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Institute of Islamic Studies, University of the Philippines-Diliman

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Author: UP Institute of Islamic Studies

In contemporary world permeated by hegemonic Western positivistic sciences which rescinded the important value of ethics, faith traditions and revealed knowledge that have had impacted human lives for several centuries and millennials were relegated to private life. This notion of privatizing civilizational religions, Islam in particular, had created intellectual numbness, apathy and indifference. To bring forth ‘intellectual compassion’ in the arrogant world of Western sciences, the UP Institute of Islamic Studies was created on November 22, 1973 by Presidential Decree 342, as part of the Philippine Center for Advanced Studies (PCAS). Following the abolition of PCAS on July 9, 1979 by virtue of Executive Order No. 543 issued by the then-president of the Philippines, the Institute was re-established as a separate unit of the University.

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News & Archives

2018 UP-IIS Recognition Ceremony

The UP Institute of Islamic Studies held its Recognition and College graduation on June 21, 2018 from 1-5pm at Balay Kalinaw, UP Diliman Campus. The Recognition Day was graced by the Religious Attaché of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Faris Almutairey as the guest speaker.

In his speech, Sheik stressed the need to understand each other amidst the challenges faced by Muslims and to teach Islam with wisdom and kindness as he cited the Qur’anic verse, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is he who is who has fear in Allah.”

He further said that Islam is to give importance to the whole of mankind and so Muslims should behave according to the teachings of Islam and not let ignorance be an excuse since Muslims have all the ways and means to learn and present the best character as taught in Islam. He also reminded that Islam teaches to be merciful and also gives importance in dealings with the neighbors. He narrated the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him.) who had non-Muslim neighbor whom he treated very well. He visited his Christian and Jew neighbors who were sick. This is one best example of Prophet’s moral character that Muslims should exemplify in their daily lives. In the history of Islam, he further said, that in Islamic countries, non-Muslims lived in harmony because they were treated well by the Muslims. He also said that In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as most people know, non-Muslims workers are treated well, and the Kingdom also participated in many inter-faith conferences to show that the country is pro-peace and harmony. Many supports are also given to the Philippines to show Islamic teachings in all aspect, social, political, moral, economic and many others to keep stronger the relationship of two countries. He finally mentioned the visit of Philippine’s president to the Kingdom and the visit o Kingdom’s Foreign Minister to the Philippines. Finally, he concluded his speech by relaying the good news of the approval of funding for the IIS new building which is already on process.

 

There were four graduates: Rohaida M. Latiph, Yassin B. Maute, Murshida H. Noor Panda and Aisah P. Solaiman. The graduates were then presented and awarded with the certificates by the guest speaker assisted by Dean Morados. Sponsors of the 2018 Ramadan Iftar Program, namely: Royal Embassy of Saudi, Qatar Embassy, Australian Muslim Brothers and Sisters and the M. Al-Rabah were given special citations. Students who gained university scholars and college scholars were also awarded certificates and medals. The 2018 Shari’a passers were also given certificates of recognitions and medals. For the active participation of the Student Council, the Institute awarded certificate of recognition to the Graduate Student Organization represented by its President, Ms. Hajar Cabili. Finally, students who completed Arabic Language also received certificate of recognition.

The program ended with the closing remarks by the College Secretary Dr. Jamel Cayamodin who encouraged the graduates to live on the thrust of the university as well as of Islam which are excellence, honor, and service to humanity.

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Events News & Archives

Ramadan 2018: UP IIS holds Iftar Program

Ramadan 2018 started last May 17, 2018. It is considered most sacred month of the year. Ramadan is full of sacrifices but most loved by the Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims experience two occasions of joy – first, during the time of Iftar  (breaking of the fast) when one completes his day of sacrifice putting in control his personal desire over ibadah (worship) and second, when the fasting person meets his Creator and eternally enjoy the reward of his/her good deeds in jannah (paradise).

With renewed spirit to promote solidarity and camaraderie among Muslims and Non-Muslims in the Campus, the UP Institute of Islamic Studies continues to offer iftar program. This has become a tradition of the UP Muslim community through the Institute to gather Muslim Faculty members, staff, students, guests, non-Muslim friends and visitors from neighboring Muslim communities around Quezon City to partake iftar as one family. This year, the UP IIS iftar program is realized through various sponsorships who are taking turn from Monday to Friday of the entire month of Ramadan.

Embassies Sponsor Iftar

The Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is sponsoring iftar for the 4 Mondays of the Month. Apart from the iftar, there is an ongoing series of Islamic lecture before the Monday iftar program where students can attend and learn the significance of Ramadan from invited lecturers recommended by the Religious Attaché Sheikh Faris Almutairrey, KSA Embassy. Another significant event happening at the IIS is the two-hour Qur’an studies offered every day before the iftar. IIS students Ahmed Salidin and Abdulrahman Talusan are facilitating this activity.

The Qatar Embassy, Philippines is taking care of the Iftar meals of May 17, 18, 22, 23 and June 1.

Another significant partnership forged between the Research Association of Islamic Social Sciences , Inc. (RAIS), UP-IIS and the U.S. Embassy Philippines is the launching of the project: “Suara Muslim Initiative for Leadership Empowerment (S.M.I.L.E) with its kick off activity – the hosting of “Iftar for a Cause: Round Table Discussions on the Rehabilitation of Marawi City” on May 30, 2018. The RTD is organized by UPIIS in collaboration with the Center for Integrative and Development Studies-Islamic Studies Program (UPCIDS-ISP). Muslim lawmakers, leaders, experts, members of the academe and stakeholders are expected to attend.

Al-Rabah

May 25, 29, June 5, 6 and 13 are enthusiastically marked for the M. Al-Rabah iftar sponsorship. The M. Al-Rabah has been a longtime IIS partner in implementing projects in the past like the World Hijab Day, previous Istiqbal Ramadan program and providing scholarship grant to five IIS students for the last two semesters.

Feta Restaurant

And unique to the usual iftar sponsorship, instead of providing iftar at the IIS, the Turkish FETA Restaurant located at Greenhills, San Juan invited 22 students to partake iftar at their restaurant last May 18, 2018. The students were treated with the best Turkish food offered by the restaurant. The place is very cozy and ideal for family iftar as they served guaranteed 100 percent halal food.

Generous Individuals

For the remaining days of Ramadan 2018, some generous sponsors take turn in sponsoring iftar at the Institute, namely:  Jonty Biona for May 24, Atty. Mehol Sadain for May 30 while May 31 is sponsored by Ustadz Abdulhadi Daguit.  Mahmoud Ismail with Sarah Ibrahim (MISI) and an anonymous donor will take care of the remaining unsponsored days.

Camp Karingal

As part of our extension services, UPIIS has also been doing Iftar program for the Muslim inmates at Camp Karingal.  Worthy to mention is the continuing effort of the Australian Muslim Community since 2006 facilitated by Bro. Saleem Habibullah in providing iftar for 4 Fridays of the entire month of Ramadan for the Muslim women inmates at Camp Karingal, Quezon City. Likewise, Qatar Embassy is taking care of the following days: May 22, 24, 31, June 5 and June 6.  The month of Ramadan provides opportunity to everyone who wishes to share their blessings as an act of ibadah.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan is prescribed to Muslims to make them learn self-restraint, piety and righteousness and that they may strengthen their taqwah or fear to God. For many years since its iftar Program, the UPIIS has been the venue for the promotion of the spirit of fasting and has fostered love and understanding not just among Muslim constituents of the university but also among Non- Muslim friends.

We are thanking IIS staff especially non-Musllims in preparing the iftar and staying beyond office hour, a sincere gesture of love and service.

 

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Events News & Archives

Suara Muslim Initiative for Leadership Empowerment (S.M.I.L.E.)

We are pleased to inform you that the University of the Philippines Diliman- Institute of Islamic Studies (UPIIS) in collaboration with the Center for Integrative and Development Studies- Islamic Studies Program (UPCIDS-ISP) will facilitate the kick-off activity of the project titled “Suara Muslim Initiative for Leadership Empowerment (S.M.I.L.E.)” dubbed as “Iftar for a Cause: Round Table Discussion on the Rehabilitation of Marawi City.” The RTD will be participated by Muslim leaders, experts and stakeholders to discuss ongoing rehabilitation programs in Marawi on May 30, 2018 from 3:00PM to 8:00PM at the Teodoro Room, E. Virata Hall, UP Institute for Small-Scale Industries Building, E. Jacinto Street, Diliman, Quezon City. The output of the RTD will be used as baseline data for the project’s component on community engagement.

 

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News & Archives

Call for Book Proposals: Islam in Southeast Asia Series (Palgrave Macmillan)

The official Series website is available at https://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/16079.

