Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) through The Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilization (CASIS), has successfully organized the HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah Inaugural Seminar on Global Issues, with the theme Extremism among the Muslims in Contemporary Times: Dimensions and Manifestations, which is timely in light of the widely unjustified association of extremism, radicalism and intolerance with Islam and Muslims.
It was held on Saturday, 14th of June 2014, from 9.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m. at Dewan Utama, Menara Razak, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur, a seminar directed by the Deputy Director of CASIS, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zainiy Uthman. HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah, the Chancellor of UTM, presented the royal keynote address, followed by a welcoming speech by the UTM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Wahid Omar.
In her royal keynote address, HRH Raja Zarith Sofiah alluded to several verses in the Holy Qur’an, as well as examples from the sirah of the Holy Prophet (upon him be peace!) in order to draw attention to the fact that the apparent diversity as observed in the world are made so with purpose and wisdom, and the recognition and acknowledgement of these God-given differences are amply and clearly reflected in the adab of the Holy Prophet (upon him be peace!). This spirit of mutual respect and openness also finds its practical manifestation in various intellectual, legal and political aspects of the Islamic civilization throughout its long history, such as in the translation and appropriation of foreign knowledge, the co-existence of various theological and jurisprudential schools of thought, and peaceful propagation of Islam in the Malay World through education and active assimilation into the local culture.
Other distinguished guests who were present include YBhg. Tan Sri Dr. Salleh Mohd Nor, Pro-Chancelor of UTM YBhg. Dato’ Ghazali bin Dato’ Mohd Yusoff the CEO of Yayasan and Y.M. Dato Raja Arif bin Raja Ali of the Prime Minister’s Department. Several members of the royal family, such as Y.A.M Raja Dato’ Seri Ir. Jamil Arifin ibni Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah, YM Tengku Dato’ Datin Seri Zalila binti Tengku Kamarulzaman, Y.A.M Raja Puan Mahkota Perak Raja Dato’ Seri Nazhatul Shima binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah and her three sons were in attendance throughout the morning session until the end of the seminar in the late afternoon.
The seminar was a rare gathering of influential scholars such as Prof Dr. Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud, Datuk Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik al-Attas, and Dr Chandra Muzaffar all of whom was among the speakers in the morning session chaired by Datuk Ghazali Md Noor, Prof. Dr. Alparslan Acikgenc, and Asoc. Prof Azmi bin Hassan respectively.
Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd Nor began the first session with a lecture titled “The limits of tolerance” where he highlighted and provided examples of limits of tolerance in other religions, such as in Catholicism, Hinduism, and Confucianism, as well as secular ideologies. These limits must be recognized because essential differences exist in reality. He also elaborated on the meaning of differences and tolerance in Islam based on the Holy Qur’an and practical examples from the history of the Islamic civilization. Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd Nor emphasized that only those with certainty can exercise tolerance in a just and wise manner, in contradiction to the commonly-held belief that certainty breeds intolerance. He warned against narrow extremist interpretation of Islam as well as the growing intolerance of on aggressive secularization. Prof. Wan Mohd Nor stresses on the ontological status of tolerence and argued that Islam does not have a concept like that of tolerance in the modern western sense but has a higher virtue which is a product of ilm-hikmah, temperance, courage and justice. It includes love, benevolence, compassion, mutual help and kindliness. In Malay this is conveyed largely through Muhibbah.
This is followed by a lecture by Datuk Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik al-Attas titled “The Meaning of Extremism in Islam” in which he asserted that though extremism cannot be eliminated, it can be curbed with knowledge through education, specifically the kind of education that distinguishes between information and knowledge. He also stressed that injustices cannot be combated with injustice but with justice tempered by knowledge and courage.
The morning session ended with a lecture by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar titled the “Extremist Tendencies in Contemporary Muslim Communities” wherein he highlighted the external causes of extremism in Muslim societies such as the humiliating experience suffered by the Muslims during the colonial periods, the political disenchantment towards post-independence Muslim governments, both of which contributed to grave educational, cultural, social disorientations within post-colonial Muslim societies. He concurred with the previous speaker on the crucial role to be played by correct education in curbing extremism and suggested three groups of people that should be targeted for re-education: the religious authorities, the politicians, and the media practitioners.
The seminar resumed in the afternoon with a presentation by Prof Dr. Tatiana Denisova (Extremism in Post-Soviet Countries), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Syed Khairuddin Al-junied (Extremism in South-East Asia), Dr. Suleiman Boayo (Extremism in West Africa) and Assoc. Prof Dr. Syamsudin Arif (Extremism in Other Religion).
The afternoon session started at 2.30pm with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah moderating sessions of four scholars. The first session presents Prof. Dr. Tatiana Denisova, a historian specialising in the History of the Malay World. Prof. Tatiana deliberated on the extremist tendencies in Islamic movements in the former Soviet nations. She pointed out that there are generally two sides in the movements. One coming from the more traditional leanings mostly stemming out from Sufi orders while the other one coming from the Salafi-Wahabi leanings.
The second speaker features Dr. Syed Khairuddin al-Junied, a sociologist from the National University of Singapore. Dr. Syed Khairuddin’s session focused around what he termed as “Secular Extremism” a trend that has found currency in recent times. Secular extremism is an ideology that insists all to abide to their secular principles. They render all values, including religous ones, relative. He highlighted several cases in Singapore, where they have identified the last fortress of sacredness, the marriage institution, and endeavoured to dismantle it. However there are also positive trends whereby religion being reintroduced in the social fabric, in the rehabilitation of prisoners.
The session continued with Dr. Suleyman Hussein Boayo, a linguist and a scholar of civilisational studies to talk about extremism in West Africa. Obviously the highlight of the talk is the Boko Haram incident. Dr. Suleyman explained that “Boko” means something like “buku”, but particularly “buku from the West”, or western ideologies or knowledge, while “haram” means, well, it means haram. He highlighted the fallacies of these extremist groups where they themselves could not escape from using Western weaponries, and that their ideologies are themselves modern and has roots in modern western ideologies without them realising. He reminded us also of the fact that most of the extremists movements were in the beginning supported even by the Western powers themselves.
Last but not least is the session by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Syamsuddin Arif. He deliberated on extremism in other religions. Dr. Syamsuddin presented a wide range of extremist groups that has sprung out in recent history and challenged the audience with several thought provoking questions. Are all extremists resort to voilence? Is violence equivalent to extremism? Is extremism caused only by colonialisation? Can there be extremism in the non-colonised nations? Questions of that sort.
Several diplomats from embassies like Bosnia, Nigeria, Syria, Maldives and Uzbekistan also attended and created engagement between Islamic countries together with representatives from various organizations and NGOs like Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, Malaysian Turkish Dialogue Centre (MTDS), Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia(ABIM), Biro Tatanegara (BTN), PCORE, Jaringan Anak Muda, Human Rights Committee International and KEMUDI. Graduates and researchers alike from local and international universities such as UKM, UTM, UM, UPM, USIM, KUIS, UCS, IIUM, UiTM, Kolej MARA Baning, Yarmouk University, King’s College London and Help University also celebrated the event.