JANUARY 2020 GREETS ISDEV WITH 3 SUCCESSFUL VIVA

A grateful Nurul Izza (seated centre) with her husband Assoc Prof. Abdul Hafiz (seated right).

Alhamdulillah and its January 2020. A new year for all and the Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is of no exception. For this year, ISDEV is greeted with a series of viva voce for RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate students by research) students who had submitted their PhD theses to the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), USM sometime in the final quarter of 2019. ISDEV received the great good news that one of the PhD theses deserved a noination for the "Best Thesis Award". 

Nurul Izza during her viva session.

The first viva was held on 7 January, 2020. It was held at the Graduate School of Business (GSB) Meeting Room. RISDEV student, Puan Nurul Izza Abdul Aziz had to face her panel of examiners to defend her thesis related to the Concept of Wellbeing for Women in the Workforce's from an Islamic Perspective. Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad is her main supervisor while Associate Professor Dr Aswati Hamzah is Nurul Izzah's co-supervisor.

Staying true to ISDEV tradition, just before a viva session a congregational solat hajat was done.
Picture taken after the solat hajat at Anjung ISDEV (ISDEV's musolla).

After a gruelling close to 3 hours viva responding to the questions and comments from her External Examiner, Dr Nor 'Azzah Kamri of the Academy of Islamic Studies (API), Universiti Malaya (UM) conveyed by ISDEV Director, Dr Shahir Akram Hassan, and the two internal examiners, Dr Wan Norhaniza Wan Hasan and Dr Murni Yusoff, with Professor Dr Ahmad Sanusi Hassan of School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP) chairing the whole session, Nurul Izza nonetheless received the jubilant news that she had passed her viva voce.

Another one of ISDEV's viva tradition - conducting a mock viva just a day or two before the real viva voce.

Next in line was Puan Shahirah Said. Her viva voce was held on Friday, 10 January, 2020 also at GSB Meeting Room. Shahirah's PhD thesis was regarding the Philosophy of Halal Sciences based on the Qur'an by means of Tafsir Mawdu'iy (Thematic Exegesis). She embarked on her PhD endeavours with the guidance of Dr. Mohd Shukri Hanapi as her main supervisor while her co-supervisor was Dr. Mohd Syahmir Alias from the School of Humanities (PPIK).

Shahirah during her viva voce.

After a tense and another lengthy viva session, Shahirah's panel of examiners made up of Professor Dr. Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi from the Faculty of Contemporary Islamic Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) as well as the two internal examiners, Dr. Shahir Akram Hassan and Associate Professor Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad both from ISDEV with Professor Dr. Nabsiah Abdul Wahid of GSB chairing the examination session, declared that Shahirah has succeeded in her viva voce. To add to the good news her thesis was nominated for the "Best Thesis Award".

One for the album for Shahirah and her husband (seated left).

The final viva voce in this line up was Wan Nornajwa Wan Othman. Her viva was held on Tuesday 14 January, 2020 at the Social Sciences Conference Room (C23). Her panel of examiners consisted of Professor Ruslan bin Rainis of PPIK as the Chairperson, Associate Professor Dr. Che Zarrina Sa'ari from API UM was the External Examiner while Dr Murni Yusoff and Dr Shahir Akram Hassan were the two internal examiners. 

Wan Nornajwa listens carefully to a question posed by one of the examiners.

Wan Nornajwa had to defend her PhD thesis on Stress Management for Human Wellbeing based on Kitab Hikam but she was able to be fully composed, coherent and calm in explaining her justifications in pursuing the research, the methodologies used and of course her findings throughout the more than two hours session. Wan Nornajwa's main supervisor is Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad and her co-supervisor is Dr. Rehanah Mohd Zain from School of Health Sciences, USM.

A smiling Wan Nornajwa with her examiners.

Wan Nornajwa too received the good news of her success in passing her viva voce with six months given for her to make the necessary corrections to her Phd Thesis and submit to IPS thereby.

A group photo taken prior to one of the viva sessions.

Alhamdulillah and Heartiest Congratulations to all three RISDEV students!

A NAṢ A WEEK - 2 JAMADIL AKHIR 1441H

Al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Lurking towards you are the diseases of the nations before you. Envy and hatred are the razor. I do not say they shave hair, but rather they shave the religion. By the one in whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you have faith and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I tell you what can affirm that for you? Spread peace between yourselves.” [Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2510. Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Suyuti]

عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ دَاءُ الأُمَمِ قَبْلَكُمْ الحَسَدُ وَالبَغْضَاءُ هِيَ الحَالِقَةُ لاَ أَقُولُ تَحْلِقُ الشَّعَرَ وَلَكِنْ تَحْلِقُ الدِّينَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لاَ تَدْخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا أَفَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا يُثَبِّتُ ذَلِكَ لَكُمْ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ

2510 سنن الترمذي كتاب صفة القيامة والرقائق والورع]

[4154 المحدث السيوطي خلاصة حكم المحدث صحيح في الجامع الصغير

Source (Credit To):
https://abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2012/10/29/beware-diseases-baghdah-hasad/

IT'S NOW ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR FADZILA AZNI

An online poster by ISDEV to mark Assoc. Prof. Dr Fadzila Azni's promotion

Alhamdulillah and yes that's true. Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad is now officially an Associate Professor with the Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). So in her formal capacity as a member of the academia and lecturer at ISDEV, she is now to be addressed as Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad. Her promoton as an Associate Professor took effect on 1 October, 2019 but news of the promotion was officially declared in January this year.

A Congratulary Note from USM's VC.

ISDEV took the opportunity to hold a simple and brief ceremony to celebrate and mark Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni's promotion.  

ISDEV Director, Dr Shahir, presenting the Official Documents to Assoc. Prof. Dr Fadzila Azni.

The humble ceremony took place at ISDEV Resource Room on 14 January, 2020 at 3:30pm. ISDEV Director, Dr Shahir Akram Hassan, was there to personally present the official letter confirming her promotion and a Personal Congratulatory Note from USM Vice Chancellor, Professor Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan.

Still as humble and affable as ever - Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni.

Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni in her short speech expressed her utmost gratitude for the recognition bestowed upon her with this promotion. She also gave her unwavering commitment to strive further for the sake of the ummah in general and ISDEV and USM in particular.

Heartiest Congratulations Associate Professor Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad!

A NAṢ A WEEK - 24 JAMADIL AWWAL 1441H

We bestowed (in the past) wisdom on Luqman: "Show (thy) gratitude to Allah." Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul: but if any is ungrateful verily Allah is free of all wants worthy of all praise.  ^{3593   3594} [The English translation of surah Luqman, 31:12 by Abdullah Yusuf Ali]

Notes:

3593 - The sage Luqman, after whom this Sura is called, belongs to Arab tradition. Very little is known of his life. He is usually associated with a long life, and his title is Mu'ammar (the long-lived). He is referred by some to the age of the 'Ad people, for whom see n. 1040 to vii. 65. He is the type of perfect wisdom. It is said that he belonged to a humble station in life, being a slave or a carpenter, and that he refused worldly power and a kingdom. Many instructive apologies are credited to him, similar to Aesop's Fables in Greek tradition. The identification of Luqman and Aesop has no historical foundation, though it is true that the traditions about them have influenced each other.

3594-  Cf. xiv. 8. The basis of the moral Law is man's own good, and not any benefit to Allah, for Allah is above all needs, and "worthy of all praise"; i.e., even in praising Him, we do not advance His glory. When we obey His Will, we bring our position into conformity with our own nature as made by Him. 

Compare Translations:

   

Source (Credit To):

http://www.alim.org/library/quran/ayah/compare/31/12

A NAṢ A WEEK - 17 JAMADIL AWWAL 1441H

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah is kind and he loves kindness. He rewards for kindness what is not granted for harshness and he does not reward anything else like it.” [Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2593. Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim]

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَفِيقٌ يُحِبُّ الرِّفْقَ وَيُعْطِي عَلَى الرِّفْقِ مَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى الْعُنْفِ وَمَا لَا يُعْطِي عَلَى مَا سِوَاهُ

[2593 صحيح مسلم كتاب البر والصلة والآداب باب فضل الرفق]

Source (Credit To):

https://abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2010/10/01/allah-is-gentle-kind/

A NAS A WEEK - 10 JAMADIL AWWAL 1441H

Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! for Allah is He who heareth and seeth all things [The English translation of an-Nisaa', 4:58 by Abdullah Yusuf Ali].

Sesungguhnya Allah menyuruh kamu supaya menyerahkan segala jenis amanah kepada ahlinya (yang berhak menerimanya), dan apabila kamu menjalankan hukum di antara manusia, (Allah menyuruh) kamu menghukum dengan adil. Sesungguhnya Allah dengan (suruhanNya) itu memberi pengajaran yang sebaik-baiknya kepada kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah sentiasa Mendengar, lagi sentiasa Melihat [Bahasa Malaysia translation from www.surah.my]. 

Compare Translations:

Source (Credit To):

http://www.alim.org/library/quran/ayah/compare/4/58