Among the contemporary topics which begin to gain much attention among scholars these days is the issue of extremism. This is reflected in a recent conference held on ‘Extremism among the Muslims in Contemporary Times: Dimensions and Manifestations,’ organised by the Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).…
Justice is inextricably related to knowledge, and knowledge to education. So, when we see gross injustice in every aspect of life, the ultimate question would be about knowledge and education. There must be something wrong with the way we have educated the society so that the products are more likely to become unjust. It means…
Once, ‘A’ishah, who is a wife of the Prophet Muhammad, was asked about his way in good deeds: did he perform some actions exclusively on some particular days? She replied that, the Prophet did things like a raining cloud, which when it begins to pour knows no stopping; likewise, once the Prophet started doing something,…
Plato is famously quoted as having said that knowledge without justice ought to be called cunning rather than wisdom.The question of justice, according to him, arises only in a situation where there is chaos. In an ideal statethere is no need to talk about justice because everyone knows already what is right and what is…
According to the American Society For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing cruelty towards animals, acts of cruelty are not circumscribed within the category of abuse, neglect and abandonment only. Despite meanings of these terms differing from one jurisdiction to another, it is no longer a hidden fact…
Muhibah, in the Malaysian context, is a word enriched with its own meaning and is historically important to the nation. Many purely associate the word with an Arabic word ‘hub’ which is the root word for ‘mahabbah’ meaning love, but it is simply not enough to explain the exact definition of the concept in relation…
Earlier in April, the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia had organised a seminar on “Promoting Waqf as a Mainstream Tool in the National Economic Policy”. Several issues were discussed on the potential of waqf in supporting the social and economic development of the nation. One such issue perceived to impede its ability to unleash its fullest potential is the…
When human beings are endowed with reason by God, they are able to accomplish much more than other creations. Amongst them are being able to think not only creatively and critically, but also in retrospect of their past actions and advancing for the better to the extent of building or even rebuilding their civilisations. One…
Waqf or its plural awqaf is an Islamic instrument of wealth distribution that if properly structured and administered can provide perpetuate benefit to the entire society. Invariably, the historical significance of waqf in Islamic history cannot be overemphasised albeit the instrument was used to provide everything to the society from hospitals, schools, roads, bridges, orphanage shelters, and others. …
God says in the Qur’an, “…And We bestowed upon you [the ability to make use of] iron, in which there is awesome power as well as benefits for man…” (al-Hadid, 57:25). Muhammad Asad, a modern commentator of the Qur’an, relates the verse to the fact that God has endowed mankind with the ability to derive…
