TASHKENT, May 5 – Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, and Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) led the international Royal Conference titled “Scientific Tradition in Islamic Civilisation: Resources, Potentials and Challenges” at the newly inaugurated Islamic Civilisation Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Organised jointly by the Raja Zarith Sofiah Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (RZS-CASIS), UTM, and the Islamic Civilisation Centre of Uzbekistan, the conference brought together over 300 distinguished scholars, ministers, academics, and policymakers from Malaysia and Uzbekistan to strengthen cooperation in higher education, Islamic scholarship, and cultural diplomacy.

The event reflected the growing strategic partnership between Malaysia and Uzbekistan in advancing ethical knowledge development, academic collaboration, and civilisational dialogue in the Muslim world.

In her Royal Address, Her Majesty emphasised that the conference was not merely a reflection on history, but a shared responsibility to renew the intellectual and ethical foundations that once enabled Islamic civilisation to flourish.

Reflecting on the contributions of renowned scholars from Uzbekistan such as Imam al-Bukhari, Al-Biruni, and Ibn Sina, Her Majesty noted that knowledge in the Islamic tradition was pursued as an amanah (trust), guided by faith, ethics, and service to humanity.

“The challenge before us today is not simply to admire a great inheritance, but to renew the conditions that once made such an inheritance fruitful,” Her Majesty said.

Her Majesty further reflected on the relationship between faith and knowledge in Islamic civilisation.

“Some histories of the modern world have encouraged us to imagine religion and science as standing in tension, or even in rivalry. But the Islamic tradition reminds us that this is not the way to understand the pursuit of knowledge. A civilisation can honour reason without severing it from revelation. It can welcome inquiry without emptying it of moral values. It can seek discovery without forgetting wisdom.”

Minister of Higher Education Malaysia, YB Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, described the modern era as one marked not only by technological disruption, but also by an “epistemological crisis.”

He noted that while access to information has expanded rapidly, societies continue to face a shortage of wisdom, ethics, and moral direction.

The Minister proposed three strategic priorities: strengthening a holistic Islamic worldview, rebuilding intellectual ecosystems that develop ethical and socially responsible graduates, and revitalising ijtihad (critical reasoning) to address contemporary challenges.

The conference also served as a platform for concrete academic cooperation through the exchange of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and several Uzbek institutions, including the Islamic Civilisation Centre of Uzbekistan, the Imam Maturidi International Research Centre, and Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.

The participation of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia reflected the university’s growing role in advancing international academic diplomacy and civilisational engagement between Southeast Asia and Central Asia.

Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Prof. Ts. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, said the conference reflected UTM’s continued commitment to advancing global academic diplomacy and meaningful civilisational engagement through higher education.

“At UTM, we believe universities must serve not only as centres of scientific and technological excellence, but also as institutions that nurture wisdom, values, and humanity. This collaboration between Malaysia and Uzbekistan reflects our aspiration to build bridges of knowledge across regions and civilisations, while advancing research, intellectual exchange, and ethical leadership for the benefit of future generations,” he said.

Adding a symbolic dimension to the event, the ceremony also witnessed the contribution of 20,000 copies of the Holy Qur’an by Malaysia’s Nasyrul Qur’an to the Waqf Foundation of Uzbekistan.

Her Majesty noted that the aspiration is to build “a place where memory is honoured, where wisdom is shared generously, and where new paths of cooperation are opened.”

The conference marked a significant milestone in deepening Malaysia–Uzbekistan relations while reaffirming the enduring relevance of Islamic civilisation’s intellectual, ethical, and scientific traditions in shaping a more humane and responsible global future.