Artificial Intelligence

JAN - APR 2024

AR-RISALAH

ISU 42

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

AR-RISALAH Isu 42 (Jan – Apr 2024) ISSN 2424-8207

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Editor Ustaz Dr Mohammad Yusri Yubhi Bin Md Yusoff Pembaca Pruf Ustazah Maisurah Binti Mohamed Rafii Penyumbang Makalah Ustaz Zubair Bin Mohd Redza Ustazah Wan Nadia Yusof Ustaz Ahmad Khalil Bin Mohamed Rafii Ustaz Ridhwan Bin Mohd Basor Ustazah Nur Faiqah Binte Ramlan Arahan Seni & Pereka Grafik A. Haikal Bin Haron Penerbit Persatuan Ulama dan Guru-Guru Agama Islam Singapura (Pergas) 448 Changi Road Wisma Indah #03-01 Singapura 419975 Tel: 6346 9350 Fax: 6346 3450 Email: info@pergas.org.sg

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KANDUNGAN 01.

KALAM EDITOR Ms 1

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FOKUS - Studies Ms 3 – Integrating AI in Turath and Research: Potential, Challenges and Limitations Ms 4 – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Duty of Humans

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EKONOMI ISLAM Ms 17 – Islamic Social Finance in Singapore

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KENALI ASATIZAH Ms 21 – Ustaz Ridhwan Mohd Basor

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KENALI PERGAS Ms 25 – Acara Gema Kesyukuran

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AKTIVITI PERGAS Ms 29 – Diari Kegiatan Pergas (Jan - Apr 2024)

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TINTA ILMU: ULASAN BUKU Ms 38 – Analogi Qurani Dalam Kehidupan Insani

KALAM EDITOR Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pengasih Lagi Maha Penyayang Selawat dan Salam ke atas Nabi Muhammad, Ahli Keluarganya dan Para Sahabat serta setiap yang mengikuti perjalanan mereka

Assalamualaikum wr. wb.

Para Pembaca yang dikasihi sekalian, Pada 3 Mac 2024 yang lalu, telah berlangsung Majlis Gema Kesyukuran yang dianjurkan Pergas bagi menghargai pencapaian dan sumbangan para asatizah setempat. Di kesempatan ini, sidang editor Ar-Risalah ingin mengucapkan setinggitinggi tahniah kepada para asatizah yang berjaya, khususnya buat Al-Fadhil Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Bin Hassan yang telah terpilih untuk menerima Anugerah Warisan Pergas atas sumbangan beliau terhadap masyarakat Islam Singapura khususnya semasa memegang tampuk kepimpinan di Pergas selama lebih daripada 20 tahun (2002-2023). Anugerah kedua; Obor Ummah pula diberikan kepada AlFadhilah Ustazah Habsah Bte Senin. Beliau merupakan penerima pertama daripada kalangan asatizah wanita. Usaha beliau yang berterusan dalam mendidik masyarakat Islam Singapura merentasi generasi dan lapisan masyarakat, terutama sekali di dalam kalangan kaum wanita. Manakala anugerah Asatizah Cemerlang pula diberikan kepada Al-Fadhil Ustaz Fathurrahman Hj M Dawoed

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dan Ustaz Muhammad Nuzhan Abdul Halim atas kecemerlangan dan sumbangan mereka terhadap pendidikan Islam di Singapura.

Dalam mengenang jasa dan kecemerlangan para asatizah, kita perlu akur akan cabaran yang bakal dilalui oleh umat Islam termasuk para asatizah setempat dalam era kontemporari hari ini. Cabaran-cabaran itu termasuk apa yang ingin Ar-Risalah ketengahkan kali ini iaitu Artificial Intelligence (AI) atau ‘kecerdasan buatan.’ Secara umum, AI merujuk pada program komputer yang dirancang untuk meniru kecerdasan manusia, termasuk kemampuan pengambilan keputusan, logika, dan karakteristik kecerdasan lainnya.

Bagi memberikan penjelasan tentang tema kecerdasan buatan atau AI ini, ArRisalah akan membawakan dua artikel berbahasa Inggeris dalam ruangan ‘Fokus’ bagi menjelaskan tentang isu ini khususnya dari sudut implikasinya kepada asatizah dan umat Islam. Artikel pertama merupakan tulisan Ustazah Wan Nadia Yusuf. Beliau merupakan lulusan sarjana

muda Ilmu Wahyu dan Warisan Islam daripada Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (IIUM) dan sarjana dalam bidang Kurikulum dan Arahan daripada Institut Pendidikan Kebangsaan (NIE), Singapura.

Beliau kini merupakan pengarah di Institut Pengajian Tinggi Al-Zuhri. Artikel beliau bertajuk, ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Duty of Humans?’ merungkai tentang kemajuan AI yang tiada batasnya serta implikasinya kepada kemajuan manusia sebagai alat kreatif yang memudahkan rutin manusia dalam pelbagai kehidupan mereka. Dalam artikel yang sama, beliau turut menambah bahawa sebagai seorang insan yang dikurniakan kecerdasan kreatif, perlu mengamalkan etika yang tinggi, penuh amanah serta akauntabiliti dalam menangani kemajuan AI. Selain dari itu, artikel ini juga mengingatkan kemajuan AI tidak menafikan usaha berterusan dalam menuntut ilmu daripada seorang guru yang bertauliah.

Tulisan kedua yang juga dalam bahasa Inggeris, merupakan artikel daripada Ustaz Ahmad Khalil bin Mohamed Rafii.

Beliau merupakan lulusan sarjana muda dalam Perbandingan Perundangan Islam daripada Universiti Kuwait. Beliau kini merupakan penganalisa data di Apple.

Tulisan beliau yang bertajuk, ‘Integrating AI in Turāth Studies and Research: Potential, Challenges and Limitations’ menyentuh tentang integrasi serta penyepaduan AI dengan

tradisi Islam. Artikel ini menyentuh tentang potensi AI dalam menarik umat Islam bagi mendalami pemahaman tentang turāth (karya klasik Ulama silam) dan seterusnya memperkasakan Ulama dan masyarakat.

Beliau juga menambah, dengan menghampiri integrasi ini dengan penuh kesedaran, beretika dan komitmen terhadap nilai-nilai Islam, umat Islam boleh memanfaatkan potensi AI bagi memajukan pengetahuan, menggalakkan pemahaman yang lebih baik dan menegakkan prinsip tradisi Islam tanpa mengabaikan kepentingan turāth.

Beliau mengakhiri tulisannya dengan peringatan bahawa dengan kemajuan AI yang terus membangun dan bakal maju lebih jauh, maka lebih banyak ruang untuk perbincangan daripada sudut etika yang perlu diperhalusi.

Seterusnya pada edisi kali ini, Ar-Risalah membawa para pembaca pengenali Ustaz Ridhwan Mohd Basor yang kini bertugas sebagai pengurus dasar produk global, kepercayaan dan keselamatan di salah sebuah syarikat teknologi berbilang negara.

Dalam awal kerjayanya, beliau pernah bertugas di Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis). Sebelumnya, Ustaz Ridhwan mendapat pendidikan awal di Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah dan Madrasah Wak Tanjong, sebelum menyambung pengajian sarjana muda dalam bidang Sains Politik di Universiti Nasional Singapura (NUS).

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Beliau kemudiannya melanjutkan pengajian sarjana pemikiran politik Islam dan politik timur tengah di Institut Antarabangsa Ketamadunan dan Pemikiran Islam (ISTAC, IIUM).

Bertepatan dengan isu yang dibincangkan pada edisi kali ini, sangatlah sesuai untuk masyarakat mengenali sumbangan bekas anak madrasah kita sebagai peneraju barisan hadapan dalam penggubalan dasar global dalam bagi wadah media sosial dan keselamatan pengguna. Dalam tugasan harian beliau ini termasuklah membangunkan polisi kandungan yang dijana AI (AIGC) untuk memastikan integrasi Gen-AI dengan alatan media sosial tidak membawa kepada bahaya dalam talian kepada para pengguna seperti pemalsuan dalam talian yang dijana AI, kandungan lucah dan propaganda jahat.

Kami berharap dengan terbitan kali ini yang berkisar tentang isu AI ini bakal memberikan perspektif baru tentangnya, cabaran serta implikasi mahupun manfaatnya kepada pengguna. Pendekatan wasatiyyah sangat penting dalam kita meraikan kemajuan AI ini. Pendekatan wasatiyyah yakni yang adil, terbaik dan seimbang di sini bukanlah dengan menolak AI kerana khuatir kepada pengaruh atau kesan negatif daripadanya, atau menerima seadanya tanpa batasan.

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Akan tetapi, pendekatan yang wasati di sini ialah meraikan kemajuan AI sesuai dengan lunas Islam tanpa melampaui batasan yang dibenarkan agama.

Akhir kalam, Islam merupakan agama yang sejajar dengan kemajuan dan amat menjunjung tinggi pengetahuan dan teknologi yang memberi kemanfaatan kepada manusia sejagat. Malah Al-Quran sendiri sering mengajak manusia untuk berfikir, malah meletakkan darjat yang tinggi kepada ahli ilmu dan inteligensia. Ingatlah, Islam menerima segala hasil kemajuan teknologi seperti AI selama mana ia selaras dengan nilai-nilai mulia agama Islam dan tidak melibatkan perkara kemungkaran.

Moga umat Islam sentiasa maju dan terus berlumba-lumba dalam perkara kebaikan termasuk dalam usaha menimba pengetahuan, agar kita mendapat kedudukan yang tinggi di sisiNya serta berjaya dalam kehidupan di dunia dan di akhirat kelak.

Amin.

Salam hormat, Mohammad Yusri Yubhi Md Yusoff Editor, Ar-Risalah.

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Correcting Integrating AI in Turāth Studies and Research:

Potential, Challenges and Limitations By: Ahmad Khalil bin Mohamed Rafii Bachelor’s Degree in Comparative Jurisprudence, Kuwait University Data Analyst at Apple

INTRODUCTION

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n the Islamic tradition of teaching and learning, both processes require a meticulous and contextual understanding of texts as intended by the author within the borders of sharī’ah.1. This process is manifested through talaqqi (direct tutelage) from a credible scholar to disseminate the appropriate

1. “Islamic tradition is al-din at once, which embraces all aspects of religion, based upon sacred, divine models.

