ISDEV News

ISDEV delegates to Medan, Indonesia Listening to tazkirah after fajr prayer ISDEV Delegates at Polonia Airport in Medan Following the call for the need for Muslims to travel and thereupon see and ponder upon Allah’s creation, ISDEV Director Professor Dr Muhammad Syukri Salled led the 48 strong ISDEV delegations to Medan, Indonesia. The week long trip which started on 1 August 2010 had been meticulously planned to ensure that ISDEV members were not only physically fed but were also in receipt of intellectual and spiritual inputs. In terms of the intellectual input for the first three days members attended the following programme which were all held at the main campus of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) in Medan : 2 August, 2010 - 3rd Workshop Antarbangsa Pembangunan Islam (WAPI-3) 3 August, 2010 - PhD Proposal Presentation (ISDEV PhD Candidates) (Sister Marlina Ekanawaty and Brother Dato’ Khairil Anwar) 4 August, 2010 - Seminar Antarbangsa on the theme “Peran Dakwah Pergur

The Iftar ISDEV organized its annual Iftar (Break of Fast) programme this year on Friday 20 August, 2010. It was held at the Banquet Hall of USM. It was well attended by ISDEV members and guests who included staff from the School of Social Sciences and the spouses and children of ISDEV lecturers and students. The close knit ties were really felt alive that night as ISDEV members mingled and sealed the bond of brotherhood with one another. This feeling of Islamic ukhuwwah was fortified with the congregational prayers of the compulsory prayers of Maghrib and Isya’ and followed by the nawafil (recommended) Tarawikh prayers performed at the Banquet Hall. There were three imam (head) for that night, Dr Miftahurrohim, Ustaz Shahir and Ustaz Taha who took turns to lead the congregational prayers. In between the two compulsory prayers, ISDEV members and guests while enjoying the food that had been prepared for this special occasion, the interview made with Professor Syukri and Dr Fadzila Azni

Brother Ekarat Sitisan, ISDEV’s Master by Research Candidate has had his viva voce at the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS). His viva to defend his Master Thesis entitled “Potentials of Establishment of Zakat Fund in the Muslim Community of Bangkok, Thailand” was held within IPS building on Wednesday, 25 August, 2010 at 10:30am. He was the sole candidate for Master level under the supervision of ISDEV Director, Professor Dr Muhammad Syukri Salleh. After the viva voce, the Board of Examiners has decided to pass him with minor correction. Congratulation, Brother Fahd Ekarat! Prior to the real viva voce, being true to tradition and with the aim to equip and prepare Brother Ekarat with his defence, ISDEV held a mock viva on Monday, 23 August, 2010 at the Meeting Room of C05 at 3:00pm.

Dr Miftah delivering his lecture On Friday 13 August, 2010 at 9:00 am the Meeting Room of C05 was brimming with ISDEV members. They were there to listen to yet another talk by ISDEV Post Doctoral Fellow, Dr Miftahurrohim on “Pengaruh Konflik Pemikiran Imam Abu Hanifah Dan Imam Syafi'i”. He gave a general overview of the succession in intellectual legacy of the four great imams with emphasis and details on the differences held by Imam Abu Hanifah’s concept of “istihsan” and Imam Syafi’i’s negation of the said concept. This is because Imam Syafi’i had devoted one Chapter in his great kitab “Al-Umm” pertaining to the need for the abandonment of “istihsan”. This ISDEV Post Doctoral Seminar represented the last talk in his series on these two great Imams as his contract as ISDEV Post-Doctoral Fellow ended on 21st August, 2010. Concentrating on the lecture

Muhammad Yassir (left) presenting his proposal When others might be engaging in the low gear during last fasting period, ISDEV on the contrary was seen to be engaged in the fifth gear. It was full steam ahead at ISDEV last August. Just in the first week, on Tuesday 3 August, 2010 whilst ISDEV fraternity was in Medan, Indonesia, Sister Marlina Ekawaty and Brother Datuk Chairil Anwar had successfully presented and defended their PhD proposals which were held at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara. Marlina’s presented her proposal on “Pengurusan Zakat di Kota Malang Dari Perspektif Institusi Zakat dan Muzakki” whilst Datuk Chairil’s proposal was pertaining to “Takaful in the Northern Sumatera Region”. Marlina and Datuk Chairil were each given the signal to proceed by their appraisers, Dr Zakaria Bahari and Dr Zaini Abu Bakar respectively. Immediately back from Medan, on Friday 13 August, 2010, Brother Muhammad Yassir Yusuf presented and defended his PhD proposal regarding “Tanggu

Abu Huraira reported, the Holy Prophet salallahu 'alaihi wassalam has instructed me to do three things: three fasts during every month, two rak'ahs of the forenoon prayer (Dhuha prayer), and observing Witr prayer before going to bed [Hadith from Sahih Muslim, Book 004: The Book Of Prayers (Kitab Al-Salat), Hadith Number 1558] .

Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do [al-Saf, 61:3] .

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. It would be as if he fasted perpetually [Hadith from Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 6: The Book of Fasting (Kitab Al-Sawm), Chapter 36: Excellence Of Observing Fast For Six Days In The Month Of Shawwal After Ramadan, Hadith Number 2614] .

ISDEV wishing all a happy Eid Mubarak We pray that all have fulfilled the real need for ibadah of Ramadhan and deserve to celebrate it during the Eid, InshaAllah. For those who do not feel so, with much regret, may we ask Allah s.w.t. for forgiveness.

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted [al-Hujuraat, 49:13] .

4TH ISDEV INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT(IDMAC10) ZAKAT TRANSFORMATION: FROM SUBSISTENCE TO PRODUCTIVE ZAKAT 21-22 December 2010 at University Conference Hall, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia Organizer: Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV), Universiti Sains Malaysia Who Should Participate Those who have or are interested in innovative new ideas to transform the implementation of zakat from the existing subsistence level to a more productive level. It intends to blend the innovative ideas to move the distribution and usage of zakat beyond merely the present cul-de-sac state, to a dynamic state that entails with reproductive effects among the asnaf. The scope of the ideas may include fiqh consideration, procedures, practices, administration, management, calculation, system, politics, and other relevant issues. Important Dates Submission of Abstract : 15 October 2010 Notification of Abstract Acceptance : 21 October 2010 Submiss

ISDEV is always receiving international guests of late. The latest is on the 26 of July, 2010. The Rector of the Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Ar-Raniri Aceh accompanied by 8 delegates such as the Deputy Rector of Academics and Deans of a few faculties had paid a visit to ISDEV with a mission to strengthen the Islamic ukhuwwah between these institutions. Although the discussion that ensued was not based on any power point presentation (it was instead based on the notes prepared by ISDEV Director, Professor Dr Muhammad Syukri Salleh) the discussion on ISDEV activities was nonetheless freely yet lively held. Besides giving detailed overview on ISDEV, guests were also informed that ISDEV staff travels to Aceh quite frequently for conferences and research and that ISDEV is currently the intellectual home of 4 students from Aceh. Delegates from IAIN Ar-Raniry Aceh with ISDEV Director (in black shirt) ISDEV Director Prof Muhammad Syukri Salleh presenting ISDEV publications to IAIN Ar-Ra