Arab Studies conference on Feb 15

MUSLIM scholars from countries in Africa, Asia and Middle East will gather in Brunei to share various topics from Islamic literature, history to civilisation during the Second International Conference on Arab Studies to be hosted by Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) next week.

To be held at the ICC Berakas on February 15-16, the two-day annual conference is scheduled to be opened by State Mufti, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Dr Ustaz Hj Abdul Aziz Juned, who is also going to deliver a keynote address.

The event, which is organised by the Faculty of Arabic Language and Islamic Civilisation at UNISSA, carries the theme: "The Contribution of Islamic Scholars in the Arab Studies between Tradition and Renovation".

Speaking during the press conference yesterday, Dr Siti Sara Hj Ahmad, Director of the Knowledge and Language Development Centre at UNISSA and the co-chairperson of the event's committee, said that a total of 39 working papers will be presented during the event. Thirty-two of the papers will be in Arabic.

"Since the event is organised by the Faculty of Arabic Language and Islamic Civilisation, majority of the working papers will be presented in Arabic, however, in the same time we want to benefit the public (with materials or abstracts) in Malay Language,"Dr Siti Sara told the press conference.

She added that besides using Arabic Language, the working papers will be also presented in Malay and English Languages.

She said that the state mufti, the event's guest of honour, will also be presenting a working paper at the conference in addition to two invited speakers, Professor Dr Ahmed Shams Al-Din Al Hajjaji of Cairo University in Egypt and Associate Professor Dr Tatiana Denisova of Universiti Malaya.

The two foreign speakers are experts in Arabic Literature and in History & Islamic Civilisation, respectively.

The other 36 working papers will be delivered by presenters from countries such as Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and Qatar as well as representatives from the host country. Two of the 17 speakers representing Islamic scholars from the Sultanate are postgraduate students or PhD candidates from UNISSA.

Among other Islamic scholars from overseas include Prof Dr Seyed Ahmad Reza Khezri of Tehran University in Iran, Dr Abubakar Salisu Abdullahi of Kogi State University in Nigeria, and Associate Professor Dr Hamid Ashraf Hamdani of Punjab University in Pakistan. Also Associate Professor Dr Abdel Salam El-Sayed Hamed of Qatar University, Prof Abdul Rahman Abdul Wahid Mohammed Al-Shujaa of University of Sana'a in Yemen and Dr Usama El-Sayed Mohamad of Kolej Universiti Insaniah in Malaysia.

The Brunei Times