الأخبار

Speech of Rector during the Closing of IIUM Integrity Week 2018

Friday, 26th October 2018

Banquet Hall

Bismillahi Al-Rahman Al-Rahim

Assalammu‘alaikum Wrt. Wbt. and a very good afternoon on the blessed day. May Allah swt help us to understand further the wisdom of Integrity beyond the superficially of its everyday meeting. Istiqamah as I am made to understand which is the equivalent has a deeper root as an embodiment of the Self that is waiting to be realised the very moment we start to practise it. Like the "good word" that Qur'an mentioned as a parable to a "good" tree with strong roots, integrity ensures that we also deeply rooted in values.  Likewise, if the roots are weak the tree will fall. So are those who are negligence of integrity. 

As you walk into the Rectory lobby today, I hope you noticed the new signage about our Garden of Knowledge and Virtue and the articulation about it. Indeed integrity is both about knowledge n virtue that is required of us to nurture the Garden as a source of inspiration, reflection and consciousness that can take us into the realm of the Self and beyond. As long as the Garden remains the living part of IIUM it must remain the embodiment of all of us in the University. In fact, integrity or istiqamah is the other "I" in IIUM, the very essence of being International and Islam - without which it is rendered meaningless as often is the care when we allow integrity to be squandered away intentionally or otherwise.

Brothers and Sisters,

So as we thanked and praised Allah swt for giving us this opportunity to be gathered here in marking the end of IIUM Integrity Week 2018, let us also be mindful that this is the beginning to root of integrity in the practise of istiqamah for every one of us as Muslims like that of the "good" tree. A good tree to my mind is one the bears fruits in abundance to be shared with every one regardless who as long as it servers the good cause of Ramathan lil alami. A good tree is one that provides ample shade to everyone as a way to relieve from exhaustion and stress of living. A good tree therefore must itself be steadfast and towering as well as firmly grounded to enable all these virtues to grow aplenty day by day. Let us be   assured that today is not the end but rather the beginning of our own effort to embody integrity as part of our fitrah. And to uphold it at every moment of our beating heart. The sooner we do this the sooner will IIUM be truly autonomous since we need no more rules, supervision and even the dreaded KPIs, because we are now self-aware, self-disciplined and above all self-conscious of the amanah we pledge at least each time we sing the IIUM song, if not in our prayers supplications to Allah the All Mighty.

Brothers and Sisters,

“Integrity: Leading the Way” is the theme for IIUM Integrity Week 2018 is also to bring back what the University was about when it was established 35 years ago as an International Islamic University Malaysia. We chose this theme to take stock if we are indeed "leading the way" beginning with integrity as one of the virtues that is so intimately intertwined with the Garden that we profess to grow. Meaning, to live up to our name and be a model par excellence with the highest form of istiqamah. We constantly sing along the IIUM song “Leading the Way” in our gatherings and by now we would have internalised the meaning of Ramathan li’l-Alamin founded on integrity and no less.  

I believe it is time to sit up and react to put things in their  proper perspectives with integrity as the essence of the IIUM Code of Ethics - the quality of being perfect and par excellent in terms of one’s service to Allah and Ssociety (as we began yesterday to turn the local cemetery into yet another Garden), while attending to our  natural environment with all its inhabitants. The IIUM community shall attain this quality individually and collectively to promote and establish an exemplary community in leading the way.

Brothers and Sisters,

We are far from perfect. There are still incidents of misconduct amongst staff and students, which are relatively small in percentage compared to the total population. