Our Instructors
Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud
(Prof. Dr.)

Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud is the founder and former director of Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He is currently the Holder of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas Chair on Islamic Thought. After obtaining his doctorate from the University of Chicago under the late Fazlur Rahman in 1988, he was invited by Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas to assist him at the newly established International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) in all the formal and non-formal academic development including library, publication and student affairs. From 1998-2002 he served as the Deputy Director of ISTAC. 

From 2008 to February 2011 he served as Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of the Malay World and Civilisation (ATMA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Professor Wan Mohd Nor has written more than 30 books and monographs as well as more than 50 academic articles in local and international journals, of which the major ones are: The Concept of Knowledge in Islam: Its Implication for Education in a Developing Country (1989); A Commentary on the Culture of Knowledge (Malay) (1990); The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas: An Exposition of the Original Concept of Islamization (1998); Development in Malaysia: Towards a Holistic Understanding (Malay) (2000); 2 books of philosophical-mystical Malay poetry (2003 and 2004); Hadhari Muslim Society: An Epistemological and Educational Approach Towards National Unity (Malay) (2006); a book co-authored with Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, The ICLIF Leadership Competency Model: An Islamic Alternative (2007); a book co-edited with Muhammad Zainiy Uthman, Knowledge, Language, Thought and The Civilization of Islam: Essays in Honor of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (UTM, 2010). 

Several of his books, articles and monographs have been translated into Malay, Indonesian, Turkish, Japanese, Persian, Russian, Bosnian and Macedonian.

Muhammad Zainiy Uthman
(Prof. Dr)

Muhammad Zainiy Uthman is a Professor at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (RZS-CASIS), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, obtained his B.Sc. (1986) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (U.S.A.). After having completed his M.A. (1990) from the University of Chicago, he joined International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) in 1991 as Junior Research Fellow at the invitation of Professor al-Attas. Upon the completion of his Ph.D. at ISTAC in 1997, he served as Research Fellow, then Senior Research Fellow. 

He was Associate Professor and Curator of ISTAC Library from 2002-2003 and was awarded the British Chevening Fellowship (2003-2004) where he spent an academic year at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. In 2005-2006 he returned to Oxford as Visiting Fellow at the same centre. He translated al-Attas's "The Meaning and Experience of Happiness in Islam" into Malay (ISTAC, 2002). With Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud he co-edited a book entitled Knowledge, Language, Thought and The Civilization of Islam: Essays in Honor of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (UTM, 2010).

Mohd Zaidi Ismail (Dr.) 

Mohd Zaidi Ismail is currently the Deputy Director-General of Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), obtained Bachelor Degree in Economics (Hons.) from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in 1992; Masters degree (M.A.) in Islamic Thought from International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) (1995), with a thesis titled "The Sources of Knowledge in al-Ghazālī: A Psychological Framework of Epistemology"; and Doctorate of Philosophy, also in Islamic Thought from the same institute (2006), with a dissertation titled "Existence (al-wujūd) and its Relation to Quiddity (al-māhiyyah) in the Later Ashʿarite Kalām: With Special Reference to ʿAḍud al-Dīn al-Ῑjī’s al-Mawāqif and al-Sayyid al-Sharīf ʿAlī al-Jurjānī’s Sharḥ al-Mawāqif ".

His academic experience includes serving as Assistant Research Fellow, ISTAC (1992-1995); Research Fellow, ISTAC (1995-2003); Lecturer at the Department of General Studies, Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, IIUM (2004-2006); and Senior Fellow at the Centre for Science and Environment Studies, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) (2006-2013). Beginning from January 2014, he has been Principal Fellow at IKIM, an academic position equivalent to a professorial position. He has also been tasked as the Director of the aforementioned Centre since January 2007 as well as Managing Editor of TAFHIM: IKIM Journal of Islam and the Contemporary World since 2010. Among his published works are: Islam and Higher-Order Thinking: An Overview (IKIM, 2014); Good Governance: Adab-Oriented Tadbīr in Islām, co-authored with Dr. Mohd Sani bin Badron (IKIM, 2011); and The Sources of Knowledge in al-Ghazālī’s Thought: A Psychological Framework of Epistemology (ISTAC, 2002).

Mohd Sani Badron (Dr.)

Mohd Sani Badron is currently the Principle Fellow/Director of Center for Economics and Social Studies (EMAS), Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM). He was awarded Bachelor Degree of Laws (LLB) from IIUM in 1993; M.A. and Ph.D in Islamic Thought, ISTAC each respectively in 1998 and 2006. His M.A. thesis subject was Ibn al-'Arabi's Conception of Religion while his Ph.D dissertation was titled Ibn al-'Arabi on Divine Unity. His career began at ISTAC as Research Assistant (1993-1998) followed by Research Fellow (1998-2002). 

After IIUM repealed the authority of the Institute, he then held the position as Lecturer at the same Institute (2002-2003), and then at the Department of Usuluddin and Comparative Religion, IIUM (2003-2006). Starting April 2006, he has worked as Senior Fellow, Center for Economic and Social Studies, IKIM, and was entrusted as the Center's Director since January 2007. He assisted Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas in the publication of Risalah untuk Kaum Muslimin (2001), Tinjauan Ringkas Peri Ilmu dan Pandangan Alam (2007), and the typing for manuscript of Islam and the Malay World.

Asham Ahmad

Asham Ahmad is Fellow at the Center for Shari'ah Laws and Politics Research at the Institute for Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM). He obtained B.A. degree from IIUM and then continued pursuing studies at M.A. level in the field of Islamic thought at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC). His thesis is related to Imam al-Ghazali's Concept of Human Behaviour. He has written a monograph titled Antara Nama dan Hakikat which debates on the issue of the usage of the name Allah by non-Muslims. 

The monograph “Antara Nama dan Hakikat: Kemelut Nama Allah” is the winner of Rencana Umum Terbaik, Anugerah Media Islam Negara (Amin), organized for the third time by Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim).

Roslan Abd Jailani

Dr. Roslan Abd Jailani is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science, and Civilization (RZS-CASIS), UTM. He served as  Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD) with the Government of Malaysia since 1992. He had previously served at the Institute of Language and Literature Malaysia (DBP), the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. He was also a Special Tasks Officer to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

He is frequently involved in delivering lectures in seminars and courses at national level in the fields of Islamic management, values and ethics, and had developed several comprehensive training modules to be incorporated in academic book publications under NADI programme, Institute of Language and Literature Malaysia (DBP). He is currently pursuing a doctorate degree at the Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), UTM KL.

Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran (Dr.)

Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran is currently the Principle Fellow/Director of the Research Centre for Shari'ah, Law and Politics at the Institute of Islamic Understanding (IKIM). Before that he was a Deputy Dean at the Department of Usuluddin and Comparative Religion, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, IIUM. He obtained his first degree in the revealed knowledge studies and Islamic heritage in fiqh and usul-fiqh from that University and obtained degrees in Masters and Doctorate in Islamic Thought from ISTAC. His M.A. thesis was about knowledge of mantiq (logic) while his Ph.D dissertation was about the thoughts of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. His career began as Research Assistant, ISTAC (1995-1998), Research Fellow, ISTAC (1999-2003), and then as Lecturer at IIUM (2003-2011). He is involved as a member in the Aqidah Expert Council of JAKIM and a member  Fatwa Council of Negeri Sembilan.

In addition to writing papers for academic journals, magazines and newspapers, he also presented working papers in various seminars locally and internationally and delivered series of talk and courses about religion, creed (aqidah) and ethics at National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Institute for Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) and several training institutes throughout Malaysia. Amongst the writings he has produced are Isu-isu dalam Pendidikan Pemikiran Islam (2008), Manhaj Pendidikan Gerakan Islam (2009), Akidah dan Pemikiran: Isu dan Cabaran, and Pluralisme Agama: Satu Penilaian Islami (editor).

Adi Setia Md Dom (Dr.) 

Dr. Adi Setia served as an Associate Professor of Islamic Science and Islamic Economics at the Center for Advanced Studies in Islam, Science & Civilization (CASIS), University of Technology, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was an Assistant Professor of the history and philosophy of science at the Faculty of Science and later at the Department of General Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Prior to that, he was a postgraduate student, junior research fellow and then research fellow at the International Institute of Islamic Thought & Civilization (ISTAC) during the directorship of its founder, Professor Dr. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. Before embarking on formal academic work, he spent some years learning at the traditional Islamic madrasahs (pondoks) of Kedah, Patani and Kelantan, under ‘ulama such as (Almarhum) Tuan Guru Haji Umar Zuhdi of Madrasah Misbahul Falah, Baling, Kedah; and (Almarhum) Tuan Guru Haji Hashim Abu Bakar of Madrasah Diniyyah Bakriyyah, Pasir Tumboh, Kelantan. 

