December 27, 2009

Conference and Resolution: Question and Implementation

BBB, 9 Muharram = 25 December (Friday):

For the first week of Muharram, new year of Muslim Calendar, we have two significant and historic events, the visiting of Allamah Prof. Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradhawi President of World Ulama` and The 7th World Conference On Muslim Education. A good starts that could inspire Muslims for more `barakah` in their life up to the end of the year.

Compare the impact of both events, it seems that Allamah Professor Dr.Yusuf al-Qaradhawi who was invited to Malaysia and honored in conjunction of Hijrah is a very popular Allamah, he wrote many valuable books about Islam that study, read, quote, refer and teach by Muslims all over the world. So when he was invited by State of Selangor to Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, thousand of people come to see and hear his speech and salat together with him at the mosque, he was greeted by Islamic Leaders of a Party (Pas) and invited by Prime Minister as a guest at his office. His visit to Malaysia covered by daily papers and other media .

However the 7th World Conference of Muslim Education we felt very poor publicity, we only know about it by invitation and the conference covered only by an article in Berita Harian, Do that because the Conference organized by a state not under Umno-BN ? However we respect the hard working of organizers especially the National Scholars Association Malaysia and Selangor International University College, although the participants were from small number of Islamic countries. To refer to the objectives of conference that to bring together scholars, analyze the impact of globalization and to Islamize education, its seemed that from the first up to 7th conference, the same problems raised and brought that could not solve problems, that Islamic Education facing the secular and now globalization that almost same and how to Islamize Islamic Education. Here I refer the same problem state by Muhammad Omar Zubair, President, First World Conference on Muslim Education and Former President, King Abdulaziz University about the Social Sciences and natural Sciences. For the social sciences he said:

``The problem is most acute in the sphere of social sciences. As these sciences influence not only individuals in their personal private thought and action but the whole society, they create an environment and complex economic, political and social infrastructures which are difficult to alter, modify or remove. It is high time therefore that we substituted the secularist, metaphysics by Islamic concepts and built up an Islamic infra-structure to replace the already entrenched secularist system (Social and Natural Sciences: The Islamic Perspective, Jeddah: 1981, Hodder And Stoughton, V).

While for the natural Sciences, Muhammad Omar Zubair said,
``In natural sciences the philosophical concepts and the methodology which deny the presence of Allah`s will in this creation, are creating an anti-Islamic attitude. A new metaphysics and a modified methodology with a drastically Faith-oriented approach are long overdue``. (Ibid, VI).

It seemed after thirty two years from the first World Conference On Muslim Education the same problems - secular, globalization of education and Islamize of knowledge still chained and lingered in the field of Muslim education. Again the objective of The 7th World Conference On Muslim Education mention the same problems, especially to Islamize knowledge and education. In fact it is the resolution to establish an International Academy of Muslim Education.This is a sweet fruit for Selangor International Islamic University College as the Academy would set up at the University College and benefit and popularize the University College as it is an International Academy at and together with International University College. Congratulation ! and the International University Colledge may get yearly grant from Selangor Government and for the beginning RM500,000 for research with other Islamic institutions over the world. The RM500,000 grant in fact very small amount for research, even not enough for a small group of researchers for a normal topic. More amounts needed for co-research with other international Islamic Institutions.

Back to the discussion that for the purpose of Islamize of knowledge and education that IIUM established and already produced graduates, but for the time being the Ummah still in thirsty for well Ulama` produced by IIUM or respected Muslim leaders or world class research and books, in fact as we were informed, there are not clear about the Islamize of Knowledge or Education and not clear of approach. There are could like still the old body with new clothes. Under IIUM too was established International Islamic Thought Research Institute, but the situation is still same. We are still in waiting that Research Institute produce distinguished and world class scholars. ulama` and books. The situation is still same. Is it the International University College and the Academy of Research at state level just a duplicate and repeat what the IIUM have and would operating the same field and normal exercise and would not producing any distinguish product. We hope it would be not so, and we welcome the establishment of Academy and we hope it would be better than IIUM International Islamic Thought and Research. Be more Islamic institutions for the betterment of Islam. In that case and mention about Islamic departments and research, we are not only having the IIUM-Institute of Islamic Thought and Research, Selangor Islamic University College and the Academy that would be established, but there are more departments and research institutions such as IKIM, YADIM, JAKIM and every state government has their state religious department, education and research. We ask, so many institutions and so vast of money spent yearly, but how about their contribution toward implementing Islamic education, research and dakwah ? Our multiracial society are the very good place for dakwah, but haw far dakwah was succeeded ? It seems every institution is working on their own way, so the Islamic University and Islamic College University and their Research Institute that duplicating. We hope not so, let us have many institutions that produce quality and significant products.

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