IDMAC NOW IN ITS 10TH SERIES THEMED ON FALAK SYAR'IE

The banner that says it all pertaining to IDMAC 2016.

With the full commitment of all committee members and ISDEV members, ISDEV successfully organized the 10th ISDEV International Islamic Development Management Conference (IDMAC 2016) with the theme on "The Management and Application of Falak Syar'ie in Contemporary Hijri Calendar". The two-day conference was held at Dewan Kuliah A (DKA) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang. This is the 10th in a series of initiative to encourage related research in a specific field, falak (Islamic sciences on astronomy) as in this case, from Islamic social sciences perspective. 

Registration Activities - Presenters and Participants all ethusiastically geared up for IDMAC 2016.

IDMAC 2016 was held from the 27 until 28 July 2016 with the focus to provide a platform and opportunities for practitioners, experts, scholars, researchers, academicians, graduate students and others from all over the world to engage in an intellectual discourse on Falak Syar'ie. IDMAC 2016 also provided the opportunity to all participants to explore new ideas and share issues on Falak Syar'ie to ensure maximization of benefits for the Ummah. 

Some of the tools used by falak experts were displayed by the Pulau Pinang State Mufti Department.

There was a number of activities lined up for IDMAC 2016, both within the hall and along the corridor of DK A. The corridor of DK A was aligned with activities during IDMAC 2016. Besides the registration counter for presenters and participants to formally indicate their presence, there was the exhibition booth on the tools of astronomy used by practitioners of falak on display by the Pulau Pinang State Mufti Department as well publications from the Selangor State Mufti Department that were distribute for free to all. ISDEV too took the opportunity to have a mini book fair to promote books, articles and publications by ISDEV members which were sold at a special discount. 

Books Galore - The mini book fair by ISDEV in conjunction with IDMAC 2016.

In the meantime, within the hall of DK A there was the Round-table Discussion prior to the Official Opening Ceremony of IDMAC 2016. The session was hosted by three panelists comprising of the expert - Mufti of Pulau Pinang State, Sahibus Samahah Dato' Dr. Haji Wan Salim Bin Wan Mohd. Noor, the scholar, Dr Othman Zainon from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the practitioner, Puan Nurul Fatini Jaafar, an active member with the South East Asia Astronomy Network (SEAAN). 

The three panelists for the Round-table Discussion.

After tea break that morning, the Vice-Chancellor of USM, Professor Dato' Dr Omar Osman, graced the modestly simple Official Opening Ceremony of IDMAC 2016 with his presence and officially declared its commencement with the recitation of basmallah. Prof Dato' Omar congratulated ISDEV in its perseverance and dedication to see to the realisation of the 10th series of IDMAC, a feat which he acknowledged is needed to be given due recognition, bearing in mind the uncertainty of the current economic background globally. 

USM VC - Prof Dato' Dr. Omar Osman officially declared the opening of IDMAC 2016

Smartly adorned in an emerald green baju Melayu with a samping, Prof Dato' Omar acknowledged the active involvement and simultaneously conveyed his thanks to the Pulau Pinang State Mufti Department and the Kedah State Mufti Department. Both of these states' departments were instrumental in ensuring the smooth running of IDMAC 2016 as the former covered the expenses required especially for the two keynote speakers for the conference while the latter sponsored the printing costs of 500 copies for each of the two books launched that day. 

Group photo with Vice Chancellor of USM, Mufti of the State of Pulau Pinang and ISDEV Director, ISDEV lecturers, paper presenters, guests from various various states' Islamic departments and agencies as well as  ISDEV students.

Once Prof Dato Omar Osman had officially opened IDMC 2016, he was then invited to launch the two published books that transpired from the conference - Takwim Hijri: Instrumen & Pencerapan Fenomena Falak and Takwim Hijri: Isu & Pengurusan. The editors of these two books, Dr Shahir Akram Hassan, Dr Mohd Shukri Hanapi and Nur Aida Athirah Sulaiman had carefully selected from the working papers submitted to be presented at IDMAC 2016 which were found to be of quality to be included as separate chapters in these two books. They presented the copies of the books to the VC, Prof Dato' Dr Omar, Sahibus Samahah Dato' Dr. Haji Wan Salim Bin Wan Mohd. Noor and ISDEV Director, Professor Dr Muhammad Syukri Salleh.

USM Vice Chancellor launched the two books with the touch of his hand.

The Media and Public Relations Centre (MPRC), USM made a coverage on the opening ceremony of IDMAC 2016 by the Vice Chancellor of USM in Buletin USM recently. The said news can be assessed with just a click of a button below:-