THE TALLY OF GRADE 1 IN VIVA VOCE CONTINUES

ISDEV received good news in the arena of viva voce of its two RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate by Research) students. Wan Khairul Aiman Wan Mokhtar has added the tally to ISDEV records of "Excellent PhD Thesis". He was awarded Grade 1 (the highest scale accorded to by Universiti Sains Malaysia for a viva) by the Board of Examiners during his viva on Monday, 18 April 2016 at C06 Conference Room, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Wan Khairul Aiman Wan Mokhtar defending his thesis with calm disposition.

His viva which was held at 9:30 a.m. saw him defending his PhD thesis on "Tasawwur Pembangunan dalam Kitab Sahih Al-Bukhary: Kajian Al-Hadith Al-Mawdu'iy" (The Development Worldview in Sahih Al- Bukhara: A Thematic Study of the Hadith) with a very cool, calm and collected disposition. The Board of Examiners unanimously agreed that his PhD thesis deserved a nomination as an excellent PhD thesis.

Wan Khairul Aiman with his Board of Examiners.

The Board of Examiners consisted of the Chairperson, Professor Dr. Ruslan Rainis from School of Humanities, USM, External Examiner, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Che Zarrina Sa'ari from Department of Akidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM) and two Internal Examiners who were Dr. Zahri Hamat and Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad. In the meantime Professor Dr. Muhammad Syukri Salleh as the Director of ISDEV and Wan Khairul Aiman's main supervisor Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi  were also present.

Ahmad Nizam defending his thesis and answering all the questions from
the Board of Examiners with utmost calmness. 

Meanwhile, the next day, 19 April 2016, Ahmad Nizam from Acheh Indonesia or famously known as Pak Nizam among ISDEV members defended his PhD thesis on "Gaya Hidup Pengguna Muslim dalam Memilih Perbankan Syariah di Banda Acheh-Indonesia" (Muslim Consumer Lifestyle in Selecting Shariah Banking in Banda Acheh - Indonesia).

Ahmad Nizam with the Board of Examiners after the viva-voce and his wife (seated right) . 

The viva started at 9.30 a.m. and the Board of Examiners took the opportunity to bombard Pak Nizam with a variety of questions. The Chairperson for the viva was Professor Dr. Ruslan Rainis from School of Humanities, USM. The External Examiner was Professor Dr. Joni Tamkin Borhan from Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM) while his two Internal Examiners were Professor Dr. Muhammad Syukri Salleh and Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad. His main supervisor Associate Professor Dr. Zakaria Bahari and his co-supervisor Associate Professor Dr. Norzarina Mohd Zaharim were also present. Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi represented ISDEV Director. Pak Nizam was not the least discouraged by the questions fielded and was able to defend his thesis superbly well. He  finally was able to breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing the great good news that he had been awarded Grade "2" for his PhD Thesis.

As the culture in ISDEV prior to any viva, there are two routines that are strictly adhered to prepare students spiritually, emotionally, physically as well as intellectually. First is a mock viva which is usually held on the eve of the viva. Both of them had their mock viva on Friday, 15 April 2016.

After performing solat hajat for both candidates
at Masjid Al-Malik Khalid USM

The second routine is performing the solat hajat congregationally amongst ISDEV members. As the two viva was scheduled back to back, solat hajat for Wan Khairul Aiman and Pak Nizam was held on Monday morning. ISDEV members congregated at 8.30 a.m. at Masjid Al-Malik Khalid USM to perform the solat hajat together with a focused intention of seeking Allah SWT help to guide both candidates are sitting for their viva later that day and the next day.

Congratulations Wan Khairul Aiman and Pak Nizam!