The WISE Summer School is an initiative to introduce the intellectual-spiritual tradition of Islam, particularly with the aim of equipping seekers of knowledge of all educational backgrounds and professional fields with the tools to acquire or re-acquire the worldview of Islam to engage with contemporary challenges. It is an intensive programme that articulates the true meaning of religion, knowledge, happiness, justice, man and education as understood by great Muslim luminaries, and in so-doing, strengthening the role of each individual in the Muslim Community.The need for strengthening the Muslim collective understanding about these meanings becomes ever more crucial today due to the nature of the challenges that face the contemporary world.
Access to the recordings in this series is reserved for registered participants of the WISE Summer School 2025 Worldview of Islam Series organised by RZS-CASIS and HAKIM. For enquiries, please contact us via e-mail. Thank you.
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ISLAM: THE COVENANT FULFILLED SERIES
Module 01 - The Worldview of Islam and Its Major Themes
Module 02 - Secularization and The External Crisis of the Muslims
Module 03 - Internal Crisis of the Muslims: Corruption of Knowledge, The Loss of Adab and False Leadership
Module 04 - The Concept of Religion
SPECIAL LECTURE
Theoretical Framework of Human Behaviour Represented as Worldview
Prof. Dr. Alparslan Açikgenc
This lecture delves into the theoretical framework of human behavior, understood as a worldview. Prof. Dr. Alparslan Açikgenc emphasizes that our actions stem from an underlying conceptual unity in the mind, formed by logically organized "clusters of concepts" that act as mental frameworks or "windows" through which we perceive the world. While acknowledging multiple influences on behavior—biological, environmental, emotional, psychological, and spiritual—the professor argues that the theoretical (mental) framework is the ultimate foundation because our intellect (Akal) guides and controls other aspects. He identifies five fundamental structures that can compose a scientific worldview: life, world, knowledge, value, and human structures, and illustrates how the worldview of Islam, with its rich, abstract concepts derived from Revelation, rapidly developed into a sophisticated scientific tradition. Ultimately, Prof. Dr. Alparslan Açikgenc posits that our worldview, this ordered accumulation of concepts in the mind, serves as the ultimate foundation for all human actions, shaping not only individual behavior but also culture and civilization.
The Worldview of Islam
and its Major Themes
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ugi Suharto
MODULE 1
17th August 2025
This module serves as an introduction to the worldview of Islam, its features and fundamental elements such as the nature of God; of Revelation (i.e. the Holy Qur’an); of his Creation; of man and the psychology of the human soul; of knowledge; of religion; of freedom; and of values and virtues, in critical and constructive comparison and engagement with the dominant secular worldview. The profound and intimate relationship between the Worldview and the language that projects it into the mind, and thereby guiding actions, will also be explicated.
Secularization and the
External Crisis of the Muslims
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Khalif Muammar
MODULE 2
18th August 2025
This module discusses the definition and meaning of secularization as a philosophical program. The secularization of the natural world as it unfolded in the history of the Western civilization from the period of the ancient Greeks till the present day will be described. The process of secularization which affects political life by relativizing absolute values and denying religious truths and virtues will be explored. Several lessons offered by past and current attempts of Western Christianity to stem the tide of secularization will also be investigated. This module also describes the multifaceted and multidimensional external challenges faced by the Muslims posed by hegemonic Western civilization, by, inter alia, looking at the definition and characteristic features of Western civilization and the numerous points of conflict between the Islamic and Western civilizations in terms of worldviews, militaristic occupation, political and economic hegemony, and ideological and cultural infiltration.
Internal Crisis of the Muslims: Corruption of Knowledge, The Loss of Adab and False Leadership
Dr. Muhammad Syafiq Borhannuddin
MODULE 3
18th August 2025
This module aims to define and clarify some of the salient internal problems of the Muslims, including the corruption of knowledge, the loss of adab and the rise of false leaders. The factors that contribute to the emergence of such problems are explored and debated such as incessant sectarianism, the restriction and fragmentation of religious knowledge and practice, the vilification of tasawwuf and the breach of trust and dereliction of duties in both the political and social spheres. and dereliction of duties in both the political and social spheres.
The Concept of Religion
Dr. Mohd Farid Mohd Shahran
MODULE 4
19th August 2025
This module explores the meaning of the religion of Islam based upon the Holy Qur’ān and the Hadīth and through the lives of the Holy Prophet—Allah’s peace and blessings be on him—and the Companions. The study of religion from the perspectives of falsafah, kalam and tasawwuf will be described. A historical overview of the engagement between Islam and other religions will be provided. Several key issues in the field of comparative religion such as religious pluralism and interfaith dialogues from within the Islamic and Western frameworks will be touched upon. dialogues from within the Islamic and Western frameworks will be touched upon.
