Welcome Message from the Rector
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.
The idea of an International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) was inspired by Za’aba (Zainal Abidin bin Ahmad, 16 September 1895 – 23 October 1973), way back in 1917. Six decades later it was translated into recommendations at the First World Conference on Muslim Education held in Makkah, 1977. Scholars from various fields and from around the world supported the recommendations recognising that education being the key to uplift Muslim community globally. They deliberated further on key issues such as the nature of human being, the aims and objectives of Muslim education, and the concept of an Islamic university, which subsequently led to the establishment of IIUM in 1983.
Among the highlights of the 1977 Makkah conference was that Muslim educational ecosystems should be based on the Islamic worldview, and that knowledge should be viewed from the Islamic perspectives — otherwise known as “the Islamisation of human knowledge”. It calls for an integration of Revealed knowledge and human sciences as a major thrust in pushing the boundaries of knowledge being an agenda of the university.
In other words, at IIUM the various (academic) disciplines are taught from both the Islamic and Western/conventional dimensions. That resonates with the University’s vision of “the betterment of human lives and civilisation” and backed up by the seven mission statements.
From its humble beginnings in the Petaling Jaya campus in 1983, the university took roots with two inaugural programmes, the Bachelor of Economics, and the Bachelor of Laws. Both have now grown into highly respected, internationally recognised integrated kulliyyahs (faculties) that were ahead of the time. This pioneering effort led to another fourteen kulliyyahs and four international institutes offering an array of academic and professional programmes. The past records testified to a number of unique achievements and watershed in nurturing a new institution that leads the way for the future. The varied challenges encountered provided many more opportunities to grow over the last four decades. The unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic put IIUM community to several tests vis-à-vis the vision and mission statements particularly with respect to its core values of khalifah, amanah, iqra’ and rahmatan lil ‘alamain. Or KHAIR for short. It must be acknowledged that IIUM and community have largely stood well where the campuses stayed “green” for most of the time. Notwithstanding, there are also opportunities to improve and learn further in ensuring that University continues to withstand that post-pandemic future ahead so that IIUM matured into a greater source of inspiration for humanity.
In this way, IIUM aims at leading the world, making it a foremost example of Islamic institution ushering higher learning that is diverse, equitable, inclusive and sustainable. In turn, this will transform the University as globally-relevant player in resolving urgent colossal challenges for the better of humanity. The road ahead, includes developing a new academic framework, like the Sejahtera Academic Framework, as well a futuristic scenario, like IIUM Vision 2040, apart the relevant Roadmaps to enable systematic implementation and execution. Among others, to engage in more ground-breaking pedagogy and responsible research, to establish co-learning clusters that will be points of reference to be shared with the outside world, to empower the community to collaborate with others in seeking for sustainable global solutions. This can be explored through the adoption of appropriate and affordable innovative technological tools equipped with sharp skills, without compromising the smart skills of high touch.
In all, it is about humanising education through maqasid shariah and Sustainable Development Goals to attract and retain more renowned scholars, professionals and researchers to come and contribute to the University. Therein lies some of the agenda for the next transformative phase in meeting the goal of becoming a distinctive University which seeks to enhance the dynamic and progressive role towards rahmantan lil ‘alamin, mercy to all.