Annual report 2024: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM)

Norman, Nurul Ain, ed. (2026) Annual report 2024: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM). ISTAC-IIUM Publications, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ISBN 3083-3191

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Abstract

The year 2024 marked a pivotal chapter in the continuing evolution of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM). With visionary leadership and renewed strategic focus, the Institute advanced its mission as a global centre of excellence for Islamic scholarship, transdisciplinary research, and civilisational renewal, anchored in Tawhidic epistemology and the higher objectives of the Shariah. Guided by the wisdom of IIUM’s President, Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, and Rector, Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar, ISTAC reaffirmed its mandate to harmonise sacred tradition with contemporary relevance. This vision found expression in a robust research performance, including the securing of o research grants and the production of 39 scholarly works, comprising academic books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles. The Institute’s flagship journal, Al-Shajarah, published three issues, including a special volume on renewal and reform in Islamic thought and civilisation. As a dynamic hub of intellectual exchange, ISTAC hosted more than 25 flagship lectures, spanning the ISTAC-World Professorial Lecture Series (IWPL), ISTAC-Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series (IDSL), and Futures of Integration of Human Knowledge and Civilisational Development forums. The Institute also organised and co-hosted major high-level gatherings. These events reflected ISTAC’s commitment to confronting pressing global issues: theology, epistemology, ethics, civilisational identity, and human dignity through an integrative and spiritually anchored lens. Workshops led by eminent scholars such as Prof. Jasser Auda and Prof. Jamal Badi strengthened the Institute’s research culture, focusing on maqasid-based inquiry, critical thinking, and transdisciplinary design. Public lectures such as The Grammar of Islamophobia offered timely critique of bias in media and public discourse. Regional collaborations, including the ICILAC Conference (co-organised with IAIN Madura), further expanded ISTAC’s influence in Southeast Asia. The Institute also continued to advance its civilisational mission through cultural diplomacy and interfaith engagement. These programmes promoted a vision of coexistence grounded in aesthetics, dialogue, and shared moral values. ISTAC also curated travelling exhibitions of Malay manuscripts, hosted VVIP library tours, and showcased rare works from the Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas Library, reinforcing Malaysia’s enduring place in the intellectual genealogy of the Muslim world. ISTAC expanded its international footprint through formalised partnerships, engaging institutions from Turkey, India, Indonesia, Japan, and across Malaysia, global delegations, including leading scholars, cultural attachés, and policy thinkers, engaged with ISTAC, cementing its standing as a convener of global civilisational dialogue. At the heart of the Institute’s ecosystem was a thriving academic community of postgraduate students, nurtured through a dynamic curriculum in Islamic Thought and Civilisation, with strong emphasis on sustainability, peace studies, gender justice, and Malay-Islamic heritage. In 2024, ISTAC-IIUM did more than fulfil its academic duties. It shaped discourse, revived legacies, and laid the foundation for future generations of khalifah-minded scholars. As declared by Dean, Datuk Prof. Dr. Abdelaziz Berghout, ISTAC stands as a civilisational catalyst, harmonising sacred knowledge, reformist thought, and ethical foresight in service of the universal mission of Rahmatan lil-‘Alamin.

Item Type:	Book
Additional Information:	11155/126361
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Annual Report 2024; ISTAC
Subjects:	A General Works > AC Collections. Series. Collected works
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC)
Depositing User:	DR NURUL AIN NORMAN
Date Deposited:	06 Feb 2026 10:45
Last Modified:	11 Feb 2026 10:44
Queue Number:	2026-01-Q1980
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/126361

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