In its every aspect and streamline, there is a chain which relates each period, episode stages of life and thought in the traditional world to the Origin.” “It is the sacred, the eternal, the immutable Truth; the perennial wisdom, as well as the continuous application of its immutable principles to various conditions of space and time.” (Nasr 1997).

knowledge and understanding.2. As we delve into the realms of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Islamic tradition, we find ourselves at a crossroads of innovation and heritage. This article aims to explore how AI, specifically Large Language Models, advances turāth studies whilst exploring opportunities.

It also aims to address the challenges and limitations encountered in harmonising innovation and tradition.

2. Talaqqi (direct tutelage) is a method where a student sit in front of the teacher in order to recite the Quran directly or to listen to the lectures delivered by the teacher in various Islamic sciences and subjects (Rahim, Yakob & Rahman, 2016).

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Background

Large Language Models

Large Language Models (LLMs) are a type In recent years, AI has seen a surge in of artificial intelligence (AI) trained on advancements, with models like ChatGPT massive datasets of text and code. They excel capturing the imagination of scholars and at tasks like generating different creative technologists alike. However, the roots of AI text formats, translating languages, and trace back to decades ago, with pioneering summarising information. However, it’s work in the field emerging in the 1950s. The Turing test stands as a significant milestone in important to understand that LLMs are not sentient and don’t necessarily possess a deep this history, attempting to gauge a machine’s understanding of the meaning behind the ability to exhibit human-like intelligence text they process.

(Winter, 2021). While achieving true human-level intelligence remains a complex The field of AI is constantly evolving, and challenge, a core goal of AI research is to LLMs are finding applications in various enable machines to act and respond in ways sectors, including healthcare, for example. that simulate human capabilities. Machine AI in healthcare is a broad field with many Learning, a fundamental area of AI, involves ongoing research efforts. While some training machines to recognize patterns and applications involve analyzing medical data learn from data, encompassing techniques or assisting doctors with tasks, diagnosing extending beyond numerical formulas. This diseases with high accuracy remains a has led to advancements like Large Language complex task best left to qualified medical Models (LLMs) that can process and generate professionals who possess the necessary human language with impressive fluency expertise and judgment (Davenport T, 2019).

(IBM, n.d.).

AI’s Potential In Turāth Studies And Research

Illustration of a Turing Test

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While AI offers exciting possibilities, it’s important to remember that complex tasks requiring human judgment remain essential. Similarly, in Islamic classical texts or turāth studies, AI can be a valuable tool to navigate the vast ocean of Islamic texts. By analyzing these texts, AI can assist scholars

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in identifying relevant precedents and legal terminology. This highlights the potential of AI to enhance research and learning within Islamic law, just as it is assisting in the medical field.

Building on the potential of AI to assist scholars in navigating Islamic texts, its applications extend to the preservation, dissemination, and analysis of turāth itself. This vast repository of knowledge, encompassing Quran, Hadith, theology, jurisprudence, and other sciences often resides in classical texts written mainly in Arabic language. Linguistic and contextual barriers can make comprehending these texts challenging for contemporary readers.

Here, the usage of AI tools, particularly Natural Language Processing (NLP) models like Large Language Models (LLMs) can be

beneficial when utilized. These models can translate, interpret, and explain these texts, aiding scholars and students alike in accessing and understanding turāth more easily.

Dissemination of turāth can also be significantly enhanced by AI. By automating tasks like translation, summarisation, and explanation, AI technologies can make this rich tradition more accessible to wider audiences. The general public interested in turath might not have the time, resources, or expertise to delve into traditional texts directly. AI can bridge this gap, fostering a broader understanding and appreciation of Islamic heritage among diverse communities.

Furthermore, AI empowers scholars to conduct research and analysis within Islamic studies with unprecedented efficiency.

Advanced algorithms can analyze massive

Photo Contributor: Ascannio 6

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amounts of textual data, identifying patterns and generating insights that might elude human researchers. This can lead to groundbreaking discoveries, new interpretations, and the application of turāth to contemporary issues across various fields (IBM, n.d.).

Building Foundational Models for Islamic AI Applications While large companies are developing their own powerful foundational models like Google’s Gemini and Meta’s LLAMA, creating one from scratch is a resourceintensive endeavour. A more efficient approach involves leveraging existing models and feeding them new, personalized data for learning. This technique, known as RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)3., is being used by many entities, including those developing Islamic language models, like Ansari Chat.4. These efforts, though not flawless, represent a positive step towards

3. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is the process of optimising the output of a large language model, so it references an authoritative knowledge base outside of its training data sources before generating a response. RAG extends the already powerful capabilities of LLMs to specific domains or an organisation’s internal knowledge base, all without the need to retrain the model. It is a cost-effective approach to improving LLM output so it remains relevant, accurate, and useful in various contexts (AWS, n.d.).

4. Ansari Chat (https://ansari.chat) is an Islamic AI Assistant. The goal of Ansari is to help non-Muslims understand the Islamic faith and help Muslims practice their faith more effectively.

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building AI tools tailored for Islamic scholarship and education.

Challenges and Considerations in Islamic AI Development: In order to develop a successful Islamic AI model, it is crucial for data preparation and evaluation processes to be done carefully.

The expertise in Islamic knowledge must be meticulously exercised throughout the preparation process. Selecting data from credible sources and ensuring that the model learns from appropriate Islamic materials are essential. This include understanding the text necessitates a rigorous approach, which is similar to giving the proper sharh (commentary) on texts, or a proper tafsir and ta’wīl (interpretation) of the Quranic verse or Hadith. Adhering to the teachings of Quran and the principles of tabayyun (seeking clarity) plays an important role so as to prevent from accepting false and inaccurate information. Evaluation becomes another critical step to ensure the model’s responses are accurate and based on reliable sources (Mohamad & Isa, 2022).

More importantly, training the AI model has to be defined within the boundaries of Maqāsid al-Sharī’ah, (general objectives of sharī’ah) as the goal and purpose of answering islamic related questions is its ma’na (meanings) and hikmah (wisdom) behind the answers as coined by Al-Zuhayli

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and Al-Shatibi. Al-Zuhayli defined maqāsid as the ultimate goal and purposes and meanings attained from sharī’ah through understanding it’s laws and regulations (AlZuhayli, 2003). Al-Shatibi viewed maqāsid as the wisdom behind the law decree to ensure the realization of maslahah (benefit) and the prevention of mafsadah (harm) (Al-Shatibi, 2004). In this way then, AI has succesfully bring out the rūh al-sharī’ah (spirit of sharī’ah) in performing these tasks (Mohadi & Tarshany, 2023).

on individuals and industries, the ecological aspect is frequently neglected. Various studies have discussed the damaging environmental consequences of training AI models, attributable to their substantial carbon footprint. For instance, research conducted by scholars at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, highlights that the training of expansive Natural Language Processing (NLP) models can result in emissions exceeding 600,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, a figure surpassing “five times the lifetime emissions of an average American car”6..

Limitations and Ethical Considerations This is something that we ought to be careful of as khalīfah (vicergent) of this earth bestowed Despite the comprehensive implementations

by Allah. Our duty to cultivate the earth in place, it’s important to acknowledge the limitations of such models, such as inaccuracy must be without isrāf and tabzīr (extravagance).

This was mentioned by the Prophet s.a.w. in and hallucination factors5.. It is crucial to consider the dimensions that come with these a hadith. technological advancements, which does not limit itself to topics regarding fairness, The Messenger of Allah passed transparency and privacy. Mitigating these

by Sa’d when he was performing concerns, however, is possible by adding a ablution, and he said: “What is this layer of human intervention to validate before extravagance?” He said: “Can there granting public access to usage. be any extravagance in ablution?”

An often overlooked dimension in conversations concerning the consequences of AI is its impact on the environment. While much of the dialogue centres on its effects

5. Hallucinations are generated content that is nonsensical or unfaithful to the provided source content.

He said: “Yes, even if you are on the bank of a flowing river.” 7.

6. Hao K. Training a single AI model can emit as much carbon as fve cars in their lifetimes. Cambridge: MIT Technology Review; 2020.

7. Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425, Vol 1, Book 1.

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While the costs of AI are not limited to the environmental costs, there are other costs as well that too often go unnoticed (Raquib, Channa, Zubair & Qadir, 2022).

Much like the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution, technological advancements are often fixated on increasing efficiency, productivity, and convenience, which often neglect unethical practices such as fairness, human welfare, and social values (Raquib, Channa, Zubair & Qadir, 2022). This is in contrast to the objectives of Islamic tradition, where material and accelerated gains and advancements are not the focus, but instead, the focus lies on seeking barakah (blessing).

Only through this lenscan fulfillment and happiness in the hereafter be attained.

Conclusion By combining AI with Islamic tradition, we encounter a meeting point where innovation merges with tradition, presenting both promises and challenges. As we navigate this integration, it becomes evident that AI holds considerable potential for advancing the study of turāth while offering opportunities for wider access and comprehension of Islamic knowledge.

Through AI tools like Large Language Models (LLMs), we witness a transformative capability in preserving, sharing, and analyzing Islamic texts. These tools not

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only aid scholars in exploring the vast body of Islamic literature but also offer ways to translate, interpret, and explain texts, thus overcoming language and context barriers for modern readers.

However, as we embrace the possibilities of AI, we must confront challenges and ethical considerations. It is crucial to ensure that AI models are trained in accordance with Islamic principles, guided by the objectives of Maqāsid al-Sharī’ah as defined by Al-Zuhayli and Al-Shatibi. Additionally, we need to be vigilant in addressing limitations such as inaccuracies and false information while also considering the broader ethical implications surrounding AI technology.

Furthermore, as custodians of the Earth, we must acknowledge and mitigate the environmental impact of AI development and usage. Just as Allah entrusted us with the Earth’s stewardship, our responsibility to care for the environment should be without waste and extravagance, as advised by the Prophet s.a.w.

In summary, integrating AI with Islamic tradition presents a compelling opportunity to deepen our understanding of turāth and empower scholars and communities.

By approaching this integration with mindfulness, ethical awareness, and a commitment to Islamic values, we can harness AI’s potential to advance knowledge, promote

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greater understanding, and uphold the principles of our tradition without neglecting the importance of turāth. As AI continues to develop and advance further, more room for ethical discussions will follow suit.

