By, Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
With the grace of Allah, the International Islamic University Malaysia has successfully concluded its 41st graduation ceremony, which began on the 6th of December 2025. This yearly event on campus is the biggest of all events marked in the academic calendar of IIUM. Organizing a graduation ceremony is not an easy task, as it requires massive preparation and the mobilization of various departments and units within the university. Before I go any further in this humble write-up, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all newly graduated students and their parents, the academic staff, administrative staff, student volunteers, security personnel, and everyone who contributed in one way or another to the smooth running of the events held over the past six days.
Emotions of Graduation
It is a common sight during a graduation ceremony to witness students and their parents shedding a few tears. Such an expression is not one of pain or suffering endured over the four years of student life on campus; rather, these tears reflect joy and happiness in accomplishing something great. For parents, the happiness they experience on their children’s graduation day signifies their success in providing the means for their children to complete their studies, even if at times they had to live on a tight budget to meet their personal needs.
IIUM’s Legacy and Founding Vision
Since IIUM held its first graduation ceremony in 1987, the university has produced more than a hundred thousand graduates. As the first Islamic university in Malaysia, IIUM remains a source of pride for its students, the Malaysian government, and the Muslim world. The late Prof. Kamal Hassan, IIUM’s intellectual architect, deserves due recognition for introducing the brilliant idea of establishing a university grounded in the philosophy and foundation of the Islamization and Integration of Knowledge. When IIUM was founded in 1983, its model was truly one of a kind in the Muslim world. After witnessing its success story, many countries in the Muslim world replicated this model.
As an Islamic university in the modern world, IIUM’s curriculum and cocurricular activities are designed to produce students who are spiritually strong, intellectually sound, and socially responsible. They are taught and nurtured to think and act as the Khalifah of Allah (the concept of Vicegerency mentioned in the Qur’an). With this concept deeply ingrained in their psyche, they enter their professional lives upon graduation with a consciousness to serve the Muslim Ummah in particular, and humanity at large.
International Character and Ethical Campus Life
IIUM, as an international university, uses English and Arabic as its two main mediums of instruction. With this advantage, the employability of its graduates ranks among the highest compared to other universities in Malaysia and the wider Muslim world. All students, whether Malaysian or international, Muslim or non-Muslim, are taught and nurtured in universal values and the spirit of brotherhood.
Despite the Islamic identity of IIUM, there exists a small population of non-Muslim academics and students on campus. Thanks to the vision of the founding fathers and the enactment of Islamic values within the university, such a code of ethics has gained the confidence of non-Muslim parents, assuring them that their children’s stay on campus is both disciplined and ethically sound.
Core Strengths and Global Appeal
IIUM’s commitment to the integration of knowledge, Ummatic excellence, universal brotherhood, and its philosophy of upholding justice and conveying the Islamic message of peace to all humanity serve as its core strengths. This distinctive outlook not only resonates with Malaysians but also attracts students from many parts of the world beyond Malaysia.
UNGS Courses and Intellectual Development
On the issue of how the integration of knowledge is implemented within the curriculum, students enrolled in the hard and social sciences are required to take some courses in philosophy and Islamic studies, while those pursuing revealed knowledge must take courses in the humanities. This approach is intended to create a balance in the students’ pursuit of knowledge.
In addition, students are required to complete three UNGS courses before qualifying for graduation. These courses are: Basic Philosophy and the Islamic Worldview, Knowledge and Civilization in Islam, and Ethics and Fiqh of Contemporary Issues. Each course plays a specific role in shaping the students’ intellectual and personal development.
As the first of the three, Basic Philosophy and the Islamic Worldview introduces students to the role of philosophy in an individual’s life and highlights the uniqueness of the Islamic philosophy of life compared to the various competing and conflicting ideologies present in the modern world.
Students enrolled in Knowledge and Civilization in Islam will be reminded of the Ummah’s identity, as well as the rise and fall of Islamic civilization. In addition, this course enlightens students on the great contributions of the Ummah in the fields of science, philosophy, and technology during the Golden Age of Islam.
Finally, Ethics and Fiqh of Contemporary Issues encourages seekers of knowledge to lead an ethical life and to understand the modern challenges related to fiqh.
Looking ahead, those who complete the UNGS courses will be well-guided in developing the correct belief and philosophy of life as Muslims. These courses inspire learners to contribute toward restoring the fame and glory of the Muslim Ummah, and to embody ethical, upright, and professional conduct upon graduating from IIUM. Simply put, the three courses nurture individuals to be conscious of Allah, of the self, and of the Ummah.
IIUM’s Expectations for Graduating Students
Since life beyond the campus is going to be challenging, it is the expectation of the Malaysian Ministry of Education, the Rector, the Senate, and the academics of IIUM that the newly graduated students of the university will go out into the broader world to perform and contribute in all possible ways toward improving the prevalent conditions in Muslim countries and the world at large. Moreover, they should be at the forefront of upholding truth and justice, uplifting standards, and enhancing the delivery system in serving humanity by increasing productivity and implementing good governance.
Besides that, they should stand firmly against all malpractices in both the government and private sectors, particularly in the fight against corruption and bribery. Any shortcoming on the part of the graduating students will not only affect their personal and family reputation but also the good name of IIUM at the international level. At all times in their professional lives, they should lead a God-conscious life and fulfill their role as the Khalifah of Allah, who will be held responsible for all their actions and words.
(The views expressed are those of Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak, Department of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Studies, AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IIUM-Today.)
Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak is an academic staff member in the Department of Fundamental & Inter-Disciplinary Studies at IIUM.***
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