5 SUCCESSFUL VIVA VOCE

ISDEV lecturers and students were there to provide support for the RISDEV students facing their viva voce.

The Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV) Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), has added five more RISDEV (ISDEV by Postgraduate) students in its annals of ISDEV Alumni members. The five RISDEV students all of whom pursued at the PhD levels are Nurul Suhada Ismail, Mohd 'Adli Zahri, Mohammad Syukri Jalil, Noor Hidayah Samsudin and Ustaz Amir Mohd Nason. 

 An ISDEV tradition - a group photo taken after the solat hajat was carried out in the morning of a RISDEV student's viva.

As usual, prior to the viva voce for all these five RISDEV students, the nawafil solat hajat was conducted congregationally at Anjung ISDEV (a building right behind D04) wherein a special invocation is supplicated to Allah SWT that should the RISDEV student's thesis be of benefit to him/her, to the ummah and to Islam then make ease for his/her to pass the viva. However if the RISDEV student's thesis will bring harm to him/her by making him/her more arrogant and filled with the mazmumah (despicable) characteristics and unable to contribute to the ummah and Islam, then it was beseeched that the results be otherwise. A deep understanding and realisation, that the ultimate results, is with Allah SWT.

Nurul Suhada Ismail during her viva.

The first to face her viva voce was Nurul Suhada Ismail. Her viva was held on 9 May, 2019 and she was called into the Conference Room of C23, School of Social Sciences, for her viva close to 9:30 am that day. 

Nurul Suhada with her panel of examiners.

Nurul Suhada's panel of examiners consisted of the Chairperson, Professor Dr Nor Shakirah Mat Akhir, from the School of Humanities, USM. Her external examiner was Professor Dr. Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi from the Faculty of Contemporary Islamic Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) while her two internal examiners were Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad and Dr Azrin Ibrahim. Suhada's PhD on Strategi Sekuriti Makanan dalam Pembangunan Lestari Islam (Food Security Strategy in Islamic Sustainable Development) was fully supervised by ISDEV Deputy Director, Dr Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan.

Mohd 'Adli with his family members and the panel of examiners.

Next in line was Mohd 'Adli Zahri to defend his PhD thesis on Penentu Pemilihan Pelaburan Dana Unit Amanah Islam (Choice Determinants of Islamic Unit Trust Fund Investment) on the morning of 27 May, 2019. Mohd 'Adli's main supervisor is Associate Professor Dr. Zakaria Bahari while his co-supervisor is Dr Azreen Hamiza Abdul Aziz.

Mohammad Syukri with his panel of examiners.

The same day but during the afternoon session was Mohammad Syukri Jalil's turn to face the grueling viva session at the same venue at C23. Mohammad Syukri was able to convince the panel of examiners, especially the external examiner, Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Azrin Adnan from UniSZA and the two internal examiners. Dr Nailul Murad from the School of Distance Education and Dr Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan from ISDEV. His PhD thesis was on Penentu Kecenderungan Pembayaran Sewaan Premis Wakaf Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (The Determinant of the Tendency of Rental Payment of the Waqf Premises of the Islamic Council of the State of Pulau Pinang). His main supervisor is Associate Professor Dr Zakaria Bahari while Dr Murni Yusoff is his co-supervisor. 

The viva of Noor Hidayah Samsudin in session.

In the morning of 23 July 2019 was Noor Hidayah Samsudin's turn to face her viva voce at the Conference Room of the School of Social Sciences (C23), USM. 

Noor Hidayah/'s panel of examiners and her parents.

The Chairperson for Noor Hidayah's panel of examiners was Professor Dr. Jamilah Ahmad, School of Communication, USM. Dr. Nor'Azzah Kamri from the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM) was her external examiner. Two internal examiners were ISDEV Director, Dr. Shahir Akram Hassan and Dr Azrin Ibrahim. 

A proud moment for Hidayah with her supervisors.

Her PhD thesis carries the title Kaedah Strategi Pengurusan Motivasi Pekerja dalam Islam berdasarkan Kitab Syama'il Muhammadiyyat (The Method of Managing Employee Motivation in Islam based on the Book of Syama'il Muhammadiyyat) was supervised by Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad and co-supervised by Dr Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan. 

Ustaz Amir exhibiting his mastery of his PhD thesis during the viva.

The fifth RISDEV candidate to face his viva voce on 24 July, 2019 was Ustaz Amir Mohd. Nason. His PhD research was on Pendekatan Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Berasaskan Qalbu: Tumpuan Khusus Terhadap Sirah-sirah Empat Imam Mazhab (The Teaching and Learning Approach Based on Qalb: Special Reference to the Selected Historical Accounts of the Four Mazhab). 

Ustaz Amir with is wife and three children (left) and his parents (right).

For Ustaz Amir's viva session, the Chairperson was Professor Dr Nor Shakirah Mat Akhir, from the School of Humanities, USM and Professor Dr. Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi of UniSZA was the external examiner. The two internal examiners consisted of ISDEV Director, Dr Shahir Akram Hassan and ISDEV lecturer Associate Professor Dr Zakaria Bahari. Ustaz Amir carried out his PhD Research under the supervision of Dr. Shukri Mohd. Hanapi. 

Alhamdulillah and Congratulation to all five RISDEV students!