By Maryam Spahic
Despite the busy and hectic life of an Associate Professor as well as Head of the Department of Business Administration in the Kuliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences (KENMS) IIUM, Associate Professor Dr. Suhaimi bin Mohd Sarif continues to produce research after research aimed at benefiting the society.
He discovered his passion in research works after earning a PhD from Murdoch University, Australia. Since then, he has produced intellectual works such as “Ethics and social responsibility practices among entrepreneurs”, and “Spirituality in business ethics from an Islamic perspective”.
Recently, Dr Suhaimi along with three other researchers from IIUM have won the best research findings of Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) 2011 from the Ministry of Education.
Fundamental research involves the search for innovative ideas, concepts or theories that will be the backbone to new discoveries and the expansion of knowledge.
Prior to that, Dr Suhaimi was awarded a grant for his research on contemporary theory of social entrepreneurship. Due to the significance it has on the society, he was awarded an additional grant to extend the research in Islamic perspective hence the project in progress entitled “A Contemporary Theory of Social Entrepreneurship from Tawhidic Paradigm”.
Including himself, five people are working as a team on this research from the fields of economics as well as law from within and out of IIUM.
In regards to social entrepreneurship, Dr Suhaimi explained that people normally relate social entrepreneurship to socialism and communism because countries practicing them are very concerned about social welfare and basic necessities of people. However, they do not have ownership on property and business. Hence, they do not have the motivation to work harder to contribute to their nation.
But in the tawhidic paradigm, individual rights and freedom are recognised. An individual may possess wealth and properties but at the same time, it does not reduce his responsibility and accountability towards the society. It is an obligation for all Muslims to give zakah, sadaqah, etc.
“We have to remember that we have duties as servants and vicegerents so we cannot just do things for ourselves because in Islam there is no such thing as individuals; it is all in jamaah (collective),” he claimed.
Dr Suhaimi added that the ummah needs community or social based entrepreneurship in order to self-sustain economically as we should not depend on others. Self-sustainability is essential for the ummah especially when it comes to basic needs (known as maqasid) such as protection of religion, life, generation, intellect and property. Hence, social entrepreneurship will bring into perspective that everyone has a role in the economy and not just a few.
This research which is expected to complete within three years focuses specifically on the Malaysian society and would be a model to provide people with an understanding of social entrepreneurship in the tawhidic paradigm.***