HECTIC BUT ENJOYABLE (AND HOPEFULLY MEANINGFUL) LIFE

Presenting Shafiza (Master Mixed-Mode graduate 2009) ISDEV Excellent Dissertation Award 2011 during ISDEV Graduate Night, 18 March 2011. She is one of the six Master Mixed-Mode graduates who won the Award.

Still as hectic as usual.

After a week in Medan and Lake Toba  (11 to 17 March) and fulfilling whatever have to be accomplished there - viz. signing of ISDEV-Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) MoU, presenting a paper  at International Seminar on the Application of Islamic Management, launching of ISDEV-Universitas Sumatera Utara-Universitas Medan Area Journal of Islamic Development Politics,  delivering keynote address at the 4th International Workshop on Islamic-Based Development, and leading an intellectual expedition to Lake Toba and Somasir Island in Prapart -, I attended ISDEV Graduation Night in USM a day after arrival in Penang. These were followed by participation in a Regional Conference on Zakat organised by JAWHAR in KL on 22 March, and remained there in KL till yesterday, 25 March, to complete editing work of articles for a series of edited book on the Transformation of Zakat, based on papers presented at ISDEV 5th International Conference on Islamic Development Management (IDMAC10) last December, as well as discussing with potential publishers to publish them.

Even this weekend, since yesterday until Sunday 27 March, I am supposed to be on the top of Gunung Jerai to fulfill an invitation by Pusat Urus Zakat Pulau Pinang for a brainstorming to improve the management of the institution. But as the formal invitation came in a short notice, I am unable to make it. So is another invitation to talk on Economics of Southeast Asia - An Islamic Perspective at a roundtable meeting of the representatives of Southeast Asian countries on Tuesday 29th, also because of short notice.

Yes, a hectic life, but an enjoyable one and hopefully meaningful in the eyes of Allah SWT. Photos below are some of those activities.

25 March 2011 - About to leave Quality Hotel City Centre in KL for Penang after completing editing books on Zakat Transformation and meeting with potential publisher.

23 March 2011 - With PTS Islamika editors Rohidzir and Amirol (3rd and 2nd right respectively) after a meeting on the possibility of publishing books by ISDEV members with them

22 March 2011 - At Regional Zakat Seminar 2011 on Zakat Fund as a Means for Poverty Elimination Amongst Asnaf, at Legend Hotel KL, organised by JAWHAR

17 March 2011 - At Polonia International Airport, Medan, Indonesia with wife, ISDEV Deputy Director Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad and Indonesian brothers, shortly before leaving for Penang

18 March 2011 - Families of ISDEV Graduates at ISDEV Graduate Night 2011

16 March - Dinner at the house of Pak Suhrawardi, the Deputy Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU)

Visiting Pak Siregar (sitting 2nd right), the Rector of Universitas Pembinaan Masyarakat Indonesia (UPMI), one of ISDEV sympathisers in Medan

15 March - Launching the Journal of Islamic Development Politics (JISDEV), co-published by ISDEV, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) and Universitas Medan Area (UMA) at the 4th International Workshop on Islamic-Based Development (WAPI-4)

15 March - With Dr Zakaria and Dr Zahri at the 4th International Workshop on Islamic-Based Development (WAPI-4)

13 March - ISDEV fraternity at a jetty in Prapat, after boarding off from a boat from Samosir Island

13 March - Impromptu `nashid concert' hosted by ISDEV PhD candidates Syakir and Anwar after dinner at Wisma Wisata Bahari, our accommodation in Prapat. Also performed at the `concert' were ISDEV Alumni Dr Sukiman and graduate students Datuk Chairil Anwar, Taha and Ridzuan

13 March - In front of a hotel on Samosir Island with wife (right), daughter and ISDEV graduates

14 March - Suria, former Aceh Member of Parliament currently pursuing his Master degree at ISDEV, performing an Aceh's song in the bus on our way back to Medan from Prapat

12 March - Presenting a paper at International Conference on Islamic Management Application at UMSU

13 March - ISDEV fraternity on a boat to Samosir Island

13 March - ISDEV Alumni Dr Sukiman of Institut Agama Islam Negeri Medan delivering a tazkirah in the bus on our way to Lake Toba

11 March - ISDEV Deputy Director Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad (3rd left) with my family members at Penang International Airport before leaving for Medan, Indonesia

12 March - Signing of Memorandum of Cooperation between ISDEV and UMSU, represented by me and UMSU Rector Drs Agussani respectively at the International Conference on Islamic Management Application

ISDEV MUSAFIR CULTURE

It is ISDEV culture. Whenever its members embark on a journey, three things would not be missing. Firstly, the journey will be filled with programmes such as short speeches, quiz, et cetera; they did not sleep on the journey. Secondly, they will hold congregrational prayers - either on the way or when they arrive at the destination. Thirdly, there will be tazkirah after the congregrational prayers.

So too was the culture when ISDEV members made a journey to Kuala Lumpur recently, from 20 to 23 February 2011. The photos below are self-explanatory.

These will be reiterated, InshaAllah, when 40 ISDEV members to be headed by me embark on another musafir trip abroad tomorrow, Friday 11 March 2011. We will be leaving for Medan, Indonesia to participate in two International Seminars and an intellectual expedition to Lake Toba, Prapat till 17 March 2011.

Warjio as MC in the bus

ISDEV Post-Doctoral Fellow from Pakistan, Dr Eshrat Hussain Basri giving his opinion in a discussion in the bus

Mohd Shukri Hanapi as Amir Taariq making announcement about the programmes in the trip

Mohd Syakir presenting a series of live nasyid when we are tired

Shahir Akram delivering tazkirah after fajr congregrational prayer at our accommodation in Universiti Malaya

Another tazkirah after fajr congregational prayer on the corridor of our accommodation at Pangsapuri Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE AT IFWMI, USIM

On Tuesday 22 February 2011, I returned back to Islamic Science University Malaysia (USIM), but this time with a total of 33 ISDEV members consisting of lecturers, Post-Doctoral Fellows and graduate students, not alone anymore.

Listening to Graduate Presentation

As opposed to the establishment of my individual link during my tenureship at USIM on November-December last year, the aim this time is to build up institutional networking, between ISDEV and the Faculty of Economics and Muamalat (FEM) and the Islamic Finance and Management Institute (IFWMI) of the University. We were received by the Dean of the FEM Dr Asmaddy Haris and the Director of IFWMI Dr Zurina Shafii as well as by their staff and graduate students.

At the half-day occasion, two ISDEV PhD students presented a paper each. Mohd Shukri Hanapi talked on Graduate Researches at ISDEV while Warjio talked on Graduate Supervision at ISDEV. Subsequently, two IFWMI PhD students, Supiah Salleh talked on her research on Shari`ah Audit and Wan Khadijah Wan Mohd Nasir on Halal Traceability of the Halal Products respectively. The occasion ended with a conclusive presentation by AssociateProfessor Dr Kalsum Ahmad on Instrumention in Research Methodology.

Alhamdulillah, ISDEV is adding another institutional partner to its list of networking. Plan for research cooperation between academic staffs of IFWMI/FEM and ISDEV is in the pipeline.

Warjio presenting his talk. On his left is Mohd Shukri Hanapi

With Dr Asmaddy Haris, the Dean of FEM