Revitalizing community with traditional design: outlook platform, entrance archway, and bridge railings at KAED Malay heritage living lab

This project intends to enliven and give back the sense of belonging to community through a familiar setting of the local Malay traditional elements. The KAED Malay Living Heritage Lab is a part of public space in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) that interlocks between active contexts including multiple faculties in IIUM, student hostel, external institutions and commercial spaces. In this project, public streetscape along the adjacent river, and a lookup point as a new structure to the site is proposed to benefit the community around the context to become an active "third place". The ultimate goal of this project is to propose a design of an outlook platform, an entrance archway and bridge railings at the KAED Malay Heritage Living Lab at IIUM. This project is in line with the second mission of IIUM which is to emphasize sustainable development in Malaysia and the Muslim world. After a site analysis and case study was conducted, adjacent to a restored "Rumah Kutai" that have been installed in the site in 2018, a design theme of "Nostalgia" was introduced in the design to evoke a sense of familiarity and belonging as a means to give back the public space to IIUM community. Within this design concept, the elements of public engagement, group gathering, cultivating knowledge of the traditional heritage and celebration of Islamic elements in a traditional build environment is applied. It gives a potential new breath to the site by celebrating elements of the past for the projection of the future with increased accessibility, functionality, and aesthetic appeal for the public community in IIUM

Cyber security awareness training (SecurityGuts)

This project involves designing a module of cyber security awareness training (SecurityGuts) systems distinguished as an e-learning interaction application to educate users. The main objective of developing this ‘SecurityGuts’ application is to help users gain knowledge about scams and be aware of the scammer’s modus operandi in a fun and interactive way. This application is also to spread more awareness of the different types of scams and how to protect yourself from being scammed in hopes of decreasing the number of scam victims in Malaysia. SecurityGuts will be able to generate some quizzes to test the player's knowledge of scams after they explore the scam player's knowledge of scams after they explore the scam storylines that we have designed inside the gameplay. The application is developed using GameMaker 8.1

AI-enhanced teaching methods

The digital age has ushered in an era where students must be equipped not only with traditional knowledge but also with the skills to navigate an increasingly interconnected and technologically driven world

The salvific value of Islamic perspectives on English literature

The pinnacle of the glory and global prestige of English literature is perhaps behind us. Therefore, learning its texts from Muslim perspectives may generate new insights and provide it with new trajectories of academic research. This new lens will make English literature relevant to, and prolong its prevalence in, Muslim societies by way of exploring points of convergence and divergence between Islam and the literary tradition. Needless to say, any literary tradition bears the risk of anachronism if it loses relevance to the real world of its audience or if it does not enrich readers’ understanding of the meaning of life. What students encounter in the text should offer an analysis of the past and present (oppressive) social conditions and have a perennial appeal to the reader globally. This will spare English literature the charges of Eurocentric bias, disconnect, or anachronism

The fiqh maxim al-ghunm bi al-ghurm: a critique on interpretation of the maxim relating to the risk-return concept in Islamic banking and finance

Purpose — This paper aims to critically review the interpretation of the fiqh maxim al-ghunm bi al-ghurm, which, while being associated with the risk-return concept, is widely adopted in the Islamic banking and finance industry. Tracing back to the doctrinal sources of Sharīʿah (Islamic law), the review intends to examine the actual meaning of the maxim based on its original context and Sharīʿah evidences. Design/Methodology/Approach — This paper inclines to the doctrinal methodology specified for Islamic law whereby the observations, documents and records are comparatively reviewed to establish a critical evaluation. A number of doctrinal sources have been gathered to analyse the Sharīʿah essence of the subject matter; the two types of materials referred to are mainly classical Arabic dictionaries and the books of hadith along with the commentaries on them. Findings — The review demonstrates a discrepancy concerning the adaptation of the maxim in Islamic banking and finance in relation to the risk-return concept. Though both principles of ghunm (gain) and ghurm (liability) have similarities in risk-return precepts, there are also differences between them in terms of interpretation and application. The context of the hadiths which are the Sharīʿah basis of the maxim is a specific scenario in relation to asset-based transactions, whereas the risk-return concept is quite generic for the risk measurement system and is commonly used in financial management and investment. Originality/Value — The paper identifies the apparent gap in the current theories to assist researchers in examining this area of research. Research Limitations/Implications — While it is generally believed that Islamic financial services should be based on risk-sharing modes, such as mushārakah and muḍārabah, as alternatives to interest-bearing services, discussion on risk-sharing modes from the Sharīʿah perspective is not widely substantiated in contemporary academic literature. While this may limit the range of available research references, it does not compromise the validity of the findings of this study

