and opportunity for the Ulul al-Baab as well as the criteria needed in achieving the status of Ulul al-Baab.

The audience at DPU were all eyes and ears in giving their full attention to the lecture

Prior to the closed-door session, the morning session saw Distinguished Professor Tan Sri Dr. Mohd. Kamal Hassan delivering a lecture in conjunction with the 9th ISDEV Lecture Series on 'The Heart of the Problems vis-a-vis the Problems of the Heart' to a full-house audience. His detailed lecture started with an introduction on the global ethical crisis of liberal democracy and how the scholars and intellectuals perceive the malady that is befalling mankind. Professor Mohd. Kamal then examined how major world religions view the importance and role of the spiritual heart before finally discussing the spiritual heart from the perspective of the Quran.

A moment to cherish - group photo with Prof. Tan Sri Mohd Kamal Hassan

Professor Mohd. Kamal's next series of lecture, as a continuation to the recent lecture, has been planned to take place in February 2014. Professor Mohd. Kamal is now ISDEV's Eminent Visiting Professor, appointed by USM for a duration of one year, beginning 21 October 2013 till 20 October 2014.

A NAS A WEEK - 29 DHUL HIJJAH 1434

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Amr that:

The Prophet [SAW] used to seek refuge (with Allah) from four things: From knowledge that is of no benefit, from a heart that does not feel humble, from a supplication that is not heard, and a soul that is never satisfied. (Hasan) [Sunan an-Nasa'i 5442, In-book reference : Book 50, Hadith 15, English translation : Vol. 6, Book 50, Hadith 5444].