Certificate in Islamic Thought in Contemporary Plural Societies

By Mohamed Bin Ali

The Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme and MUIS Academy (MA) of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore conducted the third run of the Certificate in Islamic Thought in Contemporary Plural Societies (CITC) programme. Held from 28 August to 3 September 2018, the five-day programme was attended by 23 students currently studying at overseas Islamic institutions. The programme aims to equip them with the necessary skills to face modern challenges and to comprehend Islam in a modern and complex world. The theme for the CITC this year was Embracing Inclusivism, Countering Segregation, and Appreciating Diversity. At the programme, the students were exposed to various methodologies, concepts and examples of inclusivity, and appreciating diversity in a plural context. This exposure was deemed important to equip students with the understanding and ability to guide the local Muslim community in an ever-changing and diverse environment.

Four speakers delivered their lectures at the CITC programme. They were i) Prof Abdullah Saeed, Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies, Convenor of Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, and Advisor to the SRP; ii) Prof Jasser Auda, Executive Director of Maqasid Institute, Al-Shatibi Chair of Maqasid Studies of International Peace College South Africa; iii) Amb Mohammad Alami Musa, Head of SRP; and iv) Dr Mohamed Ali, Assistant Professor of SRP, RSIS.

Prof Saeed lectured students on the importance of reading the Quran in context, while Prof Jasser touched on contextual understanding of Prophetic traditions. Amb Alami, meanwhile, spoke on the idea of state and multiculturalism, while Dr Ali addressed the topic of religious extremism. Apart from the lectures, the students were also split into groups where they presented their views on some of the current issues confronting the Muslim community, such as LGBT rights, Islamophobia, the idea of an Islamic state, and Islamic perspective towards the “religious other”.

Related SRP Events:

• SRP 4th Executive Programme 2018
• Countering Fundamentalism: Perspectives from Buddhism and Other Religions
• CTIS-SRP Joint Workshop on Dialogue Skills and Theories