A BLISSFUL WEEK: ANOTHER TWO SCORED "1"

The two RISDEV students, Ustaz Fakhruddin (R) and Puan Azrin (L) who aced their viva voce 
with their respective supervisors.

Alhamdulillah, praise is indeed to Allah SWT. ISDEV family would like to congratulate both Ustaz Fakhruddin Abd Rahman and Puan Azrin Ibrahim as they served as the 15th and 16th RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate by Research) candidates to have passed their viva-voce with flying colours. Both of them were awarded a Grade “1” as well as received the nominations for the "Best Master Thesis”  and  “Best PhD Thesis”  awards at least at the university’s level for their show of confidence yet cool and very calm disposition in defending their written theses.

Ustaz Fakhruddin defending his Master's Thesis.

Ustaz Fakhruddin 's Master Thesis was on “Pembangunan Wakaf Kapitan Keling, Pulau Pinang: Satu Penilaian” (Wakaf Development of Kapitan Keling, Pulau Pinang: An Assessment" while Puan Azrin's PhD Thesis was on “Asas-asas Hisbat dalam Kitab Al-Hisbat FI Al-Islam: Kajian di Majlis Perbandaran Kota Bahru Bandar Raya Islam (MPKB-BRI), Kelantan” (Elements of Hisbah in Al-Hisbat Fi Al-Islam: A Study at the Islamic City of the Kota Bahru City Council).

Ustaz Fakhruddin (seated second from right) with the board of examiners.

Ustaz Fakhruddin's viva was held at on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 while Puan Azrin's viva was held the very next day, on Wednesday, 27 May 2015. Both of the viva voce were held at 10a.m. at C06 Conference Room of the School of Social Sciences, University Sains Malaysia (USM). In both these viva voce, scores of ISDEV students were also present to give their support to the candidates in their intellectual battles.

Ustaz Fakhruddin viva’s Board of Examiners consisted of the Chairperson, Prof. Madya Dr. Abdul Fatah Che Hamat from the School of Social Sciences, USM, external examiner, Prof. Madya Dr. Siti Mashitoh Mahamood from Universiti Malaya (UM) and an internal examiner, Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad while Dr. Zakaria Bahari represented ISDEV Director. In the meantime, his main supervisor, Prof. Muhammad Syukri Salleh was also present.

Pn. Azrin (seated second from right) with her board of examiners and well wishers.

Meanwhile Puan Azrin viva’s Board of Examiners consisted of the Chairperson, Prof. Dr. Nor Hashimah Hashim from the School of Education, USM, external examiner, Prof. Madya Dr. Asmadi Mohamed Naim from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and two internal examiners who were Dr. Zakaria Bahari and Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi. Her main supervisor, Dr.Fadzila Azni as well as co-supervisor, Prof. Muhammad Syukri Salleh were also present. The representative for ISDEV Director was Dr. Shahir Akram.

Knowledge can be obtained anywhere. ISDEV students who were present to witness the viva voce took the opportunity to jot down some useful notes and pointers which they gleamed from the sessions.

As usual, true to ISDEV tradition, two strict routines were carried out to prepare the candidates intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Both mock viva and the performance of the nawafil solat hajat congregationally amongst ISDEV members at Masjid Al-Malik Khalid were carried out a day prior to Ustaz Fakhruddin's viva and on the day of Ustaz Fakhruddin viva itself respectively. This is indeed a blessed routine, a reminder to candidates and ISDEV students, to be conscious of Allah SWT at all times and seek for Allah SWT help in facing the potentially gruelling viva voce.

A first in ISDEV viva voce - the recitation of doa to express ISDEV gratitude to Allah SWT
after the results were announced.

Both candidates tried their best to defend the contents of their theses as a number of questions from the examiners were directed to them. Yet they truly deserved the victories as they exhibited excellent composure throughout the viva voce, answering all the questions posed to them collectedly and convincingly. Seeing the two consecutive days outstanding success of ISDEV candidates, spurred ISDEV to begin a new tradition - the recitation of the doa congregationally led by Ustaz Shahir Akram Hassan al-Hafiz before the viva voce came to a close.

Pn. Azrin with her beloved husband cum number one supporter who was there throughout her viva voce.