yb brunei minister of religious affairs officially...

SULTAN OMAR ‘ALI SAIFUDDIEN CENTRE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES ISSUE 6 | APRIL – JUNE 2016

YB BRUNEI MINISTER OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS OFFICIALLY OPENS SICON 5 AT UBD

This year SOASCIS is fortunate to have as Guest of Honour

the Minister of Religious Affairs of Brunei Darussalam,

Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri

Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato

Paduka Haji Awang Othman to address and officially open

its 5th International Conference (SICON 5) on the 9th of

May 2016. Among the invited guests present were Dayang

Rubiah binti Haji Yacub, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of

Universiti Brunei Darussalam, High Commissioners and

Ambassadors to Brunei Darussalam, senior government

officials and other dignitaries.

This conference took place on 9–11 May 2016 at the

Harvard Style Lecture Theatre 2, PAPRSB Institute of

Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, and its

theme was “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Contemporary Islamic Studies: Possibilities in Light of the Traditional

Ideas of Ijtihad, Tajdid, Islah and Bidʿah.” In his welcome address, Distinguished Professor Datuk Osman Bakar offered

special thanks for the presence of the Guest of Honour YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin and his opening

address.

In his Special Address, the Minister said, “The theme of SICON 5 is rather interesting, challenging and significant but this

does not mean that the theme has never been discussed. For example, Shaykh Muhammad Abduh, Rashid Rida,

Jamaluddin Afghani, Hasan Banna, Mawdudi, Said Nursi and Muhammad Nasir have responded in their own way to the

challenge of Western education and tried to bring about reform in Islamic schools.”

The Minister stressed that this conference is a platform to continue to bring new initiatives that can lead to a better

structure for Islamic education and the process of Islamisation of knowledge that has been talked about in many places

for some time now. The real concern is to make the Islamic Studies curriculum more positive and responsive to the needs

of our time. In short, we should observe and study contemporary realities and various branches of knowledge from the

Islamic perspective, e.g. the field of Islamic finance, the issues of nationalism, international relations, the nation-state

and the theological state.

The Minister said that the subject of Islamic studies has changed a lot in the last 100 years as a result of rapid technological

development and political change in the Muslim world and the West. But as far as Islamic studies are concerned, he asked,

“How much change can we afford and tolerate?” There are teachings of Islam that cannot be changed, and human needs

that will never change, so “We need to strike a balance.” He concluded by saying, “I believe the theme of SICON5 can help

enhance efforts to bring about positive change in the field of Islamic studies. With right kind of knowledge we can bring

about a change for the better inside us and in the life around us.”

YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin delivering the

Opening Address

SOASCIS QUARTERLY BULLETIN ISSUE 6 | APRIL – JUNE 2016

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR DATUK DR OSMAN BAKAR PRESENTS HIS WELCOMING

SPEECH AT SICON 5

In his Welcoming Speech Distinguished Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, the Chairman of the Organising Committee of

SICON 5 and Director of SOASCIS extended his hearty welcome to all the guests, speakers and participants for attending

the conference. He started by saying, “organising the conference with six partners is both challenging and rewarding. As

far as SOASCIS is concerned and UBD generally, the benefit of this academic partnership is an improvement in our

international networking and international profile. Both UBD and participating organisations stand to benefit from this

joint initiative despite our different institutional ages, sizes and influences.”

As for the theme, he said that our choice shows our intention

to continue our SICON series with issues pertaining to Islamic

Studies and related areas. Since 2011 when the first SICON was

organised by SOASCIS there has been concern about rapid

changes in the world and the need for new academic programs

on Islam especially at the tertiary educational institution. As a

result of this the competition for research funds as well as for

academic ranking has become more challenging.

While explaining the objectives of the conference, Prof Bakar

said that this year SOASCIS proposes to deal with the theme of

Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Contemporary Islamic

Studies. Prof Bakar hopes that SICON 5 will be a good event for

academic programs in search of new ideas for change or

transformation in the contemporary world. He concluded his

Welcoming Speech with thanks to all the supporters, co-

organisers, speakers and members of the organising

committee.

SICON 5 – A UNIQUE EVENT OF ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING

SICON 5 is an important event in the history of UBD

as it coincided with its 30th anniversary and the 5th

anniversary of SOASCIS. The conference attracted

a number of international institutions as co-

organisers: (1) Necmettin Erbakan University,

Konya, Turkey, (2) Ebrahim College, London, UK,

(3) The Islamic Academy, Cambridge, UK, (4)

International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT),

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, (5) International Islamic

University Malaysia (Centre for Islamic Economics),

Malaysia, and (6) Fatoni University, Thailand,

proving the impact of these conferences and

enhancing SOASCIS’ international network. Sixteen

speakers from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,

Singapore, Turkey and the United Kingdom

presented papers at the conference.

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From L to R: Ustaz Awg Hj Harun, Prof. Kamal Hasan, Prof. Osman Bakar, YB Pehin Dato Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin,

AP Dr Mohd Ayub Sadiq, Dyg Rubiah and Dato Dr Jamil

Othman

Front row, L to R: Prof. Osman Bakar, Dyg Rubiah, YB Pehin Dato Ustaz

Haji Awang Badaruddin, Prof. Kamal Hasan and Ustaz Awg Hj Harun


In his keynote paper on “Islamic Studies Curricula: Harmonising Permanence and Change in Objectives, Epistemic

Content, Methods and Approaches” Professor Osman Bakar discussed the issue and the challenge of realising a balance

between permanence and change in Islamic studies curricula. He held that we cannot strike a balance unless we have a

clear picture of the Islamic theory of knowledge. Tan Sri Professor Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan, an Eminent Visiting Professor

of SOASCIS, UBD stressed the need to produce new branches (furu‘) of blended, integrated knowledge while at the same

time deepening and widening the relevance of the spiritual-ethical roots (usul) of Islamic education. Dato Dr Jamil

Othman, the IIIT Regional Representative for East and Southeast Asia stated that a fully integrated university should be

based on the integration or the Islamisation of knowledge where the building of right curriculum is very important.

In his lecture on “Innovation and Entrepreneurship in British Islamic institutions: A

Case Study of Ebrahim College” Mawlana Shams Adduha Muhammad, a founder of

the College, said that Ebrahim College seeks to demonstrate how an honestly

traditional and yet thoroughly modern, Islamic in spirit and yet quintessentially

British institution can not only carve a niche for itself in an otherwise hostile

environment, but how that institution can be a catalyst for the welfare of society.

Dr Bilal Kuşpınar, Director of the International Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilisations and Head of the Department of

Philosophy, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey said that philosophy needs to be redefined as a living and

leading intellectual activity and its contents restructured in the light of contemporary needs and the inclusion of tasawwuf

and kalam. Professor Muzaffer Şeker, Rector of Necmettin Erbakan Univerisity in Konya spoke on “The Role of Higher

Education Institutions in Improving the Conditions of the Muslim World.”

Professor Mohamed Aslam Mohamed Haneef of the Department of Economics,

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) spoke on the “Integrated

Curricula in Southeast Asia”. Taking a sample of selected Universities in

Malaysia and Indonesia, he showed that the integrated curricula of Islamic

economics programmes allow for innovation in higher education that meets

both Islamic scholarship and the demand of industry.

Prof. Dr Eka Putera Wirman, Rector of IAIN Imam Bonjol Padang, Sumatra

presented his talk on the Science of Kalam in Indonesia and its relevance to contemporary Islamic thought. Associate Prof.

Syed Muhammad Khairudin Aljunied of the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore, presented

the topic, “Creating Ivy League Muslim Universities: Historical Precedents and the Way Forward.” Adna Shatriremie Hj

A. Abdul Rahman of UBD spoke on “Entrepreneurial Mindset with a Shariah Direction: Experimentation on the Higher

Learning Students in Brunei Darussalam.”

There were three speakers from SOASCIS at this conference apart

from Prof Osman Bakar. They were Pg Dr Norhazlin Pg Muhammad,

Deputy Director of SOASCIS; Dr Shaikh Abdul Mabud, a co-organiser of

the conference as the Director General of the Islamic Academy, Cambridge;

and Dr Mohamad Azmi Hj Mohamad, a Lecturer. Dr Norhazlin’s paper was

on “Enhancing Learning Islamic Studies through Contribution of

Environmental Knowledge and Teaching Aids Technology.” In his paper on

“The Teaching of Islamic Civilisation beyond the Compulsory Module” Dr

Azmi explored the potential and challenges in offering “Islamic Civilisation”

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Mawlana Shams Adduha

A discussion session - L to R: Dr Mohamad

Azmi, Dato Dr Jamil Othman and Pg Dr

Norhazlin

Prof. Mohamed Aslam Haneef


as a discussion-oriented elective module structured in a way that adds depth and breadth to the traditional course

material. Dr Abdul Mabud spoke on “Revisiting Islamisation of Education: Critical Reflections on Some Recent

Developments.” He said that the future of Islamic education lies in developing an atmosphere of Islamic critical thinking

so as to be able to preserve the permanence of Islamic principles while maintaining a balance between tradition and

modernity.

In the concluding session of SICON 5, the participants reflected on the thoughts presented at the conference and made a

few suggestions as a way forward.

SOASCIS-CIE-IIIT WORKSHOP ON ISLAMIC ECONOMICS AND FINANCE EDUCATION IN BRUNEI

DARUSSALAM: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

On the 12th of May 2016 there was a discussion among

members of SOASCIS, the Centre for Islamic Economics

(CIE, International Islamic University Malaysia) and

the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT,

East Asia) who were also co-organisers of SICON 5. The

CIE was represented by Professor Dr Mohamed Aslam

Haneef and the IIIT by Dato Dr Jamil Othman. The

workshop was held at UBD. The theme of the

discussion was “Islamic Economics and Finance

Education in Brunei Darussalam: Challenges and Way

Forward.”

The workshop had three-fold objectives: (a) to provide

an overall picture of the rationale of the Islamisation of Knowledge (IOK); (b) to discuss the relevance of the IOK agenda

in assisting human resources and curriculum development in the areas of Islamic Economics and Finance; and (c) to

agree on an agenda to conduct human resource development programmes in Brunei Darussalam specifically in the areas

of Islamic Economics and Finance.

Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, Director of SOASCIS started the discussion with his erudite comments on “Islamisation

of Knowledge and the Need for Epistemological Reform.” This was then followed by presentations of both Professor Dr

Mohamed Aslam Haneef and Dr Jamil Othman on: “Islamic Economics and Finance Education: Human Resource

Challenges and Role for Islamisation of Knowledge.” The meeting ended with a vibrant discussion by the participants.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SOASCIS, UNIVERSITI BRUNEI DARUSSALAM AND IRCC,

NECMETTIN ERBAKAN UNIVERSITY

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS),

Universiti Brunei Darussalam and the International Rumi Centre for the Study of Civilizations (IRCC), Necmettin Erbakan

University, Konya, Turkey was signed on 11 May 2016 at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam shortly after the closing of

SICON 5. The MoU was signed by Prof Datuk Dr Osman Bakar on behalf of SOASCIS and Prof Dr Bilal Kuşpınar on behalf

of IRCC in presence of Dayang Rubiah binti Haji Yacub, Acting Vice Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam and

Professor Dr Muzaffer Şeker, Rector of Necmettin Erbakan University as witnesses.

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A scene from the workshop


This memorandum provides a basis of “cooperation and

collaboration as well as working relationship towards the

internationalisation of higher education in education and

training programmes of mutual interests”. The MoU is also

intended to facilitate detailed discussion for “more specific

programmes of collaboration and advancement of international

understanding between the Participants through the

advancement of the scope and fields of academic link and

cooperation” in various educational fields.

PROF SHAIKH ABDUL MABUD INVITED AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL

EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN TURKEY

Prof Shaikh Abdul Mabud of Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam was

invited as a Keynote Speaker to deliver lectures at the 6th “International Conference on Education” organised by Şuurlu

Öğretmenler Derneği (ÖĞ-DER: Association of Conscious Teachers), Turkey. This event consisted of a series of

conferences held in five different cities, viz. Samsun, Adana,

Konya, Ankara and Istanbul during 23 March to 3 April 2016.

Dr Abdul Mabud delivered lectures at the first four cities. At

these conferences he spoke on two topics, (1) “Curriculum”

in which he presented a philosophical analysis and

comparative study of secular and Islamic education systems

and (2) “Halal Living” that dealt with how to maintain halal

lifestyle in a free and secular society in the midst of modern

challenges. University vice chancellors, professors,

schoolteachers, government officials, religious clerics and

the general public attended these conferences. In each city,

on the day following the conference, there was also a

seminar for the youth who were mainly university students

and professionals.

