Walk down the street in Jalan Petaling Jaya Selatan at dusk and you will hear the melodious call to prayer (azan) from a mosque, echoing next to the ringing of ritual bells from a nearby heavily-ornamented Hindu temple. Just across the road, the scent of incense drifts out from a Buddhist temple, standing not far from a white church.
Walking around the vicinity of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) in Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur, one cannot help but notice the towering old trees that offer a welcome respite from the city’s heat. Their shade provides not only physical comfort but also a gentle reminder of the harmony that can exist between nature and human activity. Strolling beneath the trees turns what might otherwise be an arduous walk into a reflective experience that enriches the surrounding atmosphere. In much the same way, IKIM as a national think-tank seeks to provide an intellectual and spiritual refuge, where knowledge and values rooted in Islam engage meaningfully with the challenges of contemporary life.