References

IBM (n.d.). What are Large Language Models? Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://www.ibm.com/topics/largelanguage-models.

Karimullah, Suud Sarim. (2023). The Application of Artificial Intelligence in Islamic Law Discovery. Mutawasith Jurnal Hukum Islam. 6. 109-121. 10.47971/mjhi. v6i2.748.

Khoirunisa, Ana & Rohman, Fathur & Azizah, Hilda & Ardianti, Devi & Maghfiroh, Arinta & Noor, Aditya. (2023).

Islam in the Midst of AI (Artificial Intelligence) Struggles: Between Opportunities and Threats.

SUHUF. 35. 45-52. 10.23917/suhuf.v35i1.22365.

Abd Rahim, Syuhaida & Yakob, Asmadi & Abd Rahman, Fadilah. (2016). Talaqqi Method in Teaching and Learning for the Preservation of Islamic Knowledge: Developing the Basic Criteria. 10.1007/978-981-101452-9_29.

Kousar, Shabana & Raza Laghari, Ali & Salam, Abdul. (2024).

Analysis of the Islamic Law and its Compatibility with Artificial Intelligence as a Emerging Challenge of the Modern World *Corresponding Author.

Annals of Human and Social Sciences. 5. 10.35484/ ahss.2024(5-I)10.

Ahmad, Humaira. (2013). Islamic Tradition and its Defining Characteristics. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization. 03. 58-74. 10.32350/ jitc.31.03.

Mohadi, Mawloud & Tarshany, Yasser. (2023). Maqasid AlShari’ah and the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Contemporary Challenges. Journal of Contemporary Maqasid Studies. 2. 79-102. 10.52100/jcms.v2i2.107.

Ansari (https://ansari.chat).

Mohamad, N. M., & Mat Isa, N. H. (2022). The Principles of Tabayyun According to the Qurʾan: Solutions to the Challenges and Strife of the Social-Media . ALBURHĀN: JOURNAL OF QURʾĀN AND SUNNAH STUDIES, 6(Special Issue 1), 1–14. https://doi. org/10.31436/alburhn.v6iSpecial Issue 1.260

AWS (n.d.). What is RAG? Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/retrievalaugmented-generation/#:~:text=Augmented%20 Generation%20requirements%3F-,What%20is%20 Retrieval%2DAugmented%20Generation%3F, sources%20before%20generating%20a%20response.

Azmi, Aqil & Al-Qabbany, Abdulaziz & Hussain, Amir. (2019).

Computational and natural language processing based studies of hadith literature: a survey. Artificial Intelligence Review. 52. 10.1007/s10462-019-09692-w.

Copeland, B.J.. (2024, Apr 10). artificial intelligence. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved April 13, 2024, from https://www. britannica.com/technology/artificial-intelligence.

Davenport T, Kalakota R. (2019). The potential for artificial intelligence in healthcare. Future Healthcare Journal, 6(2):94-98. doi: 10.7861/futurehosp.6-2-94.

Elmahjub, E. (2023). Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI. Philos.

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Ghaly, M. What Makes Work ""Good"" in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Islamic Perspectives on AI-Mediated Work Ethics. J Ethics (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10892-023-09456-3 Huang, L., Yu, W., Ma, W., Zhong, W., Feng, Z., Wang, H., ... & Liu, T. (2023). A survey on hallucination in large language models: Principles, taxonomy, challenges, and open questions. arXiv preprint arXiv:2311.05232.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI)

and the Duty of Humans

By: Wan Nadia Yusuf M.A. in Curriculum, Teaching and Instruction, National Institute of Education Bachelor's degree (Hons), Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Director of Al-Zuhri Institute of Higher Learning

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INTRODUCTION

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ocieties are living in an age where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly, though its ideation has long existed back in the 1950s by a British Polymath, Alan Turing8.. Today, after undergoing several phases of progression, AI has advanced to what is seen today as the age of ʻbig data’9..

Since AI machines have bigger speed and its learning algorithms have improved, AI has significantly improved multiple aspects of life, such as security, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, education, trade, and finance.

Although these sectors have benefited from these complex software systems10., it has also turned man, to a certain extent, obsolete in certain routine jobs and altered societies into people overly dependent on AI. In the light of this premise, this article attempts to discuss the implications of AI’s fast-paced growth and outlines the possible crucial duties humans will have to embark on.

8. Rockwell Anyoha, “The History of Artificial Intelligence,” Science in the News, April 23, 2020, https://sitn. hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/history-artificial-intelligence/.

9. Ibid.

10. Ezieddin Elmahjub, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI,” Philosophy & Technology 36, no. 4 (November 1, 2023), https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-023-00668-x.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) According to Britannica, “Artificial Intelligence is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. It is frequently applied to the project of developing systems equipped with intellectual processes, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience”.11.

Machine Learning (ML) The core technology that drives most AI capabilities is Machine Learning (ML). It is a subset of AI which enables software applications to improve their performance over time through learning patterns in data. From these patterns, AI can plan and take action, apply logical reasoning, make predictive analytics,12. classify and label information such as what Chatbots can do, and generate new content, like the ChatGPT. Though this autonomous behaviour promises efficient outcomes such as increased precision in extracting, summarizing

11. B.J. Copeland, “Artificial Intelligence,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, May 14, 2024, https://www.britannica. com/technology/artificial-intelligence.

12. Ezieddin Elmahjub, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI,”

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and classifying information, it may carry implications that can harm social cohesion through biases, discrimination, and loss of privacy. For machines to handle data and make, unaudited inferences is a behaviour that could lead to serious moral and legal consequences13.. Some examples include gender and racial discrimination, malicious use of deep fakes, political propaganda, fake news and cyberattacks. It poses a risk of humans losing control14. when they offload decision-making to AI because of what it is capable of. This may give room to uncertainty when AI becomes the forefront of decision-making.

Overseeing AI The challenge now is to come up with new ways of monitoring or auditing the many areas in which AI now plays such a big role. A professor of internet law at Harvard Law School, Jonathan Zittrain, raised a concern about reducing human autonomy from these systems15.. In due course, AI will need oversight, although it is not yet clear how that should be done. However, some

13. Ezieddin Elmahjub, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI,” 14. Bryan Lufkin, “Why the Biggest Challenge Facing AI Is an Ethical One,” BBC News, February 24, 2022, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170307-the-ethical-challenge-facing-artificial-intelligence.

15. Ibid.

13

criteria to consider, according to Bostrom and Yudkowsky, include responsibility, transparency, auditability, incorruptibility, and predictability16.; some of which are pertinent and aligned with the following points.

Users and their interaction with AI The duty of AI users is compartmentalized into three aspects: ethics, the idea of amanah and accountability, and reliance on true teachers.

Ethics– In Islam, ethics is seen as a science which is concerned with what is right and wrong. It refers to standards of conduct which indicate how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues undergirded by revelation. There are two aspects of ethics: the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil; and the commitment to do what is right and proper and to avoid what is bad and evil17..

With regard to AI, it is the Western ethical theories which overwhelmingly dominate the global theoretical discussion on AI ethics,

16. Nick Bostrom and Eliezer Yudkowsky, “The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” The Cambridge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence, June 12, 2014, 318, https://doi.org/10.1017/ cbo9781139046855.020.

17. Spahic Omer, “Ethics and Fiqh of Contemporary Issues”, 23 February 2008, Given at International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM-PERGAS), March 28, 2024.

FOKUS

therefore, they are the ones who set the ethical benchmarking18.. Thus, ChatGPT users, for example, may automate simple tasks such as preparing a speech for a school event. However, when it comes to complex subjects like history or Islamic legal rulings, users must exercise cautiousness and not simply obtain information without sieving them because of the ambiguity of who is behind this software. As Allah SWT mentions in the Holy Quran, Surah AlHujurat, 6:

“

ُ َ ٓ َ ْ ٓ ۡ ُ َ ٰ َ ْ َّ َ ُّ َ ٰٓ َ ۢ‫ك ْم فَ ا ِس ٌق‬ ‫ي ـ أي ه االِي ن ام ن وا ا ِن ج اء‬ َ َ ُ َْ ٓ ُ َ​َ​َ َ ‫ص يْ ُب ْوا ق ْو ًم ا ۢ ِبَ َه ال ٍة‬ ِ ‫ب ِن َب اٍ ف ت ب َّي ن ۡوا ان ت‬ ْ ٰ ْ ُْ َ َ َ َٰ ْ ُ ْ َُ َ ٦‫ف ت ص ب ِح وا ع م ا ف ع ل ت م ن ِدمِي‬

data to meet the users’ needs based on the keywords entered. This is an example where users are invited to discern and constantly verify the information obtained from such applications to avoid misinformation, misrepresentations, misconstrues and corrupt knowledge.

Therefore, in the scope of information and knowledge, serious sieving and distinguishing must be considered, especially when it is used as a source of knowledge or reference.

It becomes evident that ’man’s robust intellectual capabilities must be guided by ethics specified by revelation.

Additionally, if users are uncertain of the sources they obtained or generated, it is recommended to leave it. In Surah Al-Isra’, 36, Allah SWT states:

”“

“O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful.”

ْ َ ُ َْ َ َ َ ۚ ‫َول ت ق ف َم ا ل يْ َس ل ك ب ِهِۦ عِل ٌم‬ َ ٰٓ َ ْ ُ ُّ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ َّ ‫إِن ٱلس م ع وٱل ص وٱل ف ؤاد ك أول ـ ئ ِك‬ ً ْ َ َ َ ٣٦ ‫كن ع ن ُه َم ْس ُـٔول‬

”

Furthermore, it is not the programmers who provide the answers at the back end; rather, it is the ML’s precision and speed in collecting “And do not follow a thing about which you have no knowledge. Surely, the ear, the eye and the heart – each one of them shall be interrogated about.”

18. Ezieddin Elmahjub, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Ethics: Towards Pluralist Ethical Benchmarking for AI,”

14

FOKUS

In a hadith by the Prophet (SAW), which was narrated that Abu Al-Hawra’ As-Sa’di said:

َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ْ َ ‫يب ك‏‬ ‫دع م ا ي ِريب ك إِل م ا ال ي ِر‬

“Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.”

– Sunan an-Nasa’i, Book 51, Hadith 173 It becomes a duty for every human to leave sources they are doubtful of. If there is unsure, let the “human” scholars take the authoritative role, which will be mentioned in the last point.

Amanah and accountability– The idea of Amanah (trust) means to have integrity in carrying our duties towards Allah SWT and His creations in the proper way. Amanah, when exercised, turns individuals into responsible and accountable people. They will discharge their duties to the best of their abilities and not corrupt their services and/or actions with immoral practices. In the case of AI, misinformation and fake news are some examples, to name the least.

It can be said that AI is a neutral tool since users may alter, superimpose, copy, delete, or use AI software and applications as they please19.. For example, for supported applications such as Photoshop or Canva,

19. Nick Bostrom and Eliezer Yudkowsky, “The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,”

15

users must use them responsibly when designing graphics because otherwise, it can cause detrimental effects. An example is the fake news of an AI-based ʻgenerative fillʼ feature that generated a fake image of a puppy that was replaced with a baby carcass20.. This has worsened the PalestineIsrael situation and had evoked strong emotions globally. This seemingly small photo editing act will also impact the afterlife, for every ounce of act will be recorded and presented to Allah SWT, as mentioned in Surah Al-Zalzalah, verses 7 and 8.

Therefore, when using AI software or applications, every image and paragraph produced must be sound and trustworthy.

Eventually, amanah and accountability must be exercised in producing materials. It must also be one which brings benefit and not harm and disunity.

Reliance on true teachers – A concern for the West would be the next phase of AI. In Klepper’s article21., he mentioned that

20. Palestine Chronicle Staff, “A Little Dog and a Charred Baby: How Israel Utilized AI to Frame Palestinians,” Palestine Chronicle, October 14, 2023, https://www. palestinechronicle.com/a-sick-puppy-is-not-a-charred-baby-how-israel-utilized-ai-to-frame-palestinians/.

21. David Klepper, “Fake Babies, Real Horror: Deepfakes from the Gaza War Increase Fears about Ai’s Power to Mislead,” AP News, December 2, 2023, https:// apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hamas-israel-misinformation-ai-gaza-a1bb303b637ffbbb9cbc3aa1e000db47.

FOKUS

Maria Amelie, a co-founder of a Norwegian company which created an AI program that scans content for inaccuracies or bias, raised a point on the ʻhow’ to verify content out there.

They are exploring ways to detect misinformation and text analysis to determine its trustworthiness. Though these surveys are beneficial to some extent, they still serve as a supplementary verification for users after exercising discernment when working with AI generated materials. This is because, the scan, detection and analysis are still AI generated through its expansive data collection, not manually from humans.

Particularly for Muslims, obtaining knowledge like traditional religious sciences should come from true teachers and scholars where students need to attend physical classes, preferably.

These teachers and scholars will remain the forefront of sources of knowledge and points of reference in learning revealed knowledge.

In other words, in the age of AI, it becomes even more necessary to learn from true teachers to be equipped with sound bodies of knowledge, sciences and disciplines so that when AI is applied in different parts

of their lives, users have become trained to distinguish between true knowledge and misconstrued ones.

The actions of users are ultimately a manifestation of their intellectual activity22..

Despite the ongoing surveys on how to develop smart software which enables the detection of fraud, misinformation, fake news, and the like, it still serves as a supplementary phase of verification. What is primary and essential is for every AI user and consumer is to continue learning from ʻhuman’ teachers to acquire deeper knowledge regardless its discipline, from science to religious subjects.

To sum, despite AI’s rampant progress and possible implications, it remains a creative tool which facilitates the routines of humans in various parts of their lives. On the other hand, a man who has been placed on the highest pedestal in the hierarchy of creations, as the best of forms, bestowed with creative intelligence, must not depart from exercising ethics, amanah and accountability with confidence and conscience and continuous pursuance of seeking knowledge from true teachers.

Allah SWT knows best.

22. Nurul Ain Norman, “Ibn Sina’s Theory of the Soul: A Taxonomy of Islamic Education,” ICR Journal 12, no.

2 (December 31, 2021): 277, https://doi.org/10.52282/icr. v12i2.867.

16

EKONOMI ISLAM

Islamic Social Finance in Singapore

By: Nur Faiqah Binte Ramlan Masters in Islamic Finance Practice, INCEIF Chief Executive Officer, BY.HIFA GROUP LLP

17

EKONOMI ISLAM

INTRODUCTION

W

“

e are probably very aware of the ْ َ ٓ َ َ ُ ْ ُ ٰ َ َ َّ َ َّ existence of Islamic finance by now َ َ ٰ ‫ِني‬ ِ ‫۞إِن م ا ٱلص دق ـ ت ل ِل ف ق راءِ وٱل م س ـ ك‬ through different means. Some of us may َ ِ ‫َوٱلْ َع ٰـ م ل‬ ُ ُ‫ني َع لَ يْ َه ا َوٱل ْ ُم َؤ َّل َف ةِ قُ ل‬ ْ‫وب ُه م‬ have interacted with Islamic finance products, ِ such as Islamic savings accounts through ْ َّ َ ‫ٱلرقَ اب َوٱل َغ ٰـ رم‬ َ ‫ِني َوف‬ َ ّ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ِ‫يل ٱلل‬ banks or Shariah-compliant investment ِ ِ ِ ‫و ِف‬ ِ ِ ِ products through financial institutions. With َّ َ ّ ً َ َ َّ ‫َوٱب ْن‬ ُ َّ ‫ٱللِ ۗ َو‬ ‫ٱلل‬ ‫ِن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ة‬ ‫يض‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ف‬ ۖ ‫يل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ٱلس‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ the awareness of Islamic finance, it becomes َ َ ‫يم‬ ٌ ‫حك‬ ٌ ِ‫عل‬ important to people on how the earnings 60 ‫ِيم‬ are sought and how it is being spent while being socially responsible. Hence, it becomes imperative that the discussion of Islamic “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and Social Finance arises. for the needy and for those employed for it and for bringing hearts together (for Islam) The concept of Islamic Social Finance is in and for freeing captives (or slaves) and for fact not foreign. those in debt and for the cause of Allah and Zakat, being one of the pillars of Islam, is for the (stranded) traveller – an obligation an obligatory payment that needs to be imposed by Allah. And Allah is Knowing fulfilled by a Muslim annually if they satisfy and Wise.” the conditions of reaching the nisab (the As Muslims, we are also encouraged to give minimum amount), completing the haul Sadaqah (charity) as mentioned in the Surah (period of one Islamic year) and has the Al Hadid verse 18: complete ownership of the wealth23..

”

Zakat will be disbursed to the eight categories of beneficiaries as stipulated in the Quran. It is mentioned in Surah At-Taubah verse 60,

23. Zulkifli, M. F., Taha, R., Awang, R., Mohd Nor, M. N., & Ali, A. (2021). Combating Poverty in Malaysia: The Role of Zakat. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 505-513.

“

ْ ُ َ ْ َ َ ٰ َ ّ َّ ُ ْ َ َ ّ َّ ُ ْ َّ ‫ت وأق رض وا‬ ِ ‫إِن ٱل م ص ِدقِني وٱل م ص ِدق ـ‬ َ َ ُ َ ً ْ َ َ َّ َ ‫ضا‬ ‫ح َس ًن ا يُض ٰـ َع ف ل ُه ْم َول ُه ْم‬ ‫ٱلل ق ر‬ َ ْ ‫أ‬ ٌ ‫ج ٌر َك ر‬ 18 ‫يم‬ ِ

” 18

EKONOMI ISLAM

Indeed, the men who practice charity and the women who practice charity and [they who] have loaned Allāh a goodly loan - it will be multiplied for them, and they will have a noble reward.

Another type of charity called the Waqf is also encouraged in Islam. It is an Islamic endowment in which the endower donates in perpetuity, and ownership is transferred to Allah s.w.t, whether in the form of cash or any form of private wealth.

Islamic social finance aims to provide “financial services to the vulnerable members of the society to achieve socioeconomic welfare.”24. It is also part of its primary objective to eradicate poverty and ensure the needs of the poor are met. These are in line with the concept of Maqasid Shariah in which it strives to serve the public interest, maximise benefit, and reduce harm in the community. Hence, the wisdom behind Zakat obligations, Sadaqah and Waqf are the main drivers of Islamic social finance.

Zakat payment provides the proper mechanism for wealth distribution to happen between the rich and the needy.

24. M.Hamed, M. (2020). The Role of Islamic Social Finance in Mitigating Humanitarian Crises; A Multi-Range Strategy to Mitigate COVID-19 Impacts. European Journal of Islamic Finance.

19

With proper distribution, it helps the Zakat recipient to improve their standard of living and reduce income inequality. Zakat is also one of the means to instill a sense of cooperation in society, hence maintaining social justice and tensions. s, on the other hand, facilitates the process of distributing personal benefits to the community benefits.

On the other hand, practising Waqf facilitates distributing personal benefits to community benefits, which spurs economic empowerment25.. Other Islamic social finance instruments include Qard Hassan (Benevolent loan) and Takaful.

The landscape of Islamic social finance in Singapore is indeed unique. With the absence of Islamic financial institutions, Islamic organisations in Singapore play an important role in ensuring that the social objectives and needs of the needy society are met. This can be seen through the Zakat collection and disbursement efforts that are spearheaded by Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). In 2021, $65M was collected, and $17.9M was spent for zakat financial assistance (FA) as a direct transfer26.. Other bodies such as mosques,

25. Kencana, U., Ramli, N., & Hamdan, M. N. (2021).

Cash Waqaf Regulation in Indonesia- An Analysis Towards Zero Hunger During Covid 19 Pandemic. Awang Long Law Review, 32-46.

26. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. (2022). Muis Annual Report 2022. Singapore: Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura.

EKONOMI ISLAM

non-profit organisations and private Islamic institutions are also playing their role to help the poor and needy through Zakat, Sadaqah and different means of reach.

Other than Zakat, Waqf also plays its biggest role in Singapore's Islamic social finance landscape with assets worth more than $900 million in two distinct categoriesproperties and cash. With the rising property prices in Singapore, Waqf has become less viable for Singaporeans hence leading to the creation of cash waqf. The Wakaf Ilmu, is a cash waqf created specially to support the religious education in Singapore. Whereas the net income derived from Waqf properties are distributed to various beneficiaries. With the launch of Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura (WMS) in June 2020, where it aims to “provide a long-term sustainable source of funding and support, in areas not supported by any existing structure community funds27.”– we can definitely look forward to more robust development in the sector.

While there are already existing infrastructures to support Islamic Social finance in Singapore, there is definitely more that can be done to help the poor and needy who may fall out of the current

beneficiaries but are looking at improving their economic well-being. For example, Islamic microfinancing such as Qard Hassan (benevolent loan) through the existing waqf models may be introduced to help support different needs such as education loans or small business loans.

More efforts can potentially be introduced in the future to continue benefitting the Singapore community and beyond.

References Kencana, U., Ramli, N., & Hamdan, M. N. (2021). Cash Waqaf Regulation in Indonesia- An Analysis Towards Zero Hunger During Covid 19 Pandemic. Awang Long Law Review, 32-46.

M.Hamed, M. (2020). The Role of Islamic Social Finance in Mitigating Humanitarian Crises; A Multi-Range Strategy to Mitigate COVID-19 Impacts. European Journal of Islamic Finance.

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura. (2022). Muis Annual Report 2022.

Singapore: Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura.

Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura. (2022). About Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura. Retrieved from https://www.ourwakaf.sg/ about/#wmsbackground Zulkifli, M. F., Taha, R., Awang, R., Mohd Nor, M. N., & Ali, A. (2021). Combating Poverty in Malaysia: The Role of Zakat. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 505-513.

27. Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura. (2022). About Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura. Retrieved from https://www. ourwakaf.sg/about/#wmsbackground

20

KENALI ASATIZAH

Kenali Asatizah

1

What is your education and job scope background?

I

received my early education at Madrasah Al-Irsyad and Madrasah Wak Tanjong before enrolling at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where I earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Political Science. I also hold a Master’s in Islamic Political Thought & Middle East Politics from the International Institute of Islamic Thought & Civilization in Malaysia (ISTAC, IIUM) In my current role as Global Product Policy Manager, Trust and Safety at a multinational technology company, I develop global online policies for a social media

21

Ustaz Ridhwan Bin Mohd Basor platform to ensure user safety. My work is grounded in principles such as balancing harm prevention and expression, embracing human dignity, and ensuring policies are applied fairly and consistently to all users.

KENALI ASATIZAH

2

What attracted you to work at a highly reputed international tech company, despite the long years working in Muis, and what has been the most rewarding aspect of your experience so far?

The dynamic and innovative environment of a leading international tech company attracted me after my long tenure at Muis.

The opportunity to influence global policies and work on cutting-edge issues such as digital safety and AI-generated content was compelling. Additionally, the chance to collaborate with diverse colleagues from around the world, each bringing unique cultural perspectives and practices, has enriched my professional experience. The most rewarding aspect has been the ability to positively impact billions of users worldwide, ensuring safer online experiences and contributing to the development of policies that transcend geographical boundaries.

Developing operable policies to manage emerging global crises has been an incredibly fulfilling and passionate endeavour for me, Alhamdulillah.

3

What skills would you suggest for someone looking to succeed in the technology industry?

To succeed in the technology industry, one should develop a blend of technical and soft skills. Key technical skills include data analysis, project management, risk analysis, and a solid understanding of technological platforms. Equally important are soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, effective communication, and the ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional teams. Staying current with technological trends and continuously upgrading one’s skills is also crucial.

22

KENALI ASATIZAH

4

How have you seen AI technologies and applications evolve over the course of your career?

AI technologies have evolved rapidly, especially in the last one to two years.

Generative AI (Gen-AI) has become a buzzword, signifying the next big leap in technology, building on the proliferation of social media. My work includes developing sound AI-generated content (AIGC) policies to ensure the integration of Gen-AI with social media tools does not lead to online harm. This is particularly important given the potential for AI-generated deepfakes, pornographic content, and automated propaganda from bad actors.

5

An AI-generated illustration of a fictional city.

23

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the technology sector today?

One of the biggest challenges posed by Gen-AI is the speed at which content is generated, often at the expense of credibility and suitability for users. Gen-AI further democratizes knowledge, including religious knowledge, which means asatizah must compete in a more competitive marketplace of ideas. As AI-driven chatbots provide digital fatwas and guidance, concerns about misinformation, deepfakes, and misuse of

KENALI ASATIZAH

AI in religious contexts arise. Ensuring ethical use and preventing harm are ongoing challenges that require vigilant policy development, enforcement and regulation.

In ensuring positive options for users, the development of positive AIGC platforms by credible individuals and groups are paramount.

6

Do you have any envision for the future of AI and its potential in transitioning its concepts into realworld applications?

AI has immense potential to transform various sectors by enhancing efficiency, personalization, and decision-making processes. In the realm of religious life, especially for Muslims, AI could offer personalized religious guidance, facilitate virtual congregations, and enhance access to religious education. However, it poses challenges to traditional and mainstream religious leadership, requiring them to adapt to new ways of engagement while maintaining doctrinal integrity.

scholars and students worldwide, facilitating discussions and the sharing of ideas, potentially leading to a more diverse range of interpretations through tools for independent research and analysis.

Overall, I envision a future where AI not only augments human capabilities but also addresses some of the world’s most pressing challenges, fostering a more inclusive and innovative global society. The origins of the modern algorithm, essential to AI, can be traced back to Al-Khawarizmi, demonstrating that technology has always been intertwined with human progress.

AI, like any other medium, requires a positive and ethical framework to ensure it is harnessed for the greater good. Avoiding technology is not an option; instead, we must strive to use it wisely to bring benefits to humanity. Establishing ethical guidelines and responsible practices will help us leverage AI’s potential while mitigating its risks.

AI can provide access to a vast amount of information, facilitating research and study of Islamic texts and scholarship. It can assist in textual analysis, enabling scholars to explore and understand classical texts more efficiently. Additionally, AI can connect

24

KENALI PERGAS

Kenali Pergas

ACARA GEMA KESYUKURAN

A

r-Risalah mengucapkan setinggitinggi tahniah kepada 4 asatizah kerana dinobatkan sebagai penerima 3 anugerah daripada pihak Pergas dalam Majlis Gema Kesyukuran bertemakan: Menghargai Pencapaian dan Sumbangan Asatizah. Majlis ini telah diadakan pada tanggal 3 Mac 2024 dengan tujuan untuk memberikan penghargaan dan pengiktirafan kepada sumbangan dan pencapaian asatizah Singapura.

25

1

Anugerah Warisan Pergas

Anugerah Warisan Pergas adalah anugerah berprestij yang yang buat pertama kali diperkenalkan pada kali ini. Ia diberikan kepada individu yang telah menunjukkan dedikasi, kepimpinan, dan perkhidmatan yang tiada tandingannya kepada Pergas dan masyarakat Islam secara luas. Anugerah terbilang ini bertujuan untuk mengiktiraf dan memberi penghormatan kepada cendekiawan Islam yang cemerlang dan berkomitmen sepanjang hayatnya dan juga sumbangan mereka yang cemerlang yang telah meninggalkan kesan.

KENALI PERGAS

2

Al-Fadhil Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Bin Hassan telah dinobatkan sebagai penerima augerah ini atas sumbangan beliau sebagai presiden Pergas selama lebih daripada 20 tahun (20022023). Sepanjang menjadi Presiden Pergas, Ustaz Hasbi telah menonjolkan dirinya sebagai pemimpin yang bertanggungjawab dan berwawasan. Kehadiran dan penglibatan beliau yang tidak berbelah bahagi telah membawa Pergas ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi.

Pelbagai usaha yang telah beliau lakukan untuk memastikan kemaslahatan asatizah tempatan dan juga masyarakat Islam Singapura terjaga.

Selaku Pengerusi Masyaikh Pergas, Ustaz Hasbi akan terus memberikan sokongan dan tunjuk ajar kepada generasi baru pemimpin Pergas.

Anugerah Obor Ummah

Anugerah Obor Ummah ialah anugerah yang diadakan untuk mengiktiraf dan menghormati sumbangan tidak ternilai para asatizah yang berumur 50 tahun ke atas.

Anugerah terbilang ini meraikan individu yang mengorak langkah besar dalam membentuk landskap dakwah dan khidmat kepada masyarakat Islam melalui platform yang pelbagai.

Anugerah ini diberikan kepada Al-Fadhilah Ustazah Habsah Bte Senin.

Beliau merupakan penerima pertama daripada kalangan asatizah wanita. Usaha beliau yang berterusan dalam mendidik masyarakat Islam Singapura merentasi generasi dan lapisan masyarakat, terutama sekali dalam kalangan kaum wanita. Fokus Ustazah terhadap pendidikan wanita

26

KENALI PERGAS

berputik daripada pengiktirafan beliau terhadap peranan penting mereka sebagai pendidik utama dalam unit keluarga.

Didikannya telah meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam kepada generasi wanita.

3

Anugerah Asatizah Cemerlang

Anugerah Asatizah Cemerlang diberikan kepada asatizah bawah umur 50 tahun yang sudah berkhidmat sekurang-kurangnya lima tahun secara berterusan, dan terlibat secara aktif dalam landskap dakwah, sektor agama, kemasyarakatan dan sukarela.

Anugerah yang disanjungi ini bertujuan untuk mengiktiraf dan meraikan prestasi cemerlang serta sumbangan para asatizah yang berpotensi tinggi dalam bidang masing-masing. Bagi tahun ini, anugerah itu tertumpu khas kepada asatizah dalam sektor pendidikan Islam, yang usaha dan pencapaian luar biasa mereka telah meningkatkan taraf pendidikan Islam.

Anugerah ini diberikan kepada dua orang asatizah, Al-Fadhil Ustaz Fathurrahman bin Hj M Dawoed dan Al-Fadhil Ustaz Muhammad Nuzhan bin Abdul Halim.

Al-Fadhil Ustaz Fathurrahman bin Hj M Dawoed telah meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam melalui penglibatannya dalam landskap pendidikan Islam swasta.

Beliau telah memainkan peranan penting dalam kejayaan pengembangan Bahagian Pendidikan Andalus Corporation Pte Ltd. Beliau kini berkhidmat sebagai Pengarah Eksekutif Andalus Corporation. Selain itu, beliau juga setiausaha bagi Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Sekolah di alma maternya, Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah dan kini merupakan Pengerusi AMP Singapura.

Beliau juga merupakan anggota tetap Jawatankuasa Fatwa Muis bersamasama dengan pemimpin agama lain yang dihormati.

Komitmen Ustaz Fathurrahman terhadap kecemerlangan pendidikan terserlah lagi dengan pelancaran program seperti pradiploma pengajian Islam dan Diploma Pengajian Islam Lanjutan (DPIL) di Andalus. Beliau juga telah memperkenalkan simposium tahunan yang membolehkan pelajar terlibat dengan cendekiawan dan intelektual terkemuka.

27

KENALI PERGAS

dalam perbincangan berkaitan Fiqh di masjid.

Inisiatif itu kemudian berkembang menjadi kumpulan sukarelawan yang berdedikasi berkhidmat di masjid.

Sebagai seorang usahawan, Ustaz Muhammad Nuzhan mengasaskan Nuns Production, satu lagi bentuk inovatif di mana beliau mengendalikan seminar keibubapaan dan pembinaan sahsiah serta memberikan ceramah mengenai topik yang berkaitan dengan kehidupan perkahwinan dan keluarga.

Al-Fadhil Ustaz Muhammad Nuzhan Bin Abdul Halim berada di barisan hadapan di landskap dakwah kreatif. Kerja-kerja inovatif beliau jelas terpancar melalui inisiatif asasnya, dari segi penglibatan beliau dalam media digital dan platform keusahawanan.

Dalam kapasitinya sebagai Naib Kadi selama lebih sedekad, beliau merupakan sebahagian daripada asatizah perintis yang memperjuangkan program “Bersamamu”.

Ia merupakan model sokongan berasaskan komuniti yang memberi tumpuan kepada memupuk perkahwinan dan keluarga yang kukuh dan stabil.

Beliau memulakan perjalanan sebagai Pegawai Pembangunan Belia di Masjid Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah pada 2009 dan mengasaskan kumpulan belia “Nurabitah”.

Bersama-sama dengan kumpulan itu, beliau telah memperjuangkan program “Kembali ke Masjid” yang menggalakkan belia menyertai aktiviti masjid dan mewujudkan ruang selamat untuk mereka membincangkan tentang isu-isu masa kini. Beliau juga telah menubuhkan geng PIT STOP di mana sewa persendirian dan pemandu teksi boleh berehat dan terlibat

Secara keseluruhan, anugerah pertama adalah untuk mengiktiraf sumbangan secara langsung yang luar biasa kepada Pergas. Anugerah kedua pula mengiktiraf pengorbanan dan pengaruh positif kepada negara akibat dedikasi sebagai seorang guru agama yang telah memanfaatkan masyarakat Islam di Singapura secara umumnya.

Anugerah yang terakhir mengiktiraf sumbangan serta potensi hebat Asatizah untuk terus memimpin masyarakat Islam tempatan ke hadapan.

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

Diari Kegiatan Pergas Januari – April 2024 8 Januari 2024 Majlis Hari Orientasi Pelajar Pegas (HOPe) bagi Program Diploma Pengajian Islam (DPI), Sijil Lanjutan Pengajian Islam (SLPI), Sijil Pengajian Islam (SPI), Sijil Pengajian Islam Remaja (SPIr) dan Program Takrif Islam (PTI) telah diadakan pada 6 Januari 2024.

Program tersebut diadakan pada jam 9.00 pagi hingga 11.30 pagi secara atas talian bagi memberi taklimat serta menerangkan hal ehwal pentadbiran dan akademik pengajian. Acara ini telah dihadiri seramai 200 orang dan ceramah motivasi telah disampaikan oleh Asatizah Sepenuh Masa, Ustazah Zahratur Rofiqah dan Ustaz Muhammad Aiman Omar.

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13 Januari 2024 Acara “UP-CLOSE WITH PERGAS” adalah suatu acara yang diadakan pada tarikh 13 Januari, di The Big Theatre, Capital Tower, 168 Robinson Road, dari jam 3:00 petang – 5:00 petang. Acara ini telah menjemput para graduan pra-universiti daripada beberapa Madrasah di Singapura untuk bersama Presiden Pergas, Ustaz Muhammad Tarmizi Abdul Wahid dan acara ini telah melibatkan dialog dua hala tentang perjalanan dan peranan sebagai seorang graduan Madrasah.

AKTIVITI PERGAS

14 Januari 2024 Acara Gathering of Minds MPP (GOMPP) & Appreciation Day telah diadakan pada 14 Januari 2024. Program ini diadakan pada setiap tahun semasa mesyuarat tahunan antara Asatizah, Exco dan ahli MPP. Juga sebagai hari penghargaan di atas sumbangan dan jasa ahli MPP sepanjang tahun. Selain itu, acara ini juga melantik anggota Exco yang baharu dari kalangan ahli MPP serta mengadakan sesi silaturahim antara Asatizah & ahli MPP.

7 Februari 2024 Lantera Hikmah E-Hadith Episod 30 LIVE bersama Ustazah Dr Sakinah Saptu telah menjelaskan bagaimana Rasulullah s.a.w menyifatkan orang yang berlaku kezaliman, dan apakah yang berlaku ketika seseorang itu dizalimi.

6 Februari 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Ahmad Bin Ariffin yang telah membincangkan pengajaran daripada perisitiwa Isra’ dan Mi’raj bersempena dengan 27 Rejab.

Terdapat juga segmen Sentuhan Silam yang telah disampaikan oleh Ustaz Mohamed Hafiz Mohd Rahmat, yang telah berkongsi tentang Kisah Sahabat, pada jam 12:40 tengah hari. dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al-Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

7 Februari 2024

FEB

Majlis anjuran bersama Tradisi Halaqah di bawah naungan Badan Agama dan Pelajaran Radin Mas (BAPA) dan Persatuan Ulama dan Guru-Guru Agama Islam Singapura (PERGAS) dari jam 6:30ptg-9:30malam

• Pembacaan cuplikan dari Kitab Fiqh al-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah bab mukjizat Isra’ Mi’raj karangan As-Syahid Sheikh Muhammad Sa’id Ramadhan al-Bouti • Istighfar Rejab susunan al-Habib Hassan Bin Imam Abdulllah Bin ‘Alawi al-Haddad

8 Februari 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustazah Rabiatul Adawiyah Binte Sazali yang telah membincangkan berkenaan realiti masyarakat warga emas di Singapura, dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al-Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

13 Februari 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Muhammad Huzaifatul Harith Mohd Hasbi yang telah memberi panduan praktis serta membincangkan amalan-amalan yang dianjurkan dalam bulan Ramadhan, serta nasihat dan motivasi sebagai persiapan untuk menerima anugerah Ramadhan.

Terdapat juga segmen Sentuhan Silam yang telah disampaikan oleh Ustazah Syahirah Atikah binte Jumat, yang telah berkongsi tentang Kisah Sayyidatina Fatima R.A, pada jam 12:40 tengah hari dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al - Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

14 Feb, 31 Mac & 21 Apr 2024 Diskusi Ilmiah– Sesi perkongsian ini bertujuan memberi pendedahan kepada para pelajar untuk menyelidik lebih mendalam isu yang berkaitan dengan topik yang akan dibincangkan. Selain daripada merujuk kepada kitab-kitab, para pelajar diberi peluang berinteraksi dan berbincang bersama Asatizah ataupun pakar yang berpengalaman dalam bidang masing-masing. Berikut adalah sesi-sesi yang telah berlangsung pada Jul-Dis: Fiqh Munakahat: Nusyuz & Keganasan Rumahtangga– Pada sesi ini, para pelajar diajak untuk menganalisa maksud sebenar ayat-ayat Nusyuz di dalam Al-Quran, khususnya ayat 34 & 128 dalam Surah An-Nisa. Para pelajar akan membuat perbandingan akan maksud nusyuz yang pelbagai dan akan mengenalpasti fahaman dan tafsiran yang wasatiy terhadap ayat-ayat tersebut.

Sehubungan dengan itu, para pelajar juga akan diajak untuk mengkaji isu keganasan domestik dalam rumahtangga hari ini. Mereka akan didedahkan dengan fakta serta kajian terkini berkaitan isu tersebut. ➥ 14 Feb: Dr Ustaz Mohd Yusri Yubhi

➥ 31 Mac: Dr Ustaz Mohd Yusri Yubhi

Ulum Al-Quran: Sains Dalam Al-Quran– Pada sesi ini, para pelajar diajak untuk menganalisa falsafah dan kepentingan sains berhubung dengan al-Quran. Para pelajar akan didedahkan dengan metodologi penafsiran ayat-ayat kauniyyah dan kaedah aplikasi sains terhadap ayat-ayat tersebut.

Sehubungan dengan itu, para pelajar juga akan diajak untuk mengkaji isu-isu serta cabaran semasa dalam penggunaan ilmu sains sebagai suatu alat dalam menafsirkan al-Quran. ➥ 21 Apr: Ustazah Dr Rohana Ithnin

,

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

FEB

24 Februari 2024

17 & 24 Februari 2024 Asatizah Writing Lab– Bengkel 2 hari ini bertujuan untuk melengkapkan asatizah untuk menulis secara berkesan dengan mengutamakan khalayak, memudahkan pemahaman mesej yang ingin disampaikan oleh asatizah.

Dengan jurulatih dari Berita Harian Singapura, asatizah telah belajar cara menulis secara berkesan kepada khalayak ramai dengan menyusun dan menstrukturkan penulisan berdasarkan prinsip kewartawanan. Bengkel ini telah dijalankan pada 17 & 24 Februari 2024, di SPH Media, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Singapore Press Holdings.

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Program khas untuk menghidupkan Malam Nisfu Sya’ban anjuran bersama Pergas, Masjid Sultan Singapore dan Nur Insan. Tema forum yang telah disampaikan “Meneladani Ramadhan-mu Duhai Rasulullah” bersama para asatizah tempatan dengan bacaan Burdah, doa Nisfu Sya’ban dan lain-lain lagi bermula dari jam 6 petang di dewan Masjid Sultan.

1, 2, 8 & 9 Mac 2024 Dowra Ramadhan yang telah dijalankan pada tarikh-tarikh tersebut dalam 4 sesi, hari Jumaat & Sabtu dari jam 8 malam - 9 malam, bersama Shaykh Dr Hisham Hellyer. Dowra ini bertujuan untuk membantu para peserta dalam mempersiapkan mereka menghadapi Ramadhan yang akan datang dengan mengenalpasti dan menangani maksiat jiwa. Shaykh Dr Hisham Hellyer telah meneroka maksiat jiwa dan memperkenalkan langkah-langkah pemulihan yang sepadan, berdasarkan buku oleh ulama yang dihormati Shaykh Abdul Rahman Sulami, bertajuk "The Infamies of the Soul." Memandangkan cabaran kontemporari era pascamoden kita, bimbingan rohani ini lebih relevan berbanding sebelum ini, terutamanya di bulan Ramadhan yang penuh keberkatan.

AKTIVITI PERGAS

5 Mac 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Mohammad Fitry bin Redwan yang telah berkongsi bagaimana agama memberikan landasan moral dan rohani kepada belia, serta bagaimana mereka boleh mengekalkan keseimbangan antara kehidupan moden dan nilai-nilai agama, dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al-Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

7 Mac 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustazah Shameem Sultanah Abdul Gaffoor perihal membayar dalam menuntut ilmu, dan mengapa kadangkala perlu mengeluarkan wang untuk belajar agama.

Terdapat juga segmen Sentuhan Silam yang telah disampaikan oleh Ustaz Saifullah Mubarak, dengan perkongsian bertajuk "Ramadhan Bulan Pesta", pada jam 12:40 tengah hari. Dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al-Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

12 Mac 2024 6 Mac 2024 Lantera Hikmah E-Hadith secara LIVE di Facebook bersama Ustazah Dr Sakinah Saptu pada 6 Mac 2024 yang telah membincangkan hadith ke-25 dimana hadith itu menjelaskan bagaimana Allah s.w.t telah menjadikan kita semua jalan untuk bersedekah bagi setiap Muslim, dan anjuran untuk kita berlumbalumba dalam kebaikan.

Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Muhammad Syamir Bin Jamalludin yang telah berkongsi bagaimana masyarakat boleh terus memakmurkan Masjid sepanjang tahun, dibawa khas oleh Masjid Al-Mukminin dengan kerjasama Pergas.

14 Mac 2024 Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustazah Siti Zubaidah Binte Mohamed yang telah menyentuh perihal peningkatan keimanan, amalan kebaikan, dan nasihat praktikal dalam memanfaatkan bulan Ramadan secara maksimal.

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

30 Mac 2024 Adopted Charity (Ihya’ Ramadhan) & Grab Pahala– Program Adopted Charity (Ihya’ Ramadhan) telah diadakan pada 30 Mac 2024M bersamaan 19 Ramadan 1445H pada 2.30 petang hingga 5.30 petang. Penceramahnya ialah Ustazah Dr Kalthom Isa dengan tajuk "Perubahan Bulan Ramadan" dan Ukhti Nur Syatirah Adi Sunaryo dengan tajuk: “Kesihatan Sepanjang Ramadhan”.

Pada hari yang sama juga, acara Grab Pahala turut diadakan bermula jam 6.00 petang.

Para sukarelawan telah membantu menghantar barangan runcit dan makanan kepada pelanggan FA Pergas.

30 Mac 2024

31 Mac 2024

Asatizah Turun Padang

a) Tadarrus Al-Quran– Program Tadarus Quran telah diadakan pada 31 Mac 2024 / 20 Ramadan 1445H bermula jam 12.30 tenghari hingga 2.30 ptg. Seramai 43 pelajar mengambil bahagian termasuk kakitangan IPIP, alumni, ahli MPP & masyarakat. Sesi tadarrus diadakan secara fizikal di Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah.

DARIPADA ASATIZAH, KEPADA ASATIZAH– Program ini adalah program tahunan Ramadan Pergas, di mana asatizah dapat menziarahi asatizah yang memerlukan dan juga masyaikh Pergas.

Asatizah telah mendapat peluang untuk bertukar khabar, mengeratkan silaturahim dan meraih manfaat daripada perkongsian dan nasihat mereka, di samping berkongsi rezeki menerusi Habuan Raya Pergas.

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b) Iftaria MPP 2024– MPP telah mengadakan majlis iftar bersama para pelajar IPIP. Seramai 13 anggota MPP bersama ahli keluarga mereka, dan 3 kakitangan IPIP telah menghadiri program tersebut. Acara ini merupakan acara yang pertama kali diadakan semenjak Covid.

AKTIVITI PERGAS

1 & 6 April 2024

2 April 2024

Diantara program Ihya’ Ramadhan yang telah dijalankan khas pada bulan Ramdhan adalah Qiyammullail bersama Pergas @ Masjid Kassim yang telah diimamkan oleh Ustaz Muhammad Tarmizi Abdul Wahid bermula dari jam 4:00 pagi pada tarikh 1 April, juga pada tarikh 6 April yang telah diimamkan oleh Ustaz Syakir Samsaimon.

Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Muhammad Imran Bin Othman yang telah berkongsi bagaimana kita mengekalkan rasa syukur di tengah cabaran, dan memperoleh keberkatan Ramadan.

Terdapat juga segmen Renovasi Qalbi yang telah disampaikan oleh Ustaz Mohd Hasbi Hassan, dengan perkongsian bertajuk “Kaedah Mencari Malam Lailatul Qadr”, pada jam 1:15 petang, selepas azan Zuhur.

4 April 2024

7 April 2024

Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Mohammad Khalid Bin Mohd Rafi yang telah berkongsi bagaimana cara Rasulullah s.a.w. menonjolkan rasa syukurnya terhadap Allah s.w.t. menjadi inspirasi bagi ummatnya, lebih-lebih lagi pada bulan Ramadan.

Majlis Khatam Al-Quran– Majlis Khatam Quran telah diadakan pada 7 April 2024M / 27 Ramadan 1445H bertempat di Tradisi Halaqah yang dipimpin oleh Ustaz Ali Bin Rohani. Acara ini melibatkan pelajar PTI, SPI & SPIR yang hadir secara fizikal di Wisma Indah manakala bagi pelajar program SPI & SLPI di Madrasah Aljunied, pelajar DPI, BIRKH dan semua pelajar lain mengikutinya secara online.

Terdapat juga segmen Renovasi Qalbi yang telah disampaikan oleh Ustaz Mohd Hasbi Hassan, dengan perkongsian bertajuk “Kaedah Mencari Malam Lailatul Qadr”, pada jam 1:15 petang, selepas azan Zuhur.

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AKTIVITI PERGAS

9 April 2024 TAKBIRSG 2024– Laungan Takbir Aidilfitri yang telah dijalankan secara LIVE di Facebook disemarakkan pada malam Aidilfitri bersama wakil-wakil badan agama dan madrasah setempat.

16 April 2024

18 April 2024

Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Ahmad Rushdy Mohd Ariff yang telah berkongsi bagaimana kita mampu mengekalkan ketekunan selepas Ramadan berlalu, dan dapat diteruskan dalam bulan Syawal dan selanjutnya.

Program Radio Pergas bersama DJ Hos Ustaz Syed Matiin bersama Asatizah Undangan, Ustaz Syeikh Umar Bin Abdul Aziz yang telah berkongsi kepentingan akhlak, adab dan etika di dalam kehidupan seharian kita, lebih-lebih lagi pada bulan Syawal ini yang kita saling ziarah menziarahi dan bersua dengan satu sama lain.

28 April 2024 10 April 2024

17 April 2024

Solat Hari Raya Aidilfitri yang telah dijalankan pada 10 April, untuk dua sesi iaitu pada jam 7:20 pagi untuk sesi yang pertama dan 8:45 pagi untuk sesi kedua anjuran Masjid Kassim dengan sokongan dari Pergas.

Buku teks IPIP – Pengantar Ilmu Tasawwwuf untuk pelajar di peringkat Sijil Lanjutan Pengajian Islam Pergas telah dicetak pada Disember 2023 dan mula digunakan oleh pelajar pada 17 April 2024. Buku ini ditulis oleh dua Asatizah tempatan, iaitu Ustazah Masnia Nassim dan Ustazah Sodah Sunan.

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Seminar IPIP– Seminar IPIP yang bertajuk “Memahami Konflik Serantau: Peranan Ilmu Falak Dalam Dunia Moden Hari Ini” telah dijalankan pada 28 April 2024 secara hybrid di Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah dan Online.

Sesi tersebut telah disampaikan oleh Ustaz Muhammad Haziq Bin Zainal.

Seminar ini bertujuan untuk memberi kefahaman kepada peserta akan isu-isu serantau khususnya yang berkaitan dengan konflik penetapan tarikh-tarikh khas dalam kalendar Islam. Ia bakal membincangkan peranan ilmu falak serta perbezaan pendekatan yang digunapakai oleh negara-negara Islam serantau dalam penetapan tersebut.

TINTA ILMU

ULASAN BUKU

Analogi Qurani Dalam Kehidupan Insani

Pengenalan Kepada Pengarang Buku

B

uku ‘Analogi Qurani Dalam Kehidupan Insani’ merupakan karya Dr. Mohd Sukki Othman. Beliau memiliki Sarjana Muda Bahasa Arab dan Syariah Islamiah dari Universiti Yarmouk, Jordan serta Sarjana Pengajian Islam dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia dan ijazah kedoktoran dalam bidang I’jaz Al-Quran dari Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.

Beliau kini bertugas sebagai Pensyarah Kanan di Universiti Putra Malaysia dan terlibat secara aktif juga dalam medan dakwah, seperti dalam rancangan Tanyalah Ustaz TV9 dan rancangan Tafsir Al-Quran Radio IKIM. Selain daripada buku ini, pengarang juga ada menulis buku “A-Z Ramadan” berkenaan perkara-perkara asas berkaitan Ramadan, dan juga “Mari Kenal Ilmu Tafsir”, yang memberi pendedahan asas kepada ilmu Tafsir Al-Quran.

By: Zubair bin Mohd Redza Sarjana Muda dalam Bahasa dan Kesusasteraan Arab, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia Guru Bahasa Arab dan Ilmu Agama, Madrasah Alsagoff Al-Arabiah 38

TINTA ILMU

Motivasi Di Sebalik Karya ‘Analogi

merupakan sunnah junjungan Nabi kita Nabi

Qurani Dalam Kehidupan Insani’

Muhammad s.a.w.

Firman Allah s.w.t. pada Surah An-Nisa,

Di antara tema yang ada pada Al-Quran

ayat ke-82:

untuk penghayatan kita adalah penggunaan

َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ ْ ‫أف ل ي ت دب رون ٱل ق رءان ۚ ول و كن مِن عِن ِد‬ ْ َ َّ ْ َ ْ ً ِ ‫ٱخ ت ِلَ ٰـ ًف ا َك ث‬ 82 ‫ريا‬ ِ‫ي ٱللِ ل َو َج ُدوا فِي ه‬ ِ ‫غ‬

kita berfikir dan lebih mengerti apa yang

“

analogi, di mana harapannya adalah untuk ingin disampaikan, sesuai dengan firman Allah s.w.t. pada Surah Al-Hashr, ayat ke-21:

“ ”

ْ َ ُ ٰ َ َْ ْ َ ْ َ َّ ُ ْ‫اس لَ َع َّل ُه م‬ َ ِ ‫ضب ه ا ل ِلن‬ ِ ‫وت ِل ك ٱلم ث ـ ل ن‬ َ َّ َ 21 ‫َي َت ف ك ُرون‬

Yang bermaksud: “Patutkah mereka (bersikap demikian), tidak mahu memikirkan isi Al-Quran? Kalaulah Al-Quran itu (datangnya) bukan dari sisi Allah, nescaya Yang bermaksud: “Dan (ingatlah), misalmereka akan dapati perselisihan yang banyak misal perbandingan ini Kami kemukakan di dalamnya.” kepada umat manusia, supaya mereka memikirkannya.”

Di sini, satu seruan daripada Allah s.w.t. untuk kita menghayati ayat suci Al-Quran, di samping membacanya. Dengan kita menghayati inti pati Al-Quran, dapatlah kita mencungkil mutiara yang sedia ada, lalu mengamalkannya dalam hidup seharian kita.

Inilah yang dimaksudkan dengan jawapan Sayyidatina Aisyah r.a. apabila ditanya tentang akhlak Baginda Nabi Muhammad s.a.w., iaitu, yang bermaksud: “Akhlaknya s.a.w. adalah Al-Quran.” Maka, berkenaan penghayatan isi kandungan Al-Quran, di samping ia suatu tuntutan agama, ia juga

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”

Dengan ini, lahirlah satu motivasi bagi pengarang untuk mengumpulkan analogianalogi yang ada dalam Al-Quran, sebagai satu bentuk rujukan yang tematik untuk penghayatan Al-Quran.

Gaya Dan Pendekatan Pengarang Dalam Penyusunan Buku Dalam penyusunan buku, pengarang mengikut susunan surah dalam Al-Quran, bermula dari Surah Al-Baqarah dan diikuti dengan surah-surah selepasnya.

TINTA ILMU

Setelah mengemukakan ayat yang adanya kiasan dan perumpamaan, beliau mengemukakan pencerahan para ulama Tafsir berkenaan maksud ayat tersebut.

Seterusnya, beliau akan berkongsi beberapa pengajaran penting yang dapat diraih.

Contoh Kiasan Dalam Al-Quran Satu contoh gaya dan metodologi penulisan boleh diambil daripada ayat pertama buku ini, iaitu firman Allah s.w.t. pada Surah AlBaqarah, ayat ke-26:

ْ َ َ ٓ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ‫ضب‬ ‫۞ إِن ٱلل ل ي س ت حۦ أن ي‬ ََّ ِ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ َ َ ً َ ُ َ َّ ً َ َ ‫م ث ل م ا ب ع وض ة ف م ا ف وق ه ا ۚ ف أم ا‬ َ َ ُ َ ْ َ َ ْ ُ َ َ َّ ُّ‫ٱل ق‬ َ ْ ‫ون أنَّ ُه‬ ‫ٱلِين َءام ن وا ف ي ع ل م‬ ْ ُ َ َ َ َّ َّ َ َ ْ ّ َّ ‫مِن رب ِ ِه م ۖ وأم ا ٱلِين ك ف روا‬ ً َ َ َ ٰ َ ُ َّ َ َ َ ٓ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ ۘ ‫ف ي ق ول ون م اذا أراد ٱلل ب ِه ـ ذا م ث ل‬ ُ ً ِ ‫ض ُّل ب هِۦ َك ث‬ ً ِ ‫ريا َو َي ْه ِدى ب هِۦ َك ث‬ ۚ ۚ‫ريا‬ ۚ ِ ِ ‫ي‬ ِ ُّ ُ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ‫سق‬ 82 ‫ني‬ ِ ِ ‫ض ل ب ِهِۦٓ إِل ٱل ف ٰـ‬ ِ ‫وم ا ي‬ Perlu disebutkan juga bagaimana kiasan dan perumpamaan yang dibincangkan merangkumi persoalan yang menyentuh pelbagai aspek kehidupan manusia, seperti Aqidah, Akhlak dan sebagainya.

Yang bermaksud: “Sesungguhnya Allah

Dengan demikian, pengarang dapat seimbangkan di antara menjaga disiplin ilmu Tafsir dalam menghuraikan ayat suci Al-Quran dan pada masa yang sama, menyentuh isu-isu yang dekat dengan masyarakat.

orang yang beriman maka mereka akan

tidak malu membuat perbandingan apa sahaja, (seperti) nyamuk hingga ke suatu yang lebih daripadanya (kerana perbuatan itu ada hikmatnya), iaitu kalau orangmengetahui bahawa perbandingan itu benar dari Tuhan mereka; dan kalau orang-orang kafir pula maka mereka akan berkata: “Apakah maksud Allah membuat perbandingan dengan ini?” ( Jawabnya):

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TINTA ILMU

Tuhan akan menjadikan banyak orang sesat dengan sebab perbandingan itu, dan akan menjadikan banyak orang mendapat petunjuk dengan sebabnya; dan Tuhan tidak akan menjadikan sesat dengan sebab perbandingan itu melainkan orang-orang yang fasik.”

Dalam menghuraikan maksud ayat ini, penulis menukil kata-kata tiga para ulama Tafsir: Al-Imam Fakhrurrazi, Al-Imam AsSobuni dan Al-Imam Az-Zuhaili.

Al-Imam Fakhrurrazi menerangkan sebab ayat ini diturunkan, iaitu berkenaan ejekan dan keraguan yang datang daripada golongan yang tidak beriman. Mereka mendakwa Al-Quran itu tidak fasih kerana membincangkan haiwan yang kecil dan remeh, seperti lebah (Surah An-Nahl) dan labah-labah (Surah Al-Ankabut). Maka ayat ini menjawab langsung tohmahan mereka, dengan firmannya bahawa setiap perkara yang disebut dalam Al-Quran itu ada nilainya, dan bukan sia-sia sahaja.

Al-Imam As-Sobuni pula menerangkan bagaimana ayat ini menunjukkan kuasa Allah s.w.t., kerana setiap perkara itu tidak terlepas daripada ilmu pengetahuan Allah, maka tidak wajar perkara ini dipersoalkan oleh mana-mana pihak.

Manakala Al-Imam Az-Zuhaili menerangkan bahawa Allah s.w.t. bebas untuk mendatangkan apa jua bentuk

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kiasan dan perumpamaan, dan bukanlah suatu keaiban di sisiNya untuk melakukan demikian.

Setelah itu, penulis berkongsi beberapa pengajaran penting yang dapat diraih, di antaranya: 1) Tanda kekuasaan Allah s.w.t. itu banyak dan tidak terkira. Sekecil-kecil perkara, pasti ada signifikannya.

2) Kita sebagai hamba Allah s.w.t. dituntut untuk mengagungkanNya dan menyucikan zatNya daripada sebarang kekurangan.

3) Orang yang beriman akan merasakan satu jenis ketenangan apabila merenung tanda-tanda kekuasaan Allah s.w.t., sepertimana dikisahkan berkenaan ulul albab pada Surah Ali ‘Imran, ayat ke191, yang mana mereka berkata:

“

ً ٰ َ َ ٰ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ َّ َ ‫رب ن ا م ا خ ل ق ت ه ـ ذا ب ـ ِط ل‬... َ َٰ َ ْ ُ َ ‫ك فَ قِ َن ا َع َذ‬ 191 ِ‫اب ٱنلَّ ار‬ ‫سبحـن‬

”

Yang bermaksud: “Wahai Tuhan kami!

Tidaklah Engkau menjadikan benda-benda

ini dengan sia-sia, Maha Suci Engkau, maka peliharalah kami dari azab neraka.”

TINTA ILMU

Ulasan Pada pendapat saya, buku ini sangat sesuai untuk dijadikan sebagai bahan rujukan untuk merenung dan menghayati ayat suci Al-Quran, secara khususnya pada tema kiasan dan perumpamaan. Terdapat banyak hikmah dan mutiara yang dapat diraih, yang mana semuanya itu sangat relevan dengan kehidupan seharian kita. Tambahan lagi, kita terdedah kepada metodologi tafsir yang cukup baik daripada penulis, dengan penghuraian ayat suci Al-Quran melalui kata-kata para ulama tafsir yang ternama dan mu’tabar.

Semoga Allah merahmati pengarang buku ini, dan menjadikan karyanya di antara asbab untuk beliau meraih syurgaNya, InsyaAllah.

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Bachelor in Islamic Revealed Knowledge & Heritage This Bachelor degree programme offers students to have comparative approach in the study of Islamic Heritage, Thought and Other Religions on the basis of Usul al-Din. It fulfills the vision which is to promote the Islamic sciences relevant to contemporary disciplines of study, and the mission which is to develop an Islamically based integrated holistic approach to education and career.

It also offers courses in line with Singapore’s aspirations such as unity among the races, religious harmony, and moderation in contemporary religious discourse. In addition, it meets the needs of global importance such as providing proper understanding of the worldview of Islam and endeavoring to regulate global peace and harmony through an intellectual Islamic discourse with other faiths and ideologies.

Awarding Instituition: International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

Duration 4 Academic Years

Timetable

Language English & Arabic

Venue

Friday 6.30pm - 10.30pm & Saturday 2.30pm - 10.00pm

Wisma Indah

For more information, visit

ipip.sg