MAN JADDA WA JADA AS PROVEN BY ZAHARAH

Without any worries Zaharah defended her PhD thesis with absolute composure.

On July 20, praise is to Allah SWT for the smooth mock viva voce of RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate by Research) student, Zaharah Ghazali. She defended her PhD Thesis on “Exporting Activity from Islamic Perspective and its Impact on Export Performance”. It was held at the conference room of C06, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Five ISDEV lecturers and one lecturer from Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA), Brunei Darussalam, were spontaneously roped in to be the simulated Board of Examiners. They were Associate Professor Dr. Zakaria representing the director, Dr. Fadzila Azni as the chairman, Dr. Wan Norhaniza and Dr. Shereeza as the internal examiners while Dr Siti Sara as the external examiner respectively. The other lecturers who were present that day,  Dr. Mohd Syakir and Dr. Azrin, both from ISDEV and Dr. Hajah Rasinah from UNISSA also chipped-in, to make the viva session more interesting and engaging.

Positive and encouraging comments from pseudo examiners to prepare Zaharah well for her viva.

Her research area is found to be of much interests because the significance of her findings as stated in her PhD thesis provided the way forward which may help to increase KDNK (Gross Income per Capita) of Malaysia. Her findings also suggested the need for companies involved in exporting activities of halal products to be proactive in their quest for information and leveraging their products further. According to her, taking a proactive stance as exemplified by Rasulullah SAW and his companions, should be adopted by Muslim-owned companies in penetrating business opportunities worldwide as part and parcel of their exporting activities.

Prior to Zaharah's viva, ISDEV members including her husband, Mohd Rohaizad Md Rejab (standing - third from left)
performed the nawafil Solat Hajat. 

The next day,  a group of ISDEV lecturers and students volunteered to perform the nawafil Solat Hajat together at Masjid Al Malik Khalid, USM to invoke Allah SWT help in Zaharah's viva later that morning. This is a sacred tradition of ISDEV on the day of a candidate's viva voce to perform Solat Hajat to consciously ask for Allah SWT blessings and ease of affairs for the candidate that day. At the same time, it is intended to encourage and provide a positive aura to ISDEV candidates just moments prior to the commencement of their viva.

A confident and calm Zaharah managed to satisfy her examiners with the answers and responses she gave.

21 July, 2016 marked an important day for Zaharah to remember. She had succeeded in defending  her PhD thesis with excellent result and accordingly awarded with a Scale of 2. Undoubtedly, the Arabic idiom ‘Man Jadda Wa Jada’ (You Reap What You Sow) can be used as a motivation for success. Zaharah had proven that dedication and perseverance were required as she was able to complete her postgraduate studies despite being challenged by her medical conditions.

Thanks to the Board of Examiners, Prof. Ahmad Nurul Azam (Chairman), Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Zakaria Bahari and Prof. Sr. Dr. Mastura (Internal Examiners) and Prof. Joni Tamkin Borhan (External Examiner) for their positive comments and tips for Zaharah to correct her thesis perfectly.

Heartiest Congratulations, Zaharah!