His current research interests are in the areas of History and Philosophy of Science, Islamic Science, Islamic Gift Economy (IGE), and in the systemic, operative Islamization of both the natural and social sciences according to the integrative conceptual framework articulated in Professor al-Attas’s many works, especially, The Positive Aspects of Tasawwuf: Preliminary Thoughts On An Islamic Philosophy of Science (Kuala Lumpur: ASASI, 1981), Islam and The Philosophy of Science (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 1989), Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 2001) and Islam & Secularism (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 1993). 

In these research areas, he has presented seminars and courses in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, England and Scotland; translated into English a number of classical Islamic texts, such as Imam al-Shaybani’s Kitab al-Kasb, al-Ghazali’s Kitab Adab al-Kasb wa al-Ma‘ash, and Ja‘far al-Dimashqi’s al-Isharah ila Mahasin al-Tijarah (all published by IBFIM, Kuala Lumpur); as well as published numerous academic articles on Islamic Science and Islamic Economics in the journal Islamic Sciences, and seven articles on Islamic Science in the Ashgate four-volume series on Islam and Science: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives.He is also active in various community-rooted initiatives among Muslims and non-Muslims relating to Permaculture, Agro-Ecology and the Gift Economy.

Khalif Muammar A. Harris (Assoc. Prof. Dr.) 

Khalif Muammar A. Harris is currently the Director of the Raja Zarith Sofiah Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (RZS-CASIS), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, obtained his B.A. (Shari'ah and Islamic Studies) from Mu'tah University, Jordan (1998); M.A. (Islamic Civilisation) from International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC), IIUM in 2003; and Ph.D (Islamic Civilisation) also from ISTAC in 2008. 

Prior to his appointment at CASIS, he served as a Research Fellow at the Institute of the Malay World and Civilisation (ATMA), UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia) 2007-February 2011. Dr. Khalif has written, edited, translated several books such as Atas Nama Kebenaran: Tanggapan Kritis Terhadap Wacana Islam Liberal (Kajang: Akademi Kajian Ketamadunan, 2006 and Second edition by Institut Alam dan Tamadun Melayu, UKM, 2009); a Malay-Indonesian translation of Islam and Secularism (written by Professor Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas) Bandung, 2010. 

He also wrote several articles including an article co-authored with Professor Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud, "Kerangka Kromprehensif Pemikiran Melayu Abad ke-17 Masihi: Kajian Terhadap Durr al-Fara'id oleh Nuruddin al-Raniri" (A Comprehensive Framework of Malay Thought in 17th Century: A Study of Durr al-Fara'id by Nuruddin al-Raniri) SARI (2009); "Ilmu Ketatanegaraan Melayu Abad ke-19: Kajian Terhadap Karya Raja Ali Haji" (The Malay Science of Governance in 19th Century: A Study of the Work of Raja Ali Haji), SARI (2011).

Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah (Assoc. Prof. Dr.) 

Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah obtained his B.A. (Hons.) in Usuluddin (Aqidah and Philosophy), from Faculty of Theology, Al-Azhar University, Cairo (1992) and proceeded to do his M.A. in Islamic Sciences (Islamic Philosophy) from Faculty of Dar al-Ulum, Cairo University, Cairo (1998). Later he joined ISTAC for his PhD in Islamic Thought with his thesis entitled “Abu al-Barakat’s Psychology: Critical Edition of the Section on Soul (al-Nafs) from al-Mu‘tabar fi al-Hikmah with Analysis and Translation of Selected Texts” (2007). Dr Wan Suhaimi started from being a tutor in 1994 at Faculty of Usuluddin, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (UM) and extended his service to UM to become a Lecturer at the Department of ‘Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies in 1998, a Senior Lecturer 2005 and an Associate Professor in 2007. 

