Opening Ceremony of the Heritage Studies Exhibition 2011

Bismillahir rahmanir Rahim

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh, a very good afternoon and Salam 1Malaysia.

Excellencies and Honourable IIUM Board of Governors and Executive Management Board

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Faris Ismail
Deputy Rector of Research & Innovation, IIUM

Prof. Dr. Khairuddin Abdul Rashid
Dean, Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, IIUM

Representatives and Officials of Foreign Embassies, Architectural Schools and Organisations

Y. Bhg. Dato’-Dato’

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Alhamdulillah, praise be to Allah, the most Gracious and Merciful for his blessings in giving us this opportunity and moment, to gather here this morning at the Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design Gallery for the Opening Ceremony of the Heritage Studies Exhibition 2011. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone involved in realising this event and making it a successful one.

2. Since its establishment in 1983, IIUM has made great strides in strengthening its core functions of teaching and learning. In line with the University’s mission, the Heritage Studies course includes conducting studies on heritage in all parts of the Muslim World as a proactive effort to help conserve and preserve Islamic heritage. I am informed that Iran and Bangladesh are the two new additions to the list of countries that have been visited which include Egypt, Syria, Turkey, India, China, and Indonesia, in addition to Malaysia.

3. This initiative by the Department of Architecture to identify, document and record Islamic heritage buildings and sites within the Muslim world is laudable. It is a pioneering effort, as no other local public university has endeavoured to undertake such studies outside of Malaysia. The rationale is not only to understand and appreciate the beauty of Islamic architecture but also to help safeguard and preserve this invaluable heritage.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

4. In the words of the 19th century English social thinker, John Ruskin, in his seminal essay, The Seven Lamps of Architecture “….the greatest glory of a building is not in its stones, not in its gold. Its glory is in its Age, and in that deep sense of voicefulness, of stern watching, of mysterious sympathy, nay, even of approval or condemnation, which we feel in walls that have long been washed by the passing waves of humanity.” This appreciation and respect for built heritage is something that we should instil within our communities. Today’s exhibition will hopefully go some way towards that end, Insya Allah.

5. There is an evident need for conducting studies on Islamic built heritage. Some of the countries visited in the course of the study do not even have any records of these heritage buildings, some of which are many hundreds of years old. Given that we now face natural and man-made disasters with increasing frequency, the danger of these Islamic heritage buildings being destroyed and lost for eternity is indeed, unavoidable. At the same time, there is concern about the conservation of significant Islamic heritage in non-Islamic countries, such as China, where the imperative to safeguard such heritage may be lacking. Against this scenario, IIUM is making a vital contribution through its Heritage Studies course to the survival of our Islamic legacy.

6. This initiative has also elevated the image and name of IIUM at the international level where we have successfully forged collaboration on heritage studies with universities abroad. The collaboration between IIUM and the Art University of Esfahan, for instance, marked a major step in bringing the Islamic World closer. We are confident that this will result in the effective exchange of students, staff and research, Insya Allah. Such alliances will surely further support our efforts for the betterment of the ummah. Similarly, a collaborative initiative between the University of Asia Pacific in Dhaka and IIUM led to students of both universities undertaking heritage studies together including the joint organisation of an exhibition. I encourage more of such resourceful efforts at all levels of the university.

7. Heritage is really about something that comes from the past that we value most and wishes to pass to the future. Not only do they tell great stories about the days gone by but essentially they also tell great stories about ourselves. Heritage studies therefore will naturally teach us to learn more about life. About different people living in different places, eating different food, talking different languages and practising different cultures. But most of all, it is our ability to adapt, respect and accept those peculiarities that teaches us the most. These experiences will certainly enrich our lives and although they are of the past, curiously enough, they also prepare us for the globalised world of today.

Ladies and Gentleman,

8. Building an excellent institution of higher learning does not only depend on scholastic research and development but also on the sharing and dissemination of knowledge. I find that this Heritage Studies 2011 Exhibition contains both these ingredients and could be a platform for us to build on to achieve even greater results. The research findings and solutions must mean something to those who will use and need it the most. What is real and tangible is that all the efforts that the students and faculty have put into this endeavour will not go unnoticed by the university.

9. A noble effort such as this exhibition brings to the fore the founding purpose of IIUM. The university’s creation is grounded on the belief that it is through education based on tawhid and Islamic principles that can we each institute dignity in our own lives, first and foremost, and in the lives of those around us. It is at times like this also that I feel most grateful to Allah SWT for He has allowed me to witness and be part of what our education system can do for our community. The students that stand before me today are not only to be well-educated, but need to be nurtured to become capable, caring and sensitive pillars of our societies in ensuring the continued preservation of our Islamic architectural legacy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

10. I would like to thank and congratulate the Dean of the Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, Prof Khairuddin Abdul Rashid for his leadership of the Kulliyyah and foresight in planning for this exhibition. It is an event that is not only important to the IIUM community but one which reaches out to the rest of the Islamic World. On the same note, I wish to congratulate the Department of Architecture for its efforts in helping to safeguard our Islamic Heritage which, for people who care, should have no boundaries. Lastly, our heartfelt thanks to the Organising Committee of the Heritage Studies 2011 Exhibition. I am sure that we will be more enlightened today than we were yesterday on our Islamic Architectural legacy.

11. With Bismillahir rahmaanir rahm, I hereby declare the Heritage Studies Exhibition 2011 officially open.

Wabillahittaufik walhidayah
Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh.