RISDEV VIVA VOCE: YET ANOTHER GRADE "1"

A humbly grateful Ustaz Wan Mohd Khairul Firdaus Wan Khairuldin al-Hafiz (seated centre)
with his panel of examiners after his viva voce.

Alhamdulillah. praise is indeed to Allah SWT as Ustaz Wan Mohd Khairul Firdaus Wan Khairuldin al-Hafiz served as the 12th RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate student by Research) candidate to have passed his viva-voce for 2014. He was awarded a Grade "1" as well as the nominations for the "Best PhD Thesis" award at least at the university's level.

Calm, confident and to the point Ustaz Wan Khairul answers the questions posed.

Wan Firdaus viva was held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, 25 September 2014 which saw him defending his PhD thesis on 'Aplikasi Proses Penfatwaan Dalam Kaedah Penyelidikan Berteraskan Islam‘ (Application of the Process of Fatwa in Islamic-based Research Methods) with a very cool, calm and confident disposition. The Board of Examiners unanimously agreed that his PhD thesis deserved a nomination for the "Best PhD Thesis" award as were the other 10 RISDEV students before him this year.

An air of tenseness engulfed the viva voce did not affect the serene ambience of C06. 

The Board of Examiners consisted of the Chairperson, Professor Dr. Abu Hassan Abu Bakar from School of Housing, Building and Planning, external examiner Associate Prof. Dr. Che Zarrina Binti Sa'ari from the Department of Akidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies Universiti Malaya, and two internal examiners who were Dr. Zahri Hamat and Dr. Zakaria Bahari. In the meantime Dr. Mohd. Zaini Abu Bakar represented the Dean of School of Social Sciences while his main supervisor, Prof. Muhammad Syukri Salleh and co-supervisor, Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad were also present.

Posing for the camera - ISDEV members after performing solat hajat prior to Ustaz Wan Khairul's viva.

Just as his seniors, the day of Ustaz Wan Khairul's viva,  two strict routines were carried out to prepare him in all four aspects - spiritually, emotionally, physically as well as intellectually. The first routine is the mock viva which is usually held very close to the viva. The second routine is the performance of the nawafil solat hajat congregationally amongst ISDEV members. On the day of his viva, ISDEV members congregated at 8.30 a.m. at Masjid Al-Malik Khalid to perform the solat hajat together thereby seeking Allah SWT help to guide Ustaz Wan Khairul during his viva later that day.

A jubilant Ustaz Wan Khairul (centre) flanked by his supervisors.
On his right is Prof Syukri while on his left is Dr Fadzila Azni.

Congratulations Ustaz Wan Khairul!