By Liana Zulkifli
GOMBAK, 30 October 2017: The International Institute of Islamic Civilisation and Malay World to be set up by IIUM will capture the development of socio-religious and socio-cultural aspects of the Malay world and delve deeper into the achievement of high culture in Islam.
Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Dr. Zahid Hamidi said the concept of the new Institute, which is a rebrand from the Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC), would inspire to bring an integration of balanced knowledge, intellectual and Islamic civilisation with more interaction relevant in determining civilisation research in the future.
Officiating the launching of the Institute recently (26 October), Deputy Prime Minister said, “I saw Malay World as an important element in the Islamic World because the people before had become the asset in determining the survival of Islamic civilisation not only in this region but also worldwide.”
“With the spirit of Wihdatul Fikrah we can manage the Institute without influence from the differences in ideology and culture,” Dr. Ahmad Zahid added.
Present at the launching ceremony were socio-cultural Advisor to the Government and President of IIUM, Tan Sri Dr. Rais Yatim and IIUM Rector, Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamarudin.
The institute is the brainchild of Tan Sri Dr. Rais aimed at leading the way in the Malay World and Islamic civilisation research.
“While ISTAC previously focused more on the Islamic world philosophy in the Middle East and West Asia, now it’s time for us to honour the contribution of the Malay World to the Islamic civilisation,” Tan Sri Rais Yatim said in his welcoming remarks.
The Institute, he said, would embark on research on Islam, contemporary Islam, as well as the survival of the Malay world with regards to cultural topics and priorities.
Tan Sri Rais said the endowment fund would be set up and he welcomed contributions to raise about RM10 million for the first phase of research pursuits. ***