Nurturing Purpose-Driven Intellectuals and Leaders for Ummatic Excellence

By, Shukran Abdul Rahman and Aida Mokhtar

A university is more than a center of learning; it is a dedicated space for the pursuit, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge. As a hub for critical thinking and interdisciplinary inquiry, it contributes significantly to the advancement of intellectual understanding and societal well-being. This foundational role of the university was among the key takeaways during the Rector’s Road Show to the AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), held on Friday, 30 June 2025.

During the session, AHAS KIRKHS presented its future initiatives in alignment with the university’s strategic direction, particularly those outlined in the IIUM Strategic Plan 2025–2026. The Kulliyyah showcased its roadmap for the next two years while updating attendees on the achievements of 2024 and 2025. These accomplishments were framed within the context of the university’s three core functions: intellectual, social, and educational.

The intellectual function involves producing, preserving, organizing, and transmitting knowledge to expand its breadth and depth. The social function ensures that knowledge is made relevant and beneficial to society by training a competent workforce and fostering responsible citizenship. The educational function, meanwhile, is focused on equipping individuals and communities with necessary competencies, values, and skills to shape their roles in society. These interconnected functions are central to the Kulliyyah’s mission of nurturing individuals and societies.

Anchored in the principle of ummatic excellence, AHAS KIRKHS aims to produce Purpose-Driven Intellectuals, Scholars, and Professionals, as stated in one of the University’s missions. This aspiration is supported by the Quranic principle derived from Surah At-Tawbah: 122, which underscores the responsibility of knowledge centers and scholars to develop society through intellectual, educational, and social engagements.

During the session, the Rector of IIUM, Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, delivered an insightful address that provided essential ideas on the roles of IIUM and the Kulliyyah in equipping society to attain excellence in life. He emphasized the responsibility of the University in empowering individuals and communities through purposeful education and leadership. The points highlighted by Prof. Osman not only serve as foundational principles informing the grand design of the IIUM Strategic Plan, but also reinforcing the ongoing activities of the Kulliyyah and substantiate their alignment with the University’s new direction. His message underscored the importance of leadership that inspires, guides, and enables students and the community to realize their full potential.

Functioning as a comprehensive center of studies, the AHAS KIRKHS’ operates through five administrative offices, eleven academic departments, and twenty Kulliyyah Centres of Excellence (KCOEs). These centers have been instrumental in reinforcing the Culture of Iqra’ and supporting the core academic activities of the Kulliyyah.

A significant part of AHAS KIRKHS’ progress lies in its active engagement with Tawhidic Epistemology, which permeates the university’s core activities, Teaching and Learning, Consultancy and Services, Research and Innovation, and Publication, collectively known as T-CRIP. Through these initiatives, the Kulliyyah seeks to advance and apply knowledge that transforms individuals and communities, enabling them to address complex techno-psycho-social-spiritual challenges in society.

The way forward involves the strategic application of social and human sciences to address contemporary societal issues. The academic community, comprising undergraduates, postgraduates, and staff, is recognized as a core driver of knowledge generation, dissemination, application, and integration. They are tasked not only with academic instruction but also with shaping discourse and policy, ensuring knowledge remains relevant and transformative.

To this end, AHAS KIRKHS has implemented various programmes to deepen the understanding and application of Tawhidic Epistemology among its academics and students. This cultivation of high-performance individuals is central to the university’s broader goals. During the session, the Rector and his team emphasized the duty of academic leaders to inspire, guide, and support students and communities in their pursuit of excellence.

The application of Tawhidic Epistemology is essential in T-CRIP as we relate all components to the unity of God, in producing knowledge for His sake and for the benefit of the Ummah thus humbling academics in our quest for excellence thus giving it a true sense of purpose. According to Prof. Osman in his 2012 article, “Tawhidic vision of knowledge upholds the categorical position that all true human knowledge ought to be ultimately related to the unity of God, since all things are ontologically related to their Divine Origin.” Tawhidic Epistemology serves as the direction of the university’s educational philosophy, set by Prof. Osman.

AHAS KIRKHS is entrusted with fulfilling IIUM’s mission through impactful contributions to knowledge creation, innovation, and academic leadership. This requires its academic members to act as think tanks and intellectual leaders on relevant issues. Their contribution is vital, especially in knowledge generation rooted in the Qur’an, which informs the university’s educational philosophy.

Recognizing the need to explore new ideas, theories, and models grounded in Tawhidic knowledge, AHAS KIRKHS is aligning its efforts with the nine strategic thrusts outlined in the IIUM Strategic Plan. These were deliberated during the Rector’s session, signaling a strong institutional commitment to integrated and visionary academic leadership.

The Kulliyyah is poised to continue designing and implementing appropriate initiatives which are aligned with the university’s mission and philosophy. Thus far, its strategies are reviewed annually and refined to respond to contemporary needs while remaining grounded in foundational principles. Each year, these strategies are structured under thematic imperatives—currently, the theme is Advancing Ummatic Development through Tawhidic Epistemology.

Indeed, the Rector’s session has served as a reminder of the historical mission of AHAS KIRKHS and its continued relevance today. The Kulliyyah’s strategic direction could  be judiciously shaped by harmonizing global, regional, national, and institutional developments with its foundational vision. Various initiatives could be introduced to upbrand and rebrand its core academic activities, moving beyond routine functions toward becoming a dynamic higher education provider, research hub, and driver of workforce development, substantiated by the Tawhidic Paradigm.***

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*Shukran Abd Rahman is a professor of Industrial and Organisational Psychology in the Department of Psychology, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia.

His research areas include Psychology from Islamic perspective, career development, change and development in higher education institutions, organizational behavior, academic culture, and work ethic.

Aida Mokhtar is Associate Professor of Islamic advertising, Islamic Integrated Marketing Communication and disability communication in the Department of Communication, AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia.