THE HOUSE OF WISDOM

Bismillahir rahmanir Rahim
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Y.Bhg Tan Sri Dr. Zulkefli Hassan Secretary General, Ministry of Higher Education

Y.Bhg Professor Dato’ Sri Dr. Syed
Arabi Idid
Rector of IIUM

Mr. Shoichi Toyoda
Director of Japan Foundation,
Kuala Lumpur

Dr.Hamid Fahmy Zarkasy
Vice-Rector of ISID – Darussalam Institute of Islamic Studies, Gontor, Ponorogo, Indonesia

Dr.Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi,
Vice-Rector of ISID – Darussalam Institute of Islamic Studies, Gontor, Ponorogo, Indonesia

IIUM Board of Governors and Majlis Members

Honourable guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning. I would like to thank Allah subhānahū wa taālā for enabling us to meet here today for the 2010 IIUM Book Launch.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

BAIT AL-HIKMA 

2. The first revealed āyah of the Qur’an to our Prophet Muhammad SAW was “Iqra” – “Read”. This word speaks of the importance of knowledge in Islam. It defines the parameters to our purpose, obligations and being in this world.

3. Islam saw its high-noon of knowledge proliferation during the rule of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. The House of Wisdom, also known as Bait al-Hikma, was established during his rule in Baghdad in the second century of Hijrah. Housed in the Abbassid era, Bait al-Hikma was considered the prime intellectual centre of the Islamic Golden Age. Both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars worked together to gather and converge knowledge from all over the world.

4. Bait al-Hikma saw its pinnacle of glory during the rule of Caliph Ma’mun, son of Harun al-Rashid. With no prejudice or bias, he congregated an ensemble of the most well known scholars from around the globe to share knowledge, information, ideas and culture in the House of Wisdom. This contributed to the richness of the House. The most learned of scholars were brought in to participate in research and education.

5. The House became an unrivalled centre for the study of Islamic studies which covered science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine; to alchemy, chemistry, and geography. With no limiting boundaries but only for seeking true knowledge, the House drew on Persian, Indian and Greek texts -including those of Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Sushruta, Charaka, Aryabhata, Socrates and Brahmagupta. Baghdad became the centre for intellectual development of the time.

KNOWLEDGE AND HUMILITY 

6. Herein lie lessons we can all learn and emulate. Fundamental to knowledge is humility. The humility of knowing that we can learn from anyone. That there is always something more to learn. Something new to discover. Curiosity must never escape us. It must be the trigger to finding deeper and meaningful outcomes and results. It must push us towards new and ethical discoveries to enhancing the status of humanity everywhere regardless of creed. When we acquire knowledge braced with humility and curiosity, we hold no barriers within us to moving the precincts of achieving better than we did today.

7. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said — Wisdom is the lost property of the Believer, so take wisdom wherever you find it, even from a disbeliever.
Whether wisdom for making a better tomorrow comes from a Christian, or a Hindu, a Sikh or a Bahai is immaterial. Whether it comes from Slovenia or Barbados, it is irrelevant. If it aligns with the Islamic principles of ethics, we must all seek to use that wisdom to better our state.

8. Malaysia places unbridled importance on knowledge acquisition. We have over 80% literacy rate today. And, we must do better. But sadly some Muslim countries are so poor that reading and learning is today a luxury to them and no longer an obligation. There are reports that even claim, “Muslim nations are non-reading nations.” This whilst true in some parts of the world is a regression from the years of Bait al-Hikma. Have we not collectively let down the essence of “Iqra”?

Ladies and Gentlemen,

IIUM – HOUSE OF WISDOM 

9. The role of institutions like IIUM cannot be overemphasised in this instance. We are blessed with many resources. But with great blessings come great responsibilities. How we utilise these resources are vital. From our activities, to our syllabus and recruitment we must always challenge the boundaries of knowledge. We must acquire and provide knowledge without prejudice and partiality.

10. I am pleased to learn that we are publishing books and writings continually. I am also pleased that nine Authors will have their books launched today. Well done! The Press Unit, I understand, has been very active in ensuring we uphold not only quantity, but quality in our publications. We must not stop at 9. I would encourage everyone, IIUM staff and students alike to publish their work. You never know who can benefit from your work. To all the Authors who have worked hard on your respective publications, I offer my heartiest congratulations. I hope you will continue producing work that will benefit humanity globally. I hope your work will also be the source of dignity to the Muslim Ummah. Congratulations also to IIUM Press for facilitating the publication of these books.
Ladies and Gentlemen,

11. We must advance our quality not only to local or regional rankings but specifically to global rankings. The quality of our staff and students to the syllabus we offer must be constantly benchmarked to global standards. This is essential to the sustainable brand strength of IIUM. The courses we offer must prepare our students not only for today’s world today, but of tomorrow’s specifically. The challenge therefore is in developing TODAY courses relevant to TOMORROW’s needs; embarking in research and development that benefit tomorrow’s problems and issues. Intrinsically we must be able to work on the needs of the 27th Century NOW, today. That to me is our greatest opportunity as a learning institution.

12. We can bring Bait al-Hikma back. We can bring that back to Malaysia. And we can bring that back at IIUM. I urge for us to achieve that in the true essence of the Bait al-Hikma of Baghdad.

Wabillahittaufiq walhidayah Wassalamualaikum
warahmatullahi wabarakatuh