WHERE IS MH370?

This morning, after having my breakfast, the lady owner of the nasi kandar stall asked me: "What do you think of the MH370? Can you guess where is it now?".

My spontaneous answer is simple: "Only Allah knows, I do not know. If I were to draw an analysis from various analyses, you and I will be more confused. But if you still insist on my opinion, I firstly need to know in which side you are. If you are on opposition, the analysis would be different from the analysis for a pro-establishment".

We ended our conversation with a laugh.

Indeed, it is unwise to guess and manipulate, moreover to analyse and disseminate uncertain news based on unconfirmed information. Yes, it may enhance our mental gymnastic exercises, but reflecting on and asking for Allah's forgiveness for everything that our country in general and MAS in particular have gone wrong is a better wiser endeavour.

In so doing, two that I can think of, of what MAS has gone wrong. Firstly, the providence of alcohol on board, and secondly, the unIslamic uniform of the stewardess. If Royal Brunei Airline and few Middle-Eastern airlines can survive without alcohol and sexy stewardess, why can't MAS?

Unfortunately, let alone eliminating the alcohol service and changing the unIslamic uniform of the stewardess, the stewardess of AirAsia and Malindo that followed are having even a sexier uniform, definitely with the approval of the Malaysian authorities. What have gone wrong seems to be intensified, not avoided at all.

And now we ask Allah for help without repenting? Allah has helped Prophet Yunus from the big fish (nun) and forgave him due to his repentance. We too, in praying for the safety of MH370 and its passengers, should have done the same, that is performing both the solatuh-taubah and solatul-hajat. 

Solatul-hajat alone without the solatuh-taubah is insufficient. Firstly we need to ask Allah for forgiveness for what MAS and the Malaysian authorities have done wrong thus the necessity to return to the right path; and secondly to ask Allah for help for Allah is our Sole Almighty Helper. As Captain Nuruddin was saying: "science is a creation, while Allah is the Creator". Seek the Creator's help in solving the problem of the creations, within a pure intimate Creator-creations relationship.

ON FOUR DAYS LEAVE

I am on four days leave, beginning today till Friday February, the 7th. The aim is not to have a rest, but instead to be away from office to read and examine a few Phd theses.

They have been back-logged for quite sometimes and I  now realise that I could not do it in the midst of the normal office routines. I need to really concentrate on them with less interruption, away from the academic crowds though still accessible via phones and messages if there is any urgent matter that need my attention and action.

I feel very guilty indeed to hold the theses, for as my wife continuously remind me, they are the future of the students. It is indeed unwise to keep the future of the students standstill, which otherwise could have been moving forward earlier if they have passed their PhD.

Oh Allah, forgive me for my weakness. I pray that the students are able to defend their theses in near forthcoming weeks when my reading of the theses are completed, InshaAllah.

MAGNETIC INSTITUTION

ISDEV three-day academic meeting has concluded successfully today, Alhamdulillah. The first day, on Wednesday February 26th, saw the presentation of four PhD research proposals by four ISDEV PhD students; on the second day Thursday February 27th, three PhD theses presentations by three respective PhD students as mentioned in the earlier posting; and today, Friday February 28th, the ISDEV Director's Tarbiyyah and a lecture on Problem Statements by ISDEV Deputy Director Dr Zakaria Bahari.

About 100 ISDEV students came from inside and outside Malaysia, including from Dubai, to gather at the three-day meeting.

In the Director's Tarbiyyah today, I talked about Magnetic Institution as ISDEV should be. Magnetic Institution here means an institution which are able to attract as many people - scholars, students, researchers, et. cetera - as possible, via an energetic power. The engine of the power is the high accomplishment in every aspect, academically and socially. The academic aspect may include a quality high academic performance while the social aspect may include conducive entertaining academic atmosphere with good attitude (akhlak). All could be portrayed via blog and website as well as by individuals' perception and promotion.

To some extent, ISDEV already posseses such a power though still much to be desired, proven by what ISDEV has attained so far. But I alerted ISDEV fraternity that in having such a power, one has to attract the people to ISDEV as an institution (read jemaah), not to indviduals or moreover to a group within ISDEV. The former may strengthen ISDEV further while the later may break ISDEV into pieces.

MY 3 PHD STUDENTS GETTING A NOD

Alhamdulillah, how please one is to witness his students getting a nod to submit their theses for examination.

It is exactly what I feel right now - at the Thesis Presentation which is in progress at the moment at University Conference Hall, USM - witnessing Wan Norhaniza Wan Hassan, Mohd Syakir Mohd Rosdi, and Razali Othman given a nod by their respective PhD theses reviewers to proceed with the submission of their theses for examination.

It is a tradition at ISDEV for students to present their theses and reviewed by lecturers before they are allowed to submit their theses to be examined by their examiners. The tradition helps the students to polish their theses and ensures a high standard of the theses. Indeed it is one of the secrets of the high rate of the accomplishment of flying colours of ISDEV students, apart from serious but entertaining private and collective supervisions prior to the thesis presentation.

Wan Norhaniza works on the Index of Islamic-Based Development, while Mohd Syakir on Tahaluf Siyasi in Islamic Political Economy and Razali on Cash Waqf Revisited. Few weeks before, another PhD student of mine, Suraya Ismail who was working on the Thought of the Members of Shari'ah Advisory Council of Islamic Banking in Malaysia has passed with flying colours. Few more are in the pipeline; apart from the three above, are Shahir Akram Hassan who is working on Mantiq for Islamic Research Methodology and Farid Wajdi on the Law, Administration and Use of Halal Logo in Indonesia.

All in all, ISDEV is expected to graduate about 10 students this year, including Wan Anisah who will be facing her viva on 12 March, and Raziah Mohd Tahir, Radieah Mohd Noor and Helmi who are waiting for their viva voce at anytime now.

WITH TWO UNIVERSITY COLLEGES: KUIS AND KUIM

During a lapse of six days, I was with two Islamic university colleges; first with Islamic University College of Selangor (KUIS) and second, with Islamic University College of Melaka (KUIM).

I was at KUIS on Thursday February 13 to fulfill an invitation to deliver two lectures on Academic Mentoring to its senior lecturers (those working at KUIS for more than 10 years). The first lecture entitles "Mentoring: Pros and Cons", while the second "Mentoring: ISDEV Experience".

I was amazed with the sincerity of the lecturers to gather experience, and touched to see three quarter of the KUIS' mosque was filled with lecturers and students performing zohor congregational prayer at the mosque; moreover to see students registering at a table outside the mosque after the prayer to break Thursday supplementary fast congregationally at the mosque later in the evening by just paying RM2.00 each. Brief fard 'ain lecture before zohor prayer and tazkiyah before the breaking of fast were also held. I came to understand that the time of the zohor and so are other congregational prayers is adjusted according to the completion of lectures, hence the ability of the substantial number of the jemaah to perform congregational prayer at the mosque.

Later, on Tuesday February 18, ISDEV was visited by an entourage of 6 lecturers and 43 students of KUIM specialising in Islamic Development Management. It was a great happy moment to receive the entourage that resulted from my participation in developing an undergraduate Islamic Development Management programme at the University. It was about two years ago when I was appointed by KUIM as an Advisory Panel to develop the programme. The programme was well-received and the students of the programme now have increased to more than 160, Alhamdulillah. They are ISDEV potential Master students and KUIM could definitely become a feeder for ISDEV future postgraduate students, InshaAllah.

During the visit too a letter of my appointment as a Visiting Lecturer for the programme was officially delivered by the head of the entourage, Dean Dr Nazli. I am also indebted to Musliha, our ISDEV Alumni who is a lecturer of the KUIM Islamic Development Management programme and the organiser of the visit. I am so happy that the ISDEV Alumni is playing her role in serving Islam and Allah SWT.

VISITING INSPIRE, UNISZA

Alhamdulillah, the Workshop on the Haj Research is over and I am now at KLIA Golden Lounge, waiting to board my connecting 1910 flight to Penang.

Prior to this, at the end of the Workshop in the afternoon, I was fetched by Prof Shukri, Director of the newly-established Institute of Islamic Product and Civilisation (INSPIRE) of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) to visit the Institute and have a little discussion on its direction. I was appointed by the University as INSPIRE's Honorary Fellow quite recently.

I stretched out a few points at the discussion. Firstly, the "Islamic Product" of the Institute should mean Islamic Civilizational Product, to relate the product to civilization as in the name of the Institute. Secondly, for this, three phases of research could be carried out; firstly, rejuvenation of Islamic products used to exist in the history of Islam; secondly, study of the state and the betterment of existing Islamic products; and  thirdly, innovative creation of new Islamic products for contemporary use.

The product here covers all kind of products that contribute to the development of Islamic civilization, from food to economics, social, politics, heritage, culture, etc .

HAJ RESEARCH CLUSTER IN ISDEV

Another invaluable gift to ISDEV from Allah SWT, Alhamdulillah.

On 10 January 2014 recently, USM Senate has approved the upgrading of ISDEV to a Centre of Excellence. And this morning, at the opening speech of Haj Research Cluster Workshop at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), USM Vice-Chancellor Professor Dato' Omar Osman annnounced the housing at ISDEV of the RM9.2 million Haj Research Project. The Project is undertaken by more than 50 scholars from USM, UTM, UniSZA, UMT, UPM, IIUM, and UMK, transdisciplinarily.

It is of course quite a challenge indeed, but it too hopefully, InsyaAllah, exhibits the recognition of not only by the Vice-Chancellor, moreover by Allah SWT. Subhanallah!

In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor too has raised 5 interesting important points. 

Firstly, Haj is an Islamic affair and the management of Haj too thus has to be Islamic. Secondly, the Project needs to introduce graduate programs in order to produce qualified Haj managers. Thirdly, ISDEV should fulfill the second points as it deals with Islamic development embedded in which is the Islamic Service Management. Fourthly, akhlak is badly needed in undertaking the Project, especially in related industry and agency engagement. Finally, fifthly, Haj Research Project has to be regarded as a struggle, not just as an academic research.

The Workshop is still on-going now, till tomorrow afternoon, InsyaAllah.