RETHINKING WEALTH MANAGEMENT

An article of mine entitled "Rethinking Wealth Management: An Islamic Preliminary View" has just appeared in the International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol.3, No.13, July 2012, p.232-236. It could be accessed via http://www.ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_13_July_2012/28.pdf 

The article attempts to rethink about the contemporary state of the wealth management by deliberating an Islamic view on the method, the target, and the stance of the wealth management. Specifically, the paper deals with three following questions. Firstly, how is Islamic way of managing wealth? Secondly, what are the target that actually should be managed, the man who is wealthy and who manage the wealth or the wealth itself? And thirdly, are all human beings should be wealthy? The deliberation comes to a conclusion that an Islamic wealth management should emerge from its own distinctive philosophical and epistemological underpinnings; the target should not only the wealth but also, moreover, the actors of the wealth management, that is the wealthy and the managers of the wealth; and wealthiness is indeed involving a selective process - not all human beings should be wealthy, hence the necessity for an identification method in the selection of the wealthy-to-be.

RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH UNISSA AND UBD IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Opening ceremony of the KAIB V Conference by Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Ke Bawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Senior Minister at the Prime Minsiter's Department

With Mufti of Perlis, Dr Juanda (left) and Director of Islamic Centre of Universiti Utara Malaysia, Dr Ismail (right) at the Conference

ISDEV delegates with Ustaz Zulkifli of UiTM Puncak Alam (centre)

Alhamdulillah, while in Brunei, after participating in the KAIB V Conference, we have held fruitful discussions on research cooperation between ISDEV and Universiti Islam Sultan Syarif Ali (UNISSA) and Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).

With UNISSA, we came to an agreement in undertaking researches on The Politics of Islamic-Based Development Strategy with Pusat Penataran Ilmu dan Bahasa and Istibdal for Wakaf Development with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences. There are also possibilities of academic exchanges between ISDEV and UNISSA, under the UNISSA's Research Fellowship programme. The discussion was chaired by UNISSA Acting Registrar Hajjah Surianah bt Haji Alias, assisted by Dr Abdul Nasir bin Hj Abd Rani, the Director of the Centre for Graduate Studies and Research.

Meeting with UNISSA in progress

ISDEV delegates with UNISSA's colleagues

With Dr Abdul Nasir (left), the UNISSA's Director of the Centre for Graduate Studies and Research

With UBD, in particular with the Academy of Brunei Studies and with the Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS), we came to an agreement in carrying out researches on the following three topics, viz. The Mould and Index of Development in MIB, Ethics and Human Development Management, and Corporate Social Responsibility of the Islamic Banks. Three other potential researches were also discussed. They are Zakat Accounting, Management of Wakaf, and Halal Branding. The discussion was chaired by Deputy Director of the Academy of Brunei Studies, Tuan Haji Mohd Shahrol Amira bin Abdullah.

Meeting at the Academy of Brunei Studies of the UBD

While at UBD, we were also invited for a discussion on ISDEV-UBD collaboration by UBD Assistant Vice-Chancellor-cum-Director of the Sultan Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies (SOASCIS), Dr Azman Ahmad. Apart from the research collaboration, there are also possibilities of academic exchanges as well as opportunities for UBD Scholarship for graduate studies.

Discussion with Dr Azman Ahmad, the UBD Asistant Vice-Chancellor

ISDEV delegates with Dr Azman Ahmad

Lastly, at Brunei International Airport, leaving for home by evening flight on 29th June 2012