Impact measurement approach on Zakat distribution for the economic empowerment

The fundamental issue of rising living costs is a pervasive global issue that affects many countries, especially the Muslim population. Despite the various efforts to address the issue through various measures, increasing the cost of living is one of the major issues, particularly among lower-income groups. Zakat is offering a solution that focuses on redistributing wealth by providing financial assistance to the segment of society that is affected the most. The zakat aid could reduce some of the burden on the family in meeting the increasing cost of living, particularly by ensuring adequate provision of basic needs. Despite the growing interest in impact measurement in Islamic social finance, there is still a lack of consensus on measuring and evaluating the impact among zakat recipients effectively. In addressing the issues stated above, this research aims to explore the methodology used to measure the impact of zakat distribution on Islamic social finance initiatives among asnaf in economic empowerment

Seroprevalence and risk factors of HBV, HCV and HIV among hemodialysis patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study from Damascus Syria

Objective The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence rates of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among hemodialysis (HD) patients as well as to identify associated risk factors. Methodology A multicenter cross-sectional study involved patients who had been on HD for at least three months. The study was conducted at five HD centers in Damascus, Syria from August 2019 to September 2021. HBsAg, HCV-Ab and HIV (antibody/antigen) seropositivity were identified using the third generation ELISA technique. Patients’ information was extracted from their records and by face-to-face interview. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to identify risk factors associated with HBV or HCV seropositivity. The significance level was set at 5%. Results A total of 637 patients were included in the study with a mean age (SD) of 50.5 (15.6) years and 56.7% of them were men. The dialytic age ranged from one to thirty years with a mean (SD) of 6.10 (5.6) years. The prevalence of positive hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-HCV, co-infection of HBV and HCV, and anti-HIV (antibody/antigen) were 3.2%, 22.1%, 0.7%, and 0%, respectively. After controlling for co-variables, hepatitis B vaccine was the only predictor of seropositivity of HBV (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.057–0.393, P < 0.001), as it significantly protected against contracting HBV. On the other hand, the dialytic age (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.12–1.94, P = 0.032) and the dialysis center were significant factors affecting the prevalence of HCV. Conclusions The prevalence of HCV and HBV infections among HD patients in Damascus, Syria has decreased remarkably compared with the results from 2001. Nevertheless, it is still considered relatively high. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the prevention and control measures for viral infection transmission in HD centers in Damascus

The role of Islamic principles in shaping financial decision-making

Enhancing financial literacy among secondary school students is crucial for their future economic well-being. However, financial literacy holds deeper significance within Islamic communities as it intersects with religious principles and ethical considerations. Islamic teachings emphasise honesty, responsibility, and equitable wealth distribution, shaping how individuals approach financial decision-making. This research explores how these Islamic values influence financial practices among secondary school students, aiming to contribute to financial education and integrate ethical frameworks into mainstream curricula. Drawing on previous studies that advocate for including Islamic finance principles in education, this research seeks to fill a gap by specifically examining the role of personal beliefs and values in shaping financial behaviours within Islamic contexts. By utilising quantitative methods and analysing data from a sample of 40 students, this study aims to provide practical insights for educators and policymakers to enhance financial literacy programs tailored to the needs of young Muslims. The insights gleaned from the result underscore the profound influence of personal values and religious beliefs on individuals' financial decisions in Islamic finance. The high mean scores across various statements reflect a strong adherence to principles such as seeking Allah's pleasure through financial management, prioritising ethical earning and spending practices, and viewing financial stewardship as an act of worship. These findings suggest that individuals integrate their spiritual convictions into their financial behaviors, striving for alignment between their economic activities and ethical standards derived from Islamic teachings

SDGs and VBI: a META analysis from Islamic finance perspective

The growing popularity and acceptability of a faith-based and morally motivated financial system is reflected in the worldwide proliferation of Islamic financial services industry. There has been significant progress in both product innovation and governance in many countries that participate in the Islamic financial services market. There is an apparent realization in Islamic banking and finance industry (IBFI) to look beyond the establishment of IBF as inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Inherently, as a faith-based financial system, IBFI must consistently adhere to the underlying principles of Shari’ah, which are ultimately designed towards achieving the intended objectives of the Lawgiver (Allah), i.e., maqasid al-Shari’ah. This leads to the adoption of value-based intermediation (VBI) in the IBFI. While the issues of sustainable development remain relevant for IBFI’s consideration, the interconnection between SDGs and VBI needs to be established without neglecting the true nature of Shari’ah compliance in the IBFI’s practices. By adopting qualitative and legal research methodologies, this study conducts an analysis of the IBFI with a special focus on identifying the interconnection between SDGs and VBI initiatives