The Concept of Knowledge
Dr. Mohd. Zaidi Ismail
MODULE 5
19th August 2025
This module seeks to describe the meaning, characteristics and purpose of knowledge; the various channels of knowledge, its classification and the proper attitudes of a knower. The relationship between knowledge and truth, the fundamental distinction between knowledge and information, the intimate link between knowledge, man and God, and the contraries to knowledge will also be explored. The concept of knowledge as conceived, understood and propounded by the West will also be presented as a basis for critical and constructive comparison. as conceived, understood and propounded by the West will also be presented as a basis for critical and constructive comparison.
The Cosmos as the Book of Creation
Dr. Muhammad Ikhwan Azlan
MODULE 6
21st August 2025
This module aims to expound on some of the salient elements of the Islamic philosophy of science; especially the over-arching concept of the Cosmos as the Created Book and man as the reader of this Book in understanding the message of its Author. It will sketch out the multifaceted implications of such an understanding upon the scope, direction and purpose of the various disciplines of investigation and research in both the natural and social sciences and their natural and social sciences and their various methodological and technological outcomes. Among the key issues that will be explored are the advocation of the tafsir-ta’wil interpretive framework in the study of the natural world in countering and reversing secularization of the sciences, and thereby restoring the scientific enterprise to its proper cognitive and pragmatic function of facilitating responsible stewardship of nature and culture. Selected historical and contemporary case-studies from Islamic and modern science will be analyse to further inform the discursive framework adopted. from Islamic and modern science will be analyse to further inform the discursive framework adopted.
The Nature of Man
Dr. Roslan Jelani
MODULE 7
21st August 2025
This module explores the true nature of man according to the Worldview of Islam. It will touch upon various key concepts pertaining to the manner of the creation of man, of his dual nature as a physical being and spirit, the purpose of his existence, of his original responsibility and ultimate fate in this world, and of his identity and destiny. All these will be contrasted against the concept of man in the Western secular tradition of anthropology and psychology.
Ta'dib as Education in Islām
Mr. Hasanul Arifin
MODULE 8
22nd August 2025
The module will explore the meaning of ta’dib as the guiding principle in the formulation of a genuinely Islamic philosophy of education. The purpose and goals of education in Islam will be studied in order to arrive at an educational framework that is conceptually sound and can be translated into a systematic program for reviving in the current age an effective and viable Islamic education system capable of critical integration of religious, social and natural sciences.
CONCLUSION & FORUM
23rd August 2025
This final session captures the concluding remarks and forum of the WISE Summer School, emphasizing the lifelong journey of seeking knowledge beyond the program's intensive week. The speakers, including Dr. Ugi Suharto, Dr. Zaidi Ismail, Dr. Ikhwan, and Dr. Rizky Febrian, consistently highlight the need for continuous learning, deep understanding, and right conduct. A central theme is the importance of Professor Al-Attas's work as a gateway to profound Islamic thought and a critical lens for understanding modern challenges like secularization. The discussion also stresses the personal struggle inherent in acquiring and applying knowledge, encouraging participants to cultivate intellectual maturity, self-discipline, and a focus on "whatness" (meaning and essence) before "howness" (practical application).
SCHOLARLY DIALOGUE
Reflections on Time (Zaman)
in Islamic Civilization
Professor Bilal Kuşpınar
19th August 2025
This lecture primarily delves into the complex and multifaceted concept of time within Islamic thought, drawing heavily from the Qur'an, Hadith, Greek philosophy, Kalam tradition, and Sufi metaphysics. Dr. Bilal Kuspinar, a distinguished professor, explores how time is understood across different intellectual traditions, moving from daily linguistic expressions and fundamental philosophical questions to specific Islamic terms like zaman and waqt. A central theme is the relativity of time in contrast to God's absolute and eternal nature, with the discussion highlighting how time's perception and measurement are often human constructs or subjective experiences. The lecture culminates in an exploration of time through the lens of Sufi thought, particularly through figures like Rumi and Ibn 'Arabi, who emphasize the spiritual significance of the present moment and link time's understanding to the verification of divine truth.
SCHOLARLY DIALOGUE
Islām in the Malay World:
Forgotten History and Contemporary Confusions
Prof. Dr. Tatiana Denisova
20th August 2025
This lecture delves into the history of Islam in the Malay world, emphasizing the importance of a proper historical methodology and worldview. Professor Dr. Tatiana Denisova outlines the characteristics of historical writing, distinguishing it from mere storytelling and highlighting the significance of inquiry, truth-telling, and a humanistic perspective. She critically examines various theories regarding the Islamization of the Malay Archipelago, particularly challenging the Western-influenced idea of Islam arriving solely through traders from India, instead advocating for the direct propagation by authoritative scholars from Arabia. The lecture concludes by addressing contemporary challenges in understanding Malay Muslim historiography, cautioning against secular biases and misinterpretations that can lead to dangerous misconceptions about identity and progress.