By Arshad Hamid
Ibadah Camp is one activity of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) that brings together staff members, students and the community of the university in strengthening the bonds of ukhwah, apart from increasing the knowledge about Islam and putting into practice the teachings of our religion.
The management of the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (SHAS) Mosque, IIUM has produced certain guidelines for staff members and the departments in the university in organising the Ibadah Camp so as to achieve its objectives.
The contents of the Ibadah Camp may include a talk session on Islam to remind Muslims about the teachings of the religion and their duties to Allah SWT, as well as their role in society. Above all, the activities should be organised in line with the university’s mission towards Islamisation of our daily life.
The Student Learning Enhancement Unit (SLEU) had carried out their Ibadah Camp last week, from 19 to 22 June. SLEU is a unit where majority of its staff are among students who work as part-timers. The objective of this Ibadah Camp programme was in line with the guidelines provided with the SHAS Mosque.
The SLEU Ibadah Camp was divided into two parts. The first part focused on the talks on several aspects of Islamic teachings which was held mostly in campus while the second part was the outdoor activities conducted in Langkawi.
On the talk programme, three speakers from the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences were invited to deliver their talks. They were Dr. Saupi Bin Man who spoke on “Understanding the Language of Solat”, Dr. Abdul Latif Bin Abdul Razak on “The Belief In ‘Alam Ghaib’ and Its Impact on Muslim Akhlaq”, and the third speaker was Dr. Haslina Binti Ibrahim who spoke on “The Islamic Worldview”. The sessions were fruitful in benefiting the students.
The outdoor SLEU Ibadah Camp was conducted in Langkawi. The programmes carried out were in the form of both outdoor and indoor activities such as the tazkirah sessions.
The programme was participated by every one, including the Head and the Deputy Head of SLEU and the officers. To strengthen the ukhuwah and to increase the Islamic values among the participants, every prayer was done in congregation (Jama’ah), which was followed by the tazkirah session.
The participants were given the tasks to give presentations in the form of short drama, with Islamic values as the theme. The outdoor activities were carried out at the beach area of Pantai Cenang where all participants carried out community services such as collecting rubbish at the beach and helping the cleaning staffs to do the cleaning.
Since a number of SLEU staffs were foreigners who have never been to Langkawi, the programmes were also filled with sightseeing activities to historical places like the Beras Terbakar and to learn about Mahsuri and the legend of Langkawi. They also took the opportunity to go for a cable ride and do some shopping of local products.
The Ibadah Camp programme was overall a success since it has brought all the SLEU participants together in the spirit of the teachings of Islam and the practice of our religion. It has also encouraged and motivated the participants to examine their work and daily life as a form of ibadah.
Photos by Ibrahim H, SLEU.