Abstract

In this lecture, Islamic scholar, Habib Ali al-Jifri,

and Buddhist College Professor, Dr Lee Foong Ming, expound on the critical need to prioritise our shared humanity among faith communities in building a future marked by harmony and cohesion in a pluralistic society like Singapore. Tapping onto their respective religious traditions, the guest speakers show how religions can facilitate meaningful human relationships, and not just acts of worship. They offer visions for a harmonious future in a religiously diverse society and will outline steps faith communities can take to contribute to a plural society characterised by values of love, compassion, empathy and understanding.

About the Speakers

Habib Ali Zain Al-Abideen Al-Jifri is a leading Islamic scholar and prominent speaker in the Muslim world. Al-Jifri is Director-General of Tabah Foundation in the United Arab Emirates, member of the board of Dar al-Mustafa Institute in Yemen, member of the Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan and affiliated with various other international Islamic organisations. He is listed as No. 22 in the World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims, 2023 edition, and has been listed since the publication’s inception – the listing is published by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.  In 2008, he received the annual award of the Augen Biser Foundation in Germany for his contribution to Islamic-Christian dialogue.

Dr Lee Foong Ming graduated from the National University of Singapore and did her postgraduate studies in Buddhist Studies at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. She specialised in Sarvastivada Abhidharma and received her PhD degree after seven years of studies. She currently serves as a full-time Assistant Professor at the Buddhist College of Singapore (BCS) where she has been teaching courses on the history of Buddhism and Abhidharma. Her academic interests in recent years have also expanded to include interfaith dialogues and Yogacara studies. She frequently speaks on panels with national and international speakers representing the Buddhist tradition.