The Series Editors

Nassef Manabilang Adiong
Institute of Islamic Studies, University of the Philippines Diliman

Imtiyaz Yusuf
International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM)

Lily Zubaidah Rahim
Department of Government and International Relations, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Sydney

Maznah Mohamad
Department of Malay Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore

Nadirsyah Hosen
Faculty of Law, Monash University

The series publishes academic and policy research on historical and contemporary Muslim communities, both in the region and in the diaspora, and on all aspects of Islam in Southeast Asia. It concentrates on theoretical, methodological, empirical, religious, spiritual, and critical studies of Islam, including mundane praxes and lived Islam. We encourage interdisciplinarity and eclectic contributions from scholars and practitioners (e.g. preachers, spiritual/religious leaders, and policy makers) to facilitate a holistic approach towards the study of Islam. The series particularly welcome topics on: 1) Islam and Politics 2) Islam & Ethnicity; 3) Islam and Modernity; 4) MENA Influences in Southeast Asia; 5) pre-Modern and Contemporary Islamic Thought; 6) Sunni and Shia Relations; 7) Islamic Studies and Area Studies; 8) Canonical and Periphery Islam; and 9) Relations between Muslims and non-Muslims across the region. Contributions are welcome from across fields and disciplines including politics, international relations, sociology, humanities, the arts, anthropology, comparative religion, cultural studies, economics, history, law (jurisprudence), philosophy, mysticism (Sufism), and theology. The series will include original monographs, Palgrave Pivots, edited volumes/collections, and handbooks.

Correspondence regarding book proposals should be addressed to Vishal Daryanomel (vishal.daryanomel@palgrave.com).

The Advisory Board

1. Afifi al-Akiti, University of Oxford, UK
2. Chiara Formichi, Cornell University, USA
3. Deina Abdelkader, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, USA
4. Eric Tagliacozzo, Cornell University, USA
5. Howard M. Federspiel, The Ohio State University, USA
6. Iik Arifin Mansurnoor, University of Brunei Darussalam
7. Jeffrey Ayala Milligan, Florida State University, USA
8. Joseph Chinyong Liow, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
9. Kamaruzzaman Bustamam-Ahmad, State Institute of Islamic Studies, Indonesia
10. Ken Miichi, Waseda University, Japan
11. Kerstin Steiner, La Trobe University, Australia
12. Kevin Caffrey, Harvard University, USA
13. Kevin W. Fogg, University of Oxford, UK
14. Khairudin Aljunied, National University of Singapore
15. Kikue Hamayotsu, Northern Illinois University, USA
16. Martin Slama, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria
17. Max L. Gross, Georgetown University, USA
18. Muqtedar Khan, University of Delaware, USA
19. Omar Farouk Bajunid, Hiroshima City University, Japan
20. Osman bin Bakar, University of Brunei Darussalam
21. Patricia Sloane-White, University of Delaware, USA
22. Raffaele Mauriello, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran
23. Ronit Ricci, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
24. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, The George Washington University, USA
25. Sven Schottmann, Griffith University, Australia
26. Syed Serajul Islam, Lakehead University, Canada
27. Thomas Gibson, University of Rochester, USA
28. Timothy P. Daniels, Hofstra University, USA
29. Vedi Hadiz, University of Melbourne, Australia
30. Vivienne SM. Angeles, La Salle University, USA
31. William Gervase Clarence-Smith, SOAS, University of London, UK
32. Yon Machmudi, Universitas Indonesia

 

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Events

International Seminar-Workshop on Madrasah Education

The Islamic Studies Program of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, the UP Institute of Islamic Studies, and the Embassy of Indonesia in Manila will organize an international seminar-workshop on Madrasah Education with a theme,  Exploring Best Practices in Madaris and Islamic Studies Education between Indonesia and the Philippines, on July 4-5, 2018 at Balay Kalinaw of the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Since 2015 there are strong moves across the regions to promote the seventeen (17) targets in order to achieve  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),  such as quality education,  reduced inequalities and  peace, justice and strong institutions. In order to support these three targets in the field of Islamic Education, the Indonesian government through the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Phillipines through the UP-CIDS -Islamic Studies Program, UP Institute of Islamic Studies and the Office of the Education Attaché organized this International Seminar Workshop on Madrasah Education  seminar-workshop with the following objectives:

  1. To gather experts to  share best practices on Madrasah Education between Indonesia and Philippines;
  2. To conduct workshop that can provide assessment on gaps and areas for development on Madrasah pedagogies, curriculum, teachers’ support system and instructional resources such as books, textbooks etc.;
  3. To plan out future activities and areas for further collaboration to enhance the quality of madrasah education in the Philippines;
  4. To strengthen linkages and sharing of experiences between Indonesia and the Philippines;
  5. To produce and publish discussion and policy papers in compliance with the UPCIDS-ISP requirement.

The organizing committee believes that education (Madrasah Education) is one of the indispensable tool in promoting moderate Islam to prevent extremism and terrorism (“counter extremist narrative through education”) in some vulnerable areas in the country.

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