Among subjects taught for under and post graduate courses during his time in UM are Islamic Thought, Islamic Philosophy, Kalam, Sufism, Arabic and Malay Manuscript Studies. During his time in UM, he initiated the publication of Journal of Aqidah and Islamic Thought (AFKAR) and was the Founder and General Editor of Aqidah and Islamic Thought Series. Dr Wan Suhaimi is currently an Associate Professor in CASIS, UTM, KL (February 2013). 

He published numerous academic articles in various local and international journals. He also published books like Adab Dan Peradaban: Karya Pengiktirafan Untuk Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas (Kuala Lumpur: MPH Publishing, 2012) with Mohd Zaidi Ismail and Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah (Eds.), Konsep Asas Islam dan Hubungan Antara Agama (Kuala Lumpur: Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 2007) by Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah and Mohd Fauzi Hamat (Eds.), Tasawwuf dan Ummah (Kuala Lumpur: Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 2004) by Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah and Che Zarrina Sa’ari (Eds.)

Ugi Suharto
(Associate Professor Dr.) 

Ugi Suharto is currently an Adjunct Professor at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science, and Civilization (RZS-CASIS), UTM. He received his Ph.D (Islamic Civilization, majoring in Islamic Economics) from International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) and obtained both his Master of Economics (M.Ec) and Bachelor of Economics (B.Ec), from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). He is currently a Senior Lecturer Centre for Academic and Executive Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), Bahrain. From July 1996 – December 2000 Research Fellow at ISTAC and was an Assistant Professor at the same institute between November 2002 – October 200. He was also the. Founder and Executive Director of Institute for Studies of Islamic Thought and Civilization (INSISTS), Jakarta (2004-2005).

Dr Ugi has written many books related to his field, some of which are Islamic Public Finance: Reinterpretation of Zakat and Taxation, (Yogyakarta: Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Syariah Yogyakarta, 2004), Indonesia. Kitab al-Amwal: Abu ‘Ubayd’s Concept of Public Finance (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC-IIUM, 2005). Islamic Liberal Thought: Discussion on Its Central Issues (Shah Alam: Dewan Pustaka Fajar, 2007), Malaysia.

Professor Dr. Tatiana A. Denisova

Professor Dr. Tatiana A. Denisova, is a Russian scholar currently teaching at the Raja Zarith Sofiah Center for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilization (RZS-CASIS), UTM Kuala Lumpur. She obtained tertiary education at Saint Petersburg State University, and succeeded in obtaining PhD in history, leading to historiography and review of sources in the history of Islam. She was Division Head of Research into Sources in History of Islam at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Oriental Studies. She once served as a lecturer at Institute of Asian & African Studies, Moscow State University up till 2006. She also served in Malaysia as Visiting Researcher (till 2003) and Visiting Scholar and Visiting Laureate (till 2006) at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Kuala Lumpur. Later, she served as Visiting Laureate (till 2008) at the National Library of Malaysia. Now she is a Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Islamic History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya. She has produced many academic works. Her published materials cover more than 50 titles, about the history of propagation of Islam in the Malay world; Malay-Islamic historical sources and their research methodologies; Malay literary heritage and others.
Among subjects taught for under and post graduate courses during his time in UM are Islamic Thought, Islamic Philosophy, Kalam, Sufism, Arabic and Malay Manuscript Studies. During his time in UM, he initiated the publication of Journal of Aqidah and Islamic Thought (AFKAR) and was the Founder and General Editor of Aqidah and Islamic Thought Series. Dr Wan Suhaimi is currently an Associate Professor in CASIS, UTM, KL (February 2013). 

He published numerous academic articles in various local and international journals. He also published books like Adab Dan Peradaban: Karya Pengiktirafan Untuk Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas (Kuala Lumpur: MPH Publishing, 2012) with Mohd Zaidi Ismail and Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah (Eds.), Konsep Asas Islam dan Hubungan Antara Agama (Kuala Lumpur: Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 2007) by Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah and Mohd Fauzi Hamat (Eds.), Tasawwuf dan Ummah (Kuala Lumpur: Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 2004) by Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah and Che Zarrina Sa’ari (Eds.)

Send us a message
We cannot wait to hear from you!
Thank you! We have received your message. We are looking into this as we speak and will get back to you as soon as possible.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.