21 February, 2017: IIIT Congratulates IKIM for Its 25th Anniversary Celebration

IIIT East and Southeast Asia Office would like to take the opportunity to congratulate The Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia, better known as IKIM for its 25^th Anniversary. IKIM was established with the primary aim of making Islam better understood. Its objectives include: to conduct research and consultancy from the point of view of spirituality, to provide a forum for Muslim and non-Muslim scholars to discuss and analyze various issues, to create awareness and in-depth understanding of current issues as well as to be a source of information to Muslims and non-Muslims at the local and global levels.

In conjunction with the Anniversary, the Institute organized an International Seminar on "Religion and Civilizational Sustainability" which was held from 20 – 21 February 2017 at the IKIM Grand Hall. The two-day seminar highlighted the ideas of international experts in various fields related to respective areas of sustainability. Civilizational sustainability has also been chosen to be the theme of IKIM’s 25th year commemorating.

Prof. Dr. Omar H. Kasule, the Secretary General of IIIT and also Assistant Dean, Knowledge Exchange Program, Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh was invited to deliver a paper on ‘Preventive Medicine in Management of Public Health in Muslim World.’ Prof. Dr. Kasule believed that faith-based approach to public health will be effective in creating the necessary individual and societal will to a healthier lifestyle. Prof. Dr. Kasule argued that scientific knowledge today is enough to prevent diseases but there is lack of will on the individual to change behavior and on society to legislate and enforce lifestyles. He proposed that religious media such as sermons on Friday and other occasions, religious books and videos to be utilized as venues to promote and educate the publics. He hoped that religious media personalities would be willing to be trained and equipped with appropriate medical knowledge to educate the public on the importance of healthy lifestyle.

IIIT is very proud with the achievements of IKIM and would like again to congratulate its current Director General, Datuk Dr. Azizan Baharuddin and her team for their efforts and hard works. We look forward to collaborate with the Institute in relevant programs and activities in the near future.

19 February, 2017: IIIT welcomes Sis. Rosidah from Vietnam and HE Hj. Mohammad Yusof from Cambodia

Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman received a visit by sister Rosidah from Vietnam and HE Hj. Mohammad Yusof from Cambodia at his residence. Sister Rosidah graduated from IIUM in 2000 with Banchelor in Accounting and currently managing her own accounting firm in Ho Chin Minh City, Vietnam. She has been very active in helping and developing Muslim community in Vietnam through her social service activities. Meanwhile, HE Hj. Mohammad Yusof is a well-known educator and social activist in Cambodia. HE Hj. Mohammad Yusof is managing more than 30 Islamic schools sponsored by Kuwait Foundation. Various issues were discussed and IIIT is committed to assist both countries especially in the areas of teachers training and curriculum development.   

03 February, 2017: IIIT Pays a Courtesy Visit to Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of Cambodia

Prof. Dr. Omar Kasule, Secretary General of IIIT, led a group of delegation to pay a courtesy visit to Deputy Minister of Education of Cambodia in conjunction with IIIT East and Southeast Asia Coordination Meeting in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. Members of the delegation include Prof Emeritus Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman, Regional Representative and Director of IIIT to East and SEA and IIIT Representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippine, Thailand, Korea, Japan, and China.  The visit commenced in the afternoon of 3rd February, 2017 at Ministry of Education.

The delegation was received by Deputy Minister H.E. Youk Ngoy where he extended his warm welcome and briefed the delegation on the contemporary situation of educational system in Cambodia, especially higher education. He highlighted the vision of Ministry of Education to achieve Vision 2030 which are improving curriculum, improving quality of teaching and research and increasing accessibility to higher learning. Prof. Dr. Omar H. Kasule thanked the Minister for the warm welcome and extended his gratitude to the Minister for his support for the establishment of International Islamic College of Cambodia. Prof. Omar emphasized that IIIT is committed to give a full support in terms of human resource development, curriculum development and international networking to ensure the success of the College.  Prof Emeritus Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman added that the College will provide a holistic approach of education where conventional and Islamic related subjects will be offered and taught together. Prof Emeritus Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman assured the Minister that the integrated Islamic College will contribute to the vision of the Ministry to produce a quality and well-rounded human resources. 

Deputy Minister H.E. Youk Ngoy was delighted with the discussion and assured the delegation that he will work with the Prime Minister and other related government agencies to ensure the successful establishment of the College. He hoped more programs and activities will be organized in Cambodia for the benefit of the Cambodian society at large. The visit ended with exchange of gifts and group photography.

02 - 05 February, 2017: IIIT East and SEA Coordination Meeting, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

IIIT East and SEA Office conducted its Annual Coordination Meeting from February 2^nd to 5^th, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to coordinate programs and activities in this region for 2017 and beyond. The meeting was attended by Prof. Dr. Omar Hassan Kasule, Secretary General of IIIT, Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Wira Dr. Jamil Osman, Regional Representative for East and SEA and Country Representatives from Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Brunei, Philippine, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Meeting deliberated on the two main focus areas of the Institute which are Research and Long Term Grants, and Intensive Program in Islamic Studies.  The Research and Long Term Grants calls for scholars and researches to conduct research in the following priority subject areas:

1.            Epistemological and Decolonization of Knowledge

2.            Renewal of Islamic Thought

3.            New Methodologies in the Study of the Quran and Sunnah

4.            Maqasid al-Shariah

5.            Islamic Philosophy, Spirituality and Literary Criticism

6.            Reform of Education

7.            Social Science Studies

The Intensive Program in Islamic Studies is meant to give students a broad overview of Islam, while exposing them to major ideas that IIIT was either influenced by or has developed within contemporary Islamic thought. The core courses include:

1.            Methodologies in Integration of Knowledge

2.            Approaching the Qur’an

3.            Approaching the Sunnah

4.            Foundation of Belief, Knowledge, and Ethics

5.            Islamic Jurisprudence and Maqasid

6.            Muslim History and Civilization

7.            Contemporary Islamic Thought

All Country Representatives strongly supported the two focus areas and committed to implement the programs and activities in their respective countries. It is our hope that within three years we will see a flourishing of published research materials on Islamization and Integration of Knowledge, and the emerging of young scholars working in the Islamization fields.

The delegation also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to H.E Youk Ngouy, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to brief on roles of IIIT and to affirm IIIT supports to the establishment of Cambodia International Islamic College. The delegation was invited to visit Al-Rahman school managed by the Cambodian Muslim Intellectual Alliance (CMIA). The delegation was also invited to visit Al-Rahmah International, Cambodia office. The delegation also visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a museum chronicling the Cambodian genocide. The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979.

The meeting was a successful event where Representatives have renewed their commitments to implement and coordinate all programs and activities in this region. We would like to thank Hon. Farid Hossein, IIIT Representative in Cambodia and his team members for their hard work to ensure the success of the meeting.

30 Jan – 04 Feb, 2017: Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (IKTMC) Professional Development Program Co-host by Kuliyyah of Education, IIUM and IIIT East and SEA Office

2 January, 2017: Talk by Prof. Dr. Tuba Isik on 'The Great Women of Islam' organized by Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia