Ongoing Research at IAIS Malaysia

( Posted July 1^st 2010. Does not include Lectures or Conference participation)

Professor Dr.  Mohammad Hashim Kamali

• “The Goals and Purposes (maqasid) of Shariʿah and the prospects of civilisational renewal.” The underlying hypothesis of this research is to   develop and enhance the uses of maqasid as jurisprudential tools for civilisational renewal (tajdid hadhari), revival (nahÌah) and reform (islah). The purpose is also to make a contribution to a special issue of the Institute journal ICR on the maqasid which we propose to bring out in the forthcoming months.
• “An Islamic Media Model,” is a joint research project I am doing with Dr Halim Rane, Deputy Director of Griffith Islamic Research Unit, Griffith University (Australia).  The basic idea is to inform the existing media models with Islamic values and principles—as expounded in Mohammad Hashim Kamali’s Freedom of Expression in Islam.
• “Classical and contemporary approaches to education: an Islamic perspective.” A monograph I am writing out of some existing works that may be further developed into a book size presentation.
• “Protection of the Natural Environment: An Islamic Perspective.” A paper I am currently preparing for presentation at an International  Conference in Jordan to be organized by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought of Jordan in late September 2010.
• “Private Property and Women’s Rights in Shariah.” A book chapter I have been requested to contribute to a collection of essays by IKIM. I am currently collecting data on this subject.
• “Multiculturalism, Malaysia and Europe.” The subject of another book chapter I have been requested to write for a volume of essays to be sponsored for publication by the European Union Ambassador in Malaysia.
• “References to Islam and the Shariʿah in the new constitution of Somalia.” This is also a research I am conducting in co-operation with the Constitution Commission of Somalia and the UN consortium on the Somalia constitution project. This has entailed two workshop sessions in Djibouti where I presented two papers on “Separation of powers in Shariʿah,” and “Human rights in Islam,” respectively.  I am currently supplementing the draft text of the constitution with my additions.

• Ethnic and Religious Diversity: An Islamic Perspective.
• Intercultural Dialogue in Independent Malaya: Its Significance for Contemporary Malaysia.
• Maqasid al-Shariʿah and Civilizational Renewal.

• Malaysia and the European Union: A Partnership for the 21st Century.
• Edited: Christoph Marcinkowski, Ruhanas Harun & Constance Chevalier-Govers. This volume, with a foreword by the EU Ambassador to Malaysia HE Vincent Piket, will be published by a major European publishing house in early 2011.
• Lecture in preparation: “Annemarie Schimmel (1922-2003): Messenger of Hope Between the West and the World of Islam”

• Islamic Affinities with New Sciences. Research into six topics related to Civilisational renewal, the maqasid and Islam’s coherency pursuing a ‘language’ which communicates globally: innate knowledge, perception, change, visualization, and learning from nature.
• paper on ‘Navigating a fractal world: Ibn ‘Arabi, Civilisational Renewal, and the New Science’.
• Educational project:  Ethnomathematics: Finding Islam in Math.

• Short Term project: Reviving Waqf In Malaysia, Priorities & Agenda – late 2010.
• Research ongoing in:  Islamic Rationalities – Faith – Modernity.
• Lamp of Knowledge. The career and teachings of Jaʿfar al-Sadiq; to be published by IIP in 2011.
• papers on: ‘Use and Abuse of Paradigm Shift’ / ‘Peace-Security (salm) in Islam: Reconsideration of early sources’ for conference at University of Lund, Sept. 2010, sponsored: Salam Institute of Peace & Justice / ‘Philosophy of Religion vs. Religious Philosophy’ for UNESCO Int. World Philosophy Day, Tehran Nov. 2010.

• paper on ‘Tajdid Hadhari: Pemerkasaan Rohani Insan’ [Civilisational Renewal: Human Spiritual Empowerment]
• Current projects: Role of the Malaysian Government in Curbing Poverty among Muslim and non-Muslim Children.
• Cash Waqf in Malaysia – Past, Present and Future.

ABDUL KARIM ABDULLAH

• papers on: ‘Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills among Muslim Students.’ The problem of rote learning in Islamic institutions of higher learning, with strategies for enhancing thinking skills among Muslim students.
• ‘Monopolies and Innovation’ – on monopoly profits (‘economic’ or ‘extraordinary’ profits) as a form of profiteering.

Visiting Research Fellows —  IAIS Malaysia,  2009 onward.

Ahmad Shiozaki Yuki – Visiting Research Fellow 2010

During January—December 2010 he will conduct research on Islamic administration in Malaysia with its implications for Muslim society in Japan. His interests cover modern State~Islam relations in Southeast Asia, focusing on ‘ulama views on Islamic administration; and contemporary Muslim society in Japan.

Ahmad is completing his Doctorate at the School of Theology in Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan (April 2006–present). He took his B.A. in Human Sciences (2000) from the International Christian University in Tokyo; and a Master of Human Sciences (2005) from the Faculty of Islamic Revealed Knowledge & Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia.

He has served as Research Fellow at the Center for Interdisciplinary Study of Monotheistic Religions (CISMOR), Doshisha University (2007– 2009); and as a Researcher/Adviser in the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia (Dec. 2006–Dec. 2009).

Publications include:

• “The State and Ulama in Contemporary Malaysia,” in Parvizi Amineh, ed., Society and International Relations in Asia (Amsterdam University Press, 2010).
• The Muslim Community in Japan: Their Interaction with the Japanese Society, Monograph Series (Kuala Lumpur: Center for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya, 2010).

Syed Adil Hussein ( MA candidate, Harvard University). June – July 2009.

project: ‘ Islamic Private Equity  in Malaysia: Issues and Challenges.’

– with Seminar presentation at IAIS, July 2009.

Ahmad Suaedy (Executive Director, The WAHID Institute). Oct.– Dec. 2009.

project: Managing Identity: Muslim Minorities in Asia

Isharaf Hossain (Ph.D Candidate, Dhaka, Bangladesh) July ’09 – June 2010.

project: History of the ‘Islamisation of Education’ Movement: An Analysis of Syed Ali Ashraf’s Contributions (1977-1998).

Jan. – March 2010.  project: Maqasid al-Shari‘ah & renewing  Islamic jurisprudence – what is changeable and unchangeable – and the challenge for humans to fully understand God’s will.

Nora Sunniva Eggen.  (PhD research fellow in Islamic Studies at the Department of Culture Studies & Oriental Languages, University of Oslo, Norway.  MA in Arabic language and Islamic Studies–1999).  March – May 2010

project: ‘The epistemological value of trust. A conceptual study of amana, thiqa and related notions within normative disciplines of Islamic traditions of knowledge.’

Publications include: De rettvises hager. Muhyi al-Din al-Nawawis samling av overleveringer om profeten Muhammad. Oslo, Bokklubben (Verdens hellige skrifter) 2008. [Translation of al-Nawawi’s Riyad al-Salihin into the Norwegian language, with an introduction to Hadith literature.]