In each conference foreign guests as well as executives of ÖĞ-DER, Turkish professors and government education officers

spoke. The foreign speakers included the British journalist Lauren Booth, a British convert to Islam and a sister-in-law of

the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Prof. Zakaria Ousman, President of Chadian Centre for Strategic Studies;

Prof. Shaikh Abdul Mabud from Universiti Brunei Darussalam; and Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan, editor of the Delhi-based The

Milli Gazette. In his inaugural statement Hamdi Sürücü, General Director of ÖĞ-DER said, “We have to be careful about

what we put into the souls of our children. Military power is not the real power. Ideas that we put in our children are the

real power.” The Turkish scholar, Prof. M. Nezir Gül, spoke on how children, dominated by the concept of ‘children’s

right’, are being spoilt in nuclear families. Lauren Booth spoke mostly about her conversion to Islam. She discussed at

length the social and moral ills of her society and placed her hope in Islam as the only solution.

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L to R: Prof. Bilal Kuşpınar, Prof. Muzaffer Şeker,

Prof. Osman Bakar and Dyg Rubiah

Speakers and participants at Samsun conference. From L to R:

Mr İsmail Okutan, Prof. Shaikh Abdul Mabud, Mr İbrahim Pür,

Lauren Booth, Mr Erol Çakır, Prof. Mehmet Nezir Gül


FORMER MALAYSIAN PM OFFICIATED YUSUF ALI MEMORIAL LECTURE BY DR SURIN PITSUWAN AND

LAUNCHING OF DR OSMAN BAKAR’S LATEST BOOK

The Fourth Abdullah Yusuf Ali Memorial Lecture, co-organised by the well-known Malaysian publisher, Islamic Book

Trust (IBT) and the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia, was held on 16th April 2016 at

the Institute. The guest speaker invited to deliver the lecture was YB Tan Sri Dr Surin Pitsuwan, a former Secretary

General of ASEAN and former Foreign Minister of Thailand, who is currently a Distinguished Professor at Sultan Omar

‘Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

The event organised on the occasion of the Memorial Lecture

comprised two parts: the first was the launching of the latest

book authored by Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar, titled

Quranic Pictures of the Universe: The Scriptural Foundation of

Islamic Cosmology. The book was co-published by UBD Press

and IBT. Prof Datuk Dr Osman who is Chairman of IBT is also a

Distinguished Professor and Director of SOASCIS. The second

part of the event was the lecture by Dr Surin. Attended by nearly

200 people, including IAIS’ Chief Executive Officer, Dr

Mohamad Hashim Kamali, the event was officiated by YAB Tun

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, a former Malaysian Prime Minister

and currently Chairman of IAIS.

Dr Surin delivered his lecture on the topic English as a Modern Literary Language of Islam: The Significance of Yusuf Ali’s

Translation of the Quran. Dr Surin told the audience that he was first introduced to Yusuf Ali’s translation by the late

Mohsin Mahdi under whom he studied at Harvard University. Dr Surin dwelt on several features of the translation that

appeal to him personally as well as many other Western-educated Muslims, especially his contemporaries. The attractive

features include the high literary quality of the English translation, its rich footnotes, and its helpful account of the

historical as well as social circumstances surrounding the revelation (asbab al-nuzul) of each chapter of the Quran. Dr

Surin reminded the audience that the emergence of English as a literary language of Islam has a historical precedence in

Europe. Latin once served as a literary language for Islamic studies in medieval Europe.

GRADUATE SEMINARS AT SOASCIS

9 April 2016: Dr Shaikh Abdul Mabud spoke on World Conferences on Muslim Education: Shaping the Agenda of

Muslim Education in the Future. He presented salient features of the eight World Conferences on Muslim Education

that were held since 1977, along with the rationale behind the formulation of principles of Islamic education in modern

times. He discussed the philosophical, political, financial and organisational hurdles that were met in developing and

implementing the resolutions of these conferences.

9 April 2016: Mohamed Mubarak Habib Mohamed presented a talk entitled, Teaching of Values in Science: Defining

its Universal Values. The paper argues that although science in the Tawhidic perspective has its own particular traits, it

has also universal values that transcend cultures and periods. These values are discussed in relationship with the Asmā’

Allāh al-ḥusnā (the most beautiful Names of Allāh) as explained by Imām al-Ghazālī. This paper concludes with a few

recommendations on how these values could be infused into the science curriculum.

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L to R: Dr Mohamad Hashim Kamali, YAB Tun Abdullah

Ahmad Badawi, YB Tan Sri Dr Surin Pitsuwan and Prof.

Datuk Dr Osman Bakar


23 April 2016: In his presentation on Globalisation and Cultural Diversity: A Muslim Perspective, Fareed Ahmad

Malik defines globalisation from a Muslim perspective and investigates the relationship between globalisation and

cultural diversity. He argues that globalisation is shaped by both homogenizing and heterogenizing tendencies among

nations, and in this conflict each nation tends to preserve its own cultural identity and serve its nationalist, civilisational,

economic and security interests within the context of balanced interests, and not powers.

23 April 2016: Jabal M. Buaben presented a seminar on The Numbers Game—A Muslim Perspective on Immigration

and Integration with Specific Reference to the United Kingdom. The immigration of Muslims to Europe in general

and the UK in particular has been a subject of intense debate in the media for some time. This paper seeks to examine

the case from the Muslim point of view asking critical questions about the rationale behind Muslim immigration, the

activities of the vast majority of Muslims in Britain, and whether they make a net contribution to this society not merely

in economic terms but also morally and spiritually.

NEWS OF FORMER AND CURRENT SOASCIS STUDENTS

Mr Christoph Alexander Bracks from Germany passed his

Masters degree and is now waiting for his graduation. Mr Bracks

has returned to his home country.

Mr Jibrail Yusuf (PhD Candidate) from Ghana has submitted his

dissertation for examination and is waiting for the results. He

will be returning to his country and a farewell reception will be

organised for him.

Mr Hassan Shakeel Shah (PhD Candidate) from Pakistan who is

waiting for his PhD examination result has been appointed as a

lecturer at the Faculty of Shariah and Law, Islamic University of

Maldives. His appointment came on 9 June 2016.

PhD candidates Mr Hilmy Baihaqy (Brunei) and Mr Muhammad Mubarak (Singapore) had their respective papers,

which were presented in an international conference in 2014, published as two chapters in a book titled Islamic

Perspectives on Science and Technology: Selected Conference Papers published by Springer in May 2016 and co-edited

by Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar. Mr Hilmy Baihaqy, as the first author, together with his supervisor Professor

Datuk Dr Osman Bakar wrote the chapter on “Positing a Spiritual Dimension for Science Education: Brunei

Darussalam’s Experience”. Muhammad Mubarak wrote a chapter with the title of “Teaching of Values in Science:

Defining its Universal Values”.

PhD candidate Mr Sohayle M. Hadji Abdul Racman (The Philippines) presented a paper titled, “The Epistemology of

Islamic Political Governance: A Case Study of the Lanao Sultanate in the 17th Century Philippines” at the Fourth

Annual Nottingham Postgraduate Conference in Politics and International Relations held on 10 June 2016 at The

University of Nottingham UK under the theme of “Governance and Privatisation”.

PhD candidate Mr Rahmat Hidayat (Indonesia) conducted a seminar with the title of “Illustrations in the Qur’an:

Analysis from Surah Ibrahim, verse 24-26”. This seminar was held on 23 April 2016 at the UBD male hostel multi-

purpose hall and organised by the Students Association of Indonesia in Brunei Darussalam for undergraduate and

post-graduate students studying in tertiary institutions in Brunei Darussalam.

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Hassan Shakeel (1st from L) with Dr Shaheem Ali

Saeed (Chancellor, 4th from L) and other colleagues at IUM


FORTHCOMING EVENT

SOASCIS Lecture:

MALAY COURT RELIGION, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE:

INTERPRETING THE QUR’AN IN 17TH CENTURY ACEH

By

Professor Peter Riddell

Melbourne School of Theology &

History, SOAS University of London

10 am, 13 September 2016

Harvard Style Lecture Theatre 2, PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences,

Universiti Brunei Darussalam

__________________________________________________

SOASCIS BULLETIN EDITORIAL STAFF

Advisor: Professor Datuk Dr Osman Bakar

Editor-in-Chief:

Assoc. Prof. Dr Shaikh Abdul Mabud

Editors: Pg Dr Norhazlin Pg Hj Muhammad

Assoc. Prof. Dr Jabal M. Buaben

Assoc. Prof. Dr Mulyadhi Kartanegara Senior Assistant Prof. Dr Gibril Fouad Haddad

Dr Mohamad Azmi Hj Mohamad

Assistant Editor: Dk Hjh Amey Marlina Pg Hj Metassan

Editorial Assistants: Muhammad Mubarak Habib Mohamed

Dk Khairunnisa Pg Hj Metasin

Fareed Ahmad Malik

Contact Info:

[email protected]

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[email protected]

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