Role of centres of Islamic studies to guide muslims, avoid confusion - Raja Zarith Sofiah

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 (Bernama) -- Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Almarhum Sultan Idris Shah has expressed concern over the tendency of Muslims nowadays to look for quick answers online rather than to seek knowledge from relevant knowledge centres.

Her Majesty noted that it had now become a fashionable trend to reject the guidance and advice of official Islamic councils and instead agree without any doubt with individuals or groups who were not Islamic scholars.

"Unfortunately, we read many comments on social media which prove that we look for quick answers via Google rather than seek knowledge from centres such as the Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (CASIS), and to respect scholars who have been taught by older scholars through decades of studies and research," she said.

What was even more worrying, she said, was the increasing number of what she described as Facebook ustaz and ustazah as well as Google imams.

The Permaisuri of Johor said this when launching and proclaiming the centre as the Raja Zarith Sofiah Centre for Advanced Studies on Islam, Science and Civilisation (RZS CASIS) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) here tonight.

She drove home the point that the role of CASIS and other centres of Islamic studies at other universities was to guide Muslims and avoid confusion in practice and thoughts.

"For the sake of the future generations of Muslims, we must acknowledge that the academic knowledge and guidance of Islamic scholars is the only way we can honour and continue with the legacy left to us thousands of years ago," Raja Zarith Sofiah said.

She also announced that Professor Dr Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud, the founder and former director of CASIS, as the first holder of the Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas Distinguished Chair of Islamic Thought establised at RZS CASIS. 

The Chair is named in honour of the renowned Malay Muslim thinker in the contemporary world.

CASIS first opened its doors as a centre for instruction and learning at UTM Kuala Lumpur in 2011.

-- BERNAMA