Professor Dato’ Mohammad Hashim Kamali is currently working on his new book, The Goals and Purposes (Maqasid) of Shariah: Theory and Applications. He completed the proofreading of his new book, Shariah and The Halal Industry due to be published by OUP, NY in June 2021.  He has also proofread his chapter on “Ijtihad and Islamic Reform” due to be published also by OUP, NY. The book, ‘Issues in Islamic and Conventional Finance: A Critical Appraisal’, co-authored with Abdul Karim Abdullah was recently published by IAIS Malaysia.

Professor Kamali attended the IAIS Malaysia Forum, ‘The Emergency Ordinance 2021: Multiple Perspectives on Health, Economy and Politics”, 19 January 2021.  He had an online discussion on Afghan Peace Talk with Minister Masum Stanekzai, Chief of Afghan Peace Negotiating Team and other negotiators, 20 January 2021.  Attended webinars – Ethical Finance and Green Economy (21 January 2021); ‘Biden’s Presidency: The Future of US Foreign Policies in the Middle East and the Muslim World (11 February 2021); Islamic Finance Talk Series: The Concept of Waqf in Agriculture (4 March 2021); and Introducing Children to Ramadan (19 April 2021).  He was a presenter at the International webinar on ‘Shariah and the Pursuit of Sustainable Societies’, 24 February 2021 and a panellist at the Webinar Roundtable Discussion on Islam, Radicalism and Extremism in the Age of Pandemic, 25 March 2021.

Professor Kamali is listed in ‘The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims 2021’, published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Jordan.  He was recently appointed as an Advisory Board member of the Journal of Islamic Research, Ankara University, Faculty of Divinity, Turkey, 2021.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil has published Restriction on Child Marriage as Measure to Secure Children Wellbeing (Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Mohamed Azam Mohamed Adil & Ahmad Badri Abdullah), IAIS Malaysia Policy Issue papers, Feb. 2021; Kerajaan minoriti ketika darurat tidak jejas kedudukan eksekutif, Berita Harian, 19 January 2021; Ordinan Darurat kuasa mutlak Agong, Bebasnews, 19 January 2021; Perlunya undang-undang kawal dana politik, Bebasnews, 27 January 2021; Tingkatkan usaha perbaiki persepsi rasuah negara, Berita Harian, 1 February 2021; Renew efforts to combat corruption, New Straits Time, 2 February 2021; Implikasi kes seks luar tabii ke atas bidang kuasa negeri dan Mahkamah Syariah, Bebasnews, 28 February 2021; Implikasi Kes Iki Putra terhadap Perundangan Syariah, Berita Harian, 3 March 2021; Fasting: A tradition of major religions, NST Online, 17 April 2021; Piety is the total sum of all Islamic values and virtues, New Sunday Times, 18 April 2021; Moderator, Forum on The Malaysian State of Emergency: Multiple Perspectives on Health, Economy, and Politics, IAIS, 19 January 2021; Introductory remarks, Webinar on Ethical Finance and Green Economy, IAIS & Centre for Market Education, 21 January 2021; Moderator, IFTS Transformasi Digital dalam Lembaga Zakat Kedah:Pengalaman & Cabaran, IAIS, 26 January 2021; Moderator, Webinar on Biden’s Presidency: the Future of US Foreign Policies in the Middle East and the Muslim World, IAIS,11 February 2021; Moderator, Webinar on Harmony Week, An Interfaith Dialogue on Religious Responses to COVID-19 in Malaysia, IAIS & Others, 18 February 2021; Panelist, Forum Maya Rasuah dan Negara Islam: Di Mana Tauladan dan Maruah Kita?, MAPIM, 15 February 2021; Panelist, Sirius 2 Nadwah Perundangan, Kes Rosliza Ibrahim: Merungkai Isu Status Agama dan Konflik Bidangkuasa, IAIS & Others, 26 February 2021; Karyawan Bersama Penerbit UiTM: Buku Mahkamah Syariah di Malaysia, UiTM Press & IAIS Malaysia, 2 March 2021; Presenter, Kolokium Pengajian Islam di Era Digital IR4.0: Cabaran dan Persediaan, MAPIK, 3 March 2021; Moderator, IFTS, The Concept of Waqf in Agriculture, IAIS, 4 March 2021; Moderator, RTD on Islam, Radicalism and Extremism in the Age of Pandemic, IAIS, 25 March 2021; Panelist, Kes Iki Putra v MAIS: Merungkai Bidangkuasa Persekutuan dan Negeri, IAIS & Others, 5 April 2021; Panelist, RTD Memahami Naratif dan Implikasi Penghakiman Mahkamah Dalam Kes Penggunaan Kalimah Allah oleh Orang Kristian, JAKIM, Hotel Marriot Putrajaya, 1 April 2021; Panelist, Persidangan Meja Bulat Dasar Manhaj Rabbani, JAKIM, Putrajaya, 5 April 2021; Panelist, Sembang Agama bersama Negarawan, Yayasan Sedar, Yayasan Kepimpinan, Putrajaya, 7 April 2021; Moderator, Webinar on Educating Children About Ramadan, IAIS, 19 April 2021; Moderator, Webinar Konsep Tauhid & Ibadah Puasa Para Nabi Sepanjang Zaman, IAIS, 22 April 2021; Awarded research grant “The Right to Freedom of Religion and Jurisdictional Conflicts in Malaysia, CENTHRA, RM30,000, 1 April 2021.

Alexander Wain recently published a research article entitled ‘The Kubrawi and Early Javanese Islam: Re-assessing the Significance of a Sixteenth-century Kubrawi Silsila in the Sejarah Banten Ranté-Ranté,’ which appeared in Indonesia and the Malay World 49, no. 143. Forthcoming publications include: ‘The Politicisation of Islam in Malaysia and Its Opponents,’ in Islam and Civilisational Renewal 12, no. 1; ‘The Malay Word Lebai as a Sino-Muslim Term,’ in Studia Islamika 28, no. 2; and ‘Adat Perpatih in Malaysia: History, Form, and Contemporary Issues,’ in a volume on matrilineal Islam to be published by the World Muslim Communities Council (UAE). Ongoing projects include research articles provisionally entitled ‘The Historiography of Islamisation in Southeast Asia’ and ‘The Role of Islam in the Undang-Undang Melaka.’ Alexander’s first monograph, The Rise of Islam in Southeast Asia, will hopefully be published by Cambridge University Press in the coming year.

Mohammad Mahbubi Ali completed a UNICEF-IAIS White Paper entitled: “Exploring the Viability of Islamic Social Finance Instruments for Child-Sensitive Social Protection in Malaysia” (Co-authored with Apnizan Abdullah, Ahmad Badri Abdullah and Stephen Barrett). He also published a chapter in book “Shariah Governance in the Face of Value-Based Intermediation: Islamic Banking to Thrive Beyond Halal” in Shariff et al (eds), ‘Enhancing Halal Sustainability’ (Springer), and an article in IAIS Bulletin (Jan-Feb 2021) entitled: “Tawarruq Risk Exposure in Islamic Banks”, the shorter version of it has also appeared in Islamic Finance News (21st April 2021).  On 21 January, he was on a panel at the CME Webinar, speaking on Green Sukuk: An Islamic Finance Instrument to Promote Ecological Sustainability.

Ahmad Badri bin Abdullah published a Policy Issue Papers (PIPs) titled: ‘Restrictions on Early Marriage as Measures to Secure Children Wellbeing’ (co-authored with Prof. Mohammad Hashim Kamali  & Assoc Prof. Mohamed Azam). His article entitled Merealisasi Malaysia hab vaksin halal Asia Tenggara (Realising Malaysia as the Halal Vaccine Hub for South East-Asia) appeared in Berita Harian on 28 February 2021. He prepared a proposal entitled Kertas Polisi Isu Sebagai Mekanisme Advokasi Penambahbaikan Polisi Kerajaan (Policy Issue Paper as an Advocation Mechanism for Government Policies Enhancement) for a joint project between IAIS Malaysia and the Malaysian Parliament. He is also finalising the editorial notes for a book entitled Maqasid al-Shariah in Public Policy and Governance. He was also invited as a speaker in a book launching event at the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM), attended by the Minister of Religious Affairs, Dato’ Seri Dr. Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri, discussing Prof Ahmad al-Raysuni’s book entitled: al-Fikr al-Maqasidi: Qawa’iduhu wa Dhawabituhu.

Apnizan Abdullah has published an article entitled, “Malaysia’s Temporary Measures for Reducing the Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Act 2020: A Glance” in IAIS Bulletin, No. 59, Issue November December 2020. She has submitted a short article, “ Governance Framework for the Non-Profit Organisations : An Overview” and is extending the topic to become a journal article. She is in her final lap polishing her upcoming policy issue paper on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She is currently engaged as an expert assessor and module contributor for a zakat certification programme under Lembaga Zakat Selangor (LZS).

Shahino Mah Abdullah contributes two articles for IAIS Bulletin no. 60 and 61 namely, “Stimulating sustainable behaviour in restoring the environment post-pandemic” and “Post-pandemic environmental recovery through sustainable circular economy”, respectively. He has submitted articles to the NST and Berita Harian entitled “Artificial intelligence artworks and copyright ownership” and “Berpuasa berpotensi meningkatkan kawalan diri dan kecerdasan minda”, respectively. He also submitted a viewpoint to ICR journal (June Issue) entitled “Pandemic and individual responsibility to recover the nature”. Currently, he is preparing another viewpoint for ICR entitled “Enabling circular economy in the post-pandemic recovery period”, and involves in editing work for an ongoing book project entitled “Islam and Ecological Sustainability”. He has also submitted two chapter-in-books namely “Post pandemic impact to the nature and the need for sustainable recovery”, and “Promoting Ecological Sustainability with Greener Energy Resources” for ongoing book projects entitled “COVID-19: A Multidimensional Perspectives” and “Islam and Ecological Sustainability”, respectively. In the same book project, he also co-authored two more book chapters namely, “Ecological sustainability: The role of Shari’ah in maintaining environmental fitrah”, and “Green Sukuk: An Islamic Finance Instrument to Promote Ecological Sustainability”, which are also awaiting publication.

Fakhrurrazi contributed an article, “The Impact of Climate Change and Human-Caused Hazards on the Marine Environment in Malaysia” for a book, ‘Islam and Ecological Sustainability’. He has finalised a chapter on “COVID-19 Pandemic and the Roles of Leadership in Crisis Management” for a book on ‘Islam and COVID-19: A Multidimensional Perspective’. He was invited as a panellist for a training on ‘River Conservation for Sustainable Life’ by Bangladesh River Foundation, Halda River Research Lab and Global Environment Centre (GEC), focusing on ‘River Care and Islam’. His ongoing research includes a project on takaful for halal products and services for the Malaysian halal industry.

Wan Naim Wan Mansor has two ongoing book projects as an editor and contributor, one in its final stages, which is “Maqasid Shariah in Public Policy and Governance”, and the other “Islam and COVID-19: A Multidimensional Perspective". He has also written two reports, on “Harmony Week: An Interfaith Dialogue on Religious Responses to COVID-19 in Malaysia”, and “The Emergency Ordinance 2021: Multiple Perspectives on Health, Economy & Politics”, both for the IAIS Bulletin and the ICR Journal. Also in the works are a Policy Issue Paper related to peaceful coexistence within the Malaysian context, and a journal article related to maqasid al-shariah and public policy. He is also part of a research team preparing a report for the United Nations on the topic of Religious Freedom in Malaysia. He jointly prepared a proposal entitled Kertas Polisi Isu Sebagai Mekanisme Advokasi Penambahbaikan Polisi Kerajaan (Policy Issue Paper as an Advocation Mechanism for Government Policies Enhancement) for the Malaysian Parliament. In general, Wan Naim’s ongoing research projects cover topics on Malaysian Political Islam,  ‎Shariah-oriented policies (Siyasah Shar’iyyah), and inter-faith engagements.

Sayuti Mansor recently published two op-ed articles in the Bebasnews and Berita Harian, entitled ‘Peluang Mengimarahkan Semula Masjid Disambut Baik’ (2 February 2021) and ‘Islam Tegah Berbangga Zahirkan Dosa, Kesalahan Sendiri’ (23 April 2021) respectively. Previously, he contributed an article for the IAIS Bulletin entitled ‘Moral Policing, Rule of Law and Ta'zir’ and several event reports. He also has been invited as a discussant for a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the topic ‘Sentimen Melayu-Islam Terhadap Pembaharuan’ organised by ILHAM Centre on 7 April 2021 held at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya. He is also a regular presenter at [email protected], giving online short lectures ‘Introduction to the Shariah’ to the public on a monthly basis. His forthcoming publications include an article for the IAIS Bulletin namely ‘Shi‘ar Islam as a Public Interest Matter Amidst the Pandemic,’ and a journal article ‘Islamisation Theories of Malay Culture and Responses.’ Sayuti’s ongoing research projects include topics on the private-public sphere in Islamic law and legal enforcement of morality in Islam.