Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF)

16 15 Mohd. Kamal Hassan, the third Rector of IIUM, added it is important to reiterate that the processes of Islamisation of Human Knowledge at IIUM entail a two-pronged reformatory approach, namely: Abdul Hamid Ahmad Abu Sulayman, IIUM second Rector defines Islamisation of Human Knowledge (IOHK): "as a plan to reformulate Islamic thought, using as its starting point Islamic beliefs and Islam’s humanitarian, global, and civilizational principles based on tawhid and deputation. The plan aims at recapturing the positive, comprehensive Islamic vision, with a view to reforming the approach to education, built on an indissoluble integration of divine and human knowledge. The plan addresses the reality of human life on earth with the aim of realizing the purposes of Islamic Law [Maqā ṣ id Ash-Sharī ʿ ah] – namely, conciliation and welfare – and observes the principles of reason and the divine laws of the universe. It thus, provides the necessary tools to purify and refine Islamic culture and remove the distortions, and the superstition, charlatanism, impurities, and illusions that have infiltrated it. Ultimately, it will provide sound educational and cultural inputs to reform the mental and psychological constitution of Muslim individuals and of the Ummah and raise generations endowed with strength, ability, and productivity" (AbuSulayman, 1989). Reintegration of revealed values, norms and ethics ( ʿ aqīdah, sharī’ah and akhlāq ), in the social sciences, human sciences, professional sciences, and also in aspects of the natural sciences that emphasise the unity of “Signs of Allah” in the Qur’ān and “Signs of Allah” in the Universe, leading to ʾ i ṣ lāḥ (reform), tawazun (balance) and falāḥ (holistic wellbeing or Sejahtera ). The enhancement of the integration of ʿ aqīdah, sharī’ah and akhlāq is reflected in the new academic framework introduced, the Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF). SAF’s overarching principle is a humanising principle, which is the belief in the potential of the human being and putting people first. The educational endeavours are efforts in nurturing human persons that understand his/her relation with his/her Creator, his/her relation with other humans, and his/her relation with the universe. IIUM should not be content being a player only within the Islamic world. Now entering its fourth decade of existence, IIUM should also be more prominent in the non-Muslim dominant countries. This means pushing the integration and internationalisation agenda further. These two agenda cannot be fully attained if we choose to maintain working mainly among the Muslim countries or to be apprehensive and suspicious of measures that supposedly originate from the non-Muslim communities. However, when we go out into the truly international arena, we have to be able to sift through the many scenarios and ideologies and offer them viable alternatives via the Islamic perspective. This means the Islamisation agenda has to be strengthened and offer pragmatic solutions to the entire world, not just the Islamic nations, in tandem with Raḥmatan lil- ʿ Ā lamīn . IIUM will only be able to truly lead the way if we are comprehensively excellent. This includes offering undergraduate programmes that are relevant to the needs of the community such that our graduates will become highly sought- after, as they also become our true ambassadors to the external community of what the 7 missions embody. The required actions to realise the vision to reform the Ummah is elaborated in the 7 mission statements. Each programme should ask itself in what way does it support the 7 missions? For programmes that have been running for some time, what has been their impact towards IIUM’s raison d’etre ? Will this impact continue to manifest itself when evaluated against the 7 missions? Given the changing situation in the world, if the programme does not make any substantial changes, will the programme remain relevant while being able to fulfill the 7 missions, contributing towards the realisation of our vision? These are not easy questions to answer. They require not just a glut of empirical data, but also a lot of soul-searching. But answer them we must, if we are to fulfill the amanah inherent when we choose to join this organisation called the International Islamic University Malaysia. • the reform of the curriculum of the University, and • the refinement of the character and work ethics of the students, scholars and administration staff of the university The process of intellectual reformof Islamisation of Human Knowledge requires the inculcation of Islam’s spiritual and moral values in the mind, personality and conduct of the Muslim academic, administrator and scholar as expected in an Islamic university. It is to provide the necessary alternatives to those secular or agnostic or atheistic paradigms of knowledge which have produced remarkable advancements in science and technology. These advancements which on one hand are beneficial to human society, have also precipitated or are perhaps even responsible for the unparalleled spiritual crises, moral decadence, global economic and political and injustices, disastrous and unprecedented ecological problems of grave proportions. The great Islamic scholars of the past are well-known for integrating profound scholarship with excellent moral and spiritual attributes such as piety, humility, aversion to self-glorification or self-centred egoism or conceit, disregard for human adulation or flattery, and constant vigilance against worldly temptations and other diseases of the heart.