Date & Time : Friday 12 November 2010, 10::00am - 12:15pm

Speaker 1 :

Professor Graham Ward,

Professor of Contextual Theology and Ethics and Head of School of Arts, Histories and Cultures,

The University of Manchester, England

• Topic: The New Visibility of Religion in the Public Sphere

Speaker 2 :

Dr Mohd Ghazali Mohd Nor,

Consultant, Tenaga Strategi Consultancy, Kuala Lumpur

(formerly Director of Strategic Planning, Islamic Development Bank Group, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia)

• Topic: Religion in the Public Sphere: the Malaysian Experience (1970 onwards)

Respondent : Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Chairman & CEO, IAIS Malaysia

Moderator : Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, Deputy CEO, IAIS Malaysia

A two day event jointly organised by

International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS Malaysia)

The Pahang State Foundation
IKIP International College
International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)

Faculty of Education, University Malaya

Al Mustafa International University, Iran & Amin Research and Cultural Centre

Theme:”Contemporary Higher Education Needs In Muslim Countries”

Date & time: 8 and 9 November 2010 (Monday & Tuesday)

Time : 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Venue : International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia

Officiated by: Y.B Dato’ Seri Mohammed Khaled Nordin, Minister of Higher Education

Closing address by: Y.A.B Dato' Sri Diraja (Dr) Adnan Yaakob, Menteri Besar of Pahang

A Public Lecture Jointly Organised by IAIS Malaysia and Center for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Speaker: Professor Dr. Carl W. Ernst, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina.

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Date & Time: Thursday 21 October 2010, 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Moderator: Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Chairman & CEO, IAIS Malaysia

Carl W. Ernst is a specialist in Islamic studies, with a focus on West and South Asia. His published research, based on the study of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, has been mainly devoted to the study of Islam and Sufism. His book Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World (UNC Press, 2003) has received several international awards.  He is the co-editor (with Richard C. Martin) of Rethinking Islamic Studies: From Orientalism to Cosmopolitanism (University of South Carolina Press, 2010). Currently, he is preparing The Recitation:  A Reading of the Qur’an as Literature and The Pool of Nectar: Muslim Interpreters of Yoga. He is William R. Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations at the Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

A Public Lecture Jointly Organised by IAIS Malaysia and The Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic, Kuala Lumpur

Speaker: His Eminence Sheikh Dr Ahmad Badr Al-Deen Hassoun, The Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Date & Time: Friday 8 October 2010 at 3:00pm

Moderator: Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Chairman & CEO, IAIS Malaysia

Sheikh Dr Ahmad Badr Al Deen Hassoun, The Grand Mufti of the Syrian Arab Republic, was born in Aleppo in 1949. His Ph.D. thesis is an encyclopedia of Imam Shāfi`ī. He also wrote an encyclopedia of Fatwa literature. On January 15, 2008, he addressed the European Union Parliament. His speech to the Members of the European Parliament was on the subject of intercultural dialogue. He stressed the value of culture as a unifying rather than a dividing force. Dr Hassoun’s address was to a formal sitting of Parliament as the first speaker in a series of visits by eminent religious and cultural leaders in 2008, which has been designated the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. Opening his address, the Grand Mufti stressed that "really there are no separate cultures, there is but one single culture" in the world, namely "the culture of mankind". Indeed, he said, "we, in our region, do not believe in a conflict between cultures". The Grand Mufti is known for his call to discard all barriers among all sects, shades, and opinions to attain unity.

29 September 2010

Amman, Jordan.

Date & Time: Wednesday 29 September 2010 at 10:00am

Forum Panelists:

1. Professor Dato Muhammad Abu Bakar (Professor of International Relations, University of Malaya)
2. Professor Mohd Redzuan Othman (Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, University of Malaya) [PowerPoint Presentation (in PDF format) 12.9MB]
3. Professor Abdul Aziz Bari (Professor of Constitutional Law, International Islamic University, Malaysia)
4. Dr Saim Kayadibi (Assistant Professor, Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Science, International Islamic University Malaysia) [PowerPoint Presentation (in PDF format) 849KB]

Moderator: Emeritus Professor Datuk Osman Bakar, Deputy CEO, IAIS Malaysia.

The majority of Turkish voters voted on 12 September 2010 in favour of a package of 26 changes to the country’s constitution drafted 30 years ago after a 1980 military coup. Both the United States and the European Union have hailed the reform referendum victory. How do Muslims react to Turkey’s constitutional reforms? How do they see in the light of these reforms the future of Islam, secularism and democracy in Turkey? A panel of four distinguished academics will provide a critical analysis of these constitutional changes and highlight their significance for Turkey and the Muslim world.

Meeting held in London on 16^th  August 2010

Amjad Saleem The Cordoba Foundation (TCF)

On 16 August 2010, a meeting took place at the London Muslim Centre (LMC),in Whitechapel, London, between the Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) and The Cordoba Foundation (TCF). In attendance were Mohammad Hashim Kamali (representing IAIS Malaysia), accompanied by his wife, Anas Altikriti (TCF), Amjad Saleem (TCF), and Abdullah Faliq (TCF).

a public lecture co-organised by

IAIS Malaysia

&

The Malaysian Institute of Development and Asian Studies (MiDAS) @ UCSI University

Speaker: Katherine Marshall, Executive Director, World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), Berkley Centre, Georgetown University, USA.

Moderator: Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Founding Chairman & CEO, IAIS Malaysia.

Co-moderator: Dr. K J John, Founding Director, MiDAS@UCSI University.

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Katherine Marshall has worked for over three decades on issues facing the world’s poorest countries. She is a senior fellow at Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs. She led the World Bank's work on social policy and governance during the East Asia crisis years.

An event co-organised by IAIS Malaysia and Embassy of the United States of America, Kuala Lumpur

Welcome remarks by: Mr. Scott Rauland, Counselor for Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Kuala Lumpur

Speaker: Mohamad Bashar Arafat

Discussant: Professor Datuk Osman Bakar, Deputy CEO IAIS Malaysia

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Mohamad Bashar Arafat
Born and raised in Damascus, Syria. He attended Damascus University and graduated with a degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language in 1987 and a degree in Islamic Law in 1988. From 1975 to 1989 under the guidance and mentorship of the late Grand Mufti of Syria, Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, he studied Quranic interpretation, wisdom of the “Shari’ah” and the Islamic spiritual teachings. From 1989 to 1997, he accompanied the Grand Mufti during most of his international programs and conferences.

[Event Pictures]

Speaker: Professor Abbas Mirakhor, First Holder, INCEIF Chair of Islamic Finance

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Professor Abbas is a graduate of the Kansas State University, USA, where he received his Bachelor, Master and PhD Degrees in Economics. In 1968, he started his academic career with University of Alabama, USA. With the exception of a 2-year stint at the AzZahara University in Tehran, Iran, throughout his academic career, Professor Abbas has worked as a Professor of Economics at the University of Alabama, Alabama A&M University, and the Florida Institute of Technology. In 1984, he joined the IMF in Washington DC as an economist. He spent 24 years with the IMF, serving as the organisation's Executive Director and Dean of the Executive Board, retiring in 2008.

Co-organised by IAIS Malaysia, The New Club of Paris and Perdana Leadership Foundation

Speakers: 1. Prof Ahmed Bounfour 2. Mr. Günter Koch

Discussant: Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali

Moderator: Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, Deputy CEO, IAIS Malaysia.

Venue: IAIS Malaysia, Jalan Elmu,Off Jalan Universiti, Kuala Lumpur. [location map]

Speaker: Dr. Mesut Idriz

Venue: IAIS Malaysia

Dr. Mesut Idriz developed his expertise in the study of Islamic civilization through his historical studies of Manastir, modern day Bitola in the Balkans. He researched the 18^th century Ottoman legal records to inform his view of how the shariah functioned in this region.

This research led to his Ph.D. from ISTAC in 2002 titled “MANASTIR IN THE SECOND HALF OF 18TH CENTURY: A HISTORY OF A BALKAN CITY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE OTTOMAN JUDICIAL RECORDS.”

He was Assistant Professor at ISTAC until 2005 working in the field of History and Turkish Language and Associate Professor until 2007 at IIUM in Muslim History, Islamic Civilization, and Muslim Historiography. Recently, he was Chief Editor (Academics) at MPH Group Publishing.

An event co-organised by

IAIS Malaysia and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Malaysia

Venue: Conference Hall, IAIS Malaysia

There is an urgent need to inculcate better mutual understanding between different cultures and civilisations. Meaningful dialogue which does not shy away from pointing out differences and issues of concern is increasingly recognised as a necessary means of meeting this urgency. One of the most important aspects of this new global phenomenon of cultural diversity and pluralism is the global presence and impact of Islam and the Muslims. More than a third of the world’s Muslims today live as minorities. Islam is now the second largest religion in Europe after Christianity. For better or for worse, Muslims are now becoming a visible part of the European cultural landscape.

Speaker: James J. Yee

Captain “James” Yusuf Yee has the distinction of being one of the first Muslim chaplains in the US army. He graduated from the WestPoint Military Academy. Initially, he trained as an air force artillery officer. He learned about Islam in Syria. At Guantanamo Bay, he was entrusted with taking care of the spiritual needs of the detainees. He found that many people in detention have been sold for bounties in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. While returning home for a vacation in September 2003, he was arrested and charged with spying and carrying classified information. He believes that Islamophobia may have been a factor in his detention. He was held in a navy prison for a total of seventy-six days, where he was also mistreated. Former US President George Bush declared that the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners did not apply in Guantanamo Bay. Yee spent the entire month of Ramadhan in detention. His wife and daughter went through a trying period during this time. Finally, he was cleared and received an honourable discharge. He recounted his experience in the award winning For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire. The Washington Post described it as “required reading for all US officials waging war on Islamist terrorists.” He noted that the current US President, Barrack Obama, reneged on his promise to close down GB. Yee now gives talk at universities. So far, he observed, no one has been held accountable for human rights violations at Guantanamo Bay.

[Click here to download PowerPoint Presentation (in PDF Format) 1.84MB]

On Thursday, May 13, 2010 a community dialogue was held at IAIS Malaysia on the theme of Forging Unity in Malaysia. The objective of the presentations and brainstorming session was to identify steps that could be taken individually and collectively in fostering national unity.

The welcome speech was delivered by Professor Dr. Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Chairman and CEO of IAIS Malaysia. Tan Sri Dr. Mazlan Ahmad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National University of Malaysia, delivered the keynote address.

Y. M. Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin Muhriz, the first presenter, expressed hope that the younger generation would make a fresh start in race relations. Zarina Nalla, the next speaker, emphasised that national integration should take place without assimilation, as it is important for each ethnic group to preserve its unique religious identity. Blogger Art Harun highlighted the need for acceptance rather than mere tolerance of each other. Dato’ Ghazali Yusuf narrated a moving, personal story about his family, where a number of interracial marriages took place, including between that of his own parents. Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir extrapolated that competition for scarce resources the root cause of many conflicts in society.  Dr Lim Teck Ghee for his part called for the secularisation of the educational system. After the 15-minute presentations, participants brainstormed in groups with the help of volunteer facilitators. At the end of the brainstorming event, one delegate from each group presented the results of the discussion to the gathering.

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Compared to the West and to Japan and South Korea in the East the Islamic world still lags behind in the field of science and technology (S&T). If Islam is to undergo a civilisational renewal in the 21st century then it must address among other things the issue of its weak performance in S&T. The forum will look at the current state of S&T in the Islamic world and try in the light of it to identify trends and possibilities in its S&T development.

Information about panelists

• Datuk Dr Tengku Azman Sharifadeen, a former Dean of Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya and former CEO of MIMOS (Malaysia Institute of Microelectronic Systems), is now a consultant at the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank.
• Professor A. Memariani is Scientific Counselor and Iranian Students Affairs in Southeast Asia attached to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kuala Lumpur.
• Dr Shukri Abdul Wahab is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian Academy of Science.

ROUNDTABLE - Discussion

Jointly organised by IAIS Malaysia, MARA and JCORP

Officiated by YB Senator Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin – Deputy Finance Minister

(by invitation only)

Speaker: Nora Sunniva Eggen

Nora S. Eggen is currently a PhD research fellow at the University of Oslo, working on a thesis on conceptions of trust in Islamic thought. She is this spring a short term guest researcher at the IAIS. After obtaining her MA in Arabic language and Islamic Studies, Nora went on to do private research and has published books, articles and translations in the Norwegian language on subjects such as Qur’anic studies, Hadith, Sira and legal hermeneutics.

Nora has for the past eighteen years been a part of the quite young Muslim community in Norway. In her talk, she will focus on the situation of the Muslim minorities in the Scandinavian countries, with special reference to developments and challenges in Norway.

Speaker: Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki

Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki is currently the Head of Research Affairs, International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA). Prior to joining ISRA he was an Assistant Professor of Islamic Banking at the Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). He also currently serves as Chairman of Affin Group Shari'ah Committee and Shari'ah consultant and advisor to several financial institutions and advisory firms, including the London-based Mortgage Company Chain Mender Limited and the US-Based Islamic Financial Institution, United Chartered Bank (UCB) and AFTAAS Shari'ah Advisory Sdn. Bhd. He has a Masters degree in Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance and a PhD in Islamic Banking and Finance from Loughborough University, United Kingdom. He has published in numerous international and local refereed academic journals. His article entitled “Banking for the Poor: The Role of Islamic Banking in Microfinance Initiatives” has been awarded the 2009 Outstanding Paper Award by the well-known International Refereed Journal Article Publisher Emerald Literati Network. He has also presented papers at both local and international conferences and conducted training in Islamic banking and finance related areas to officers of Central Bank of Malaysia, banking practitioners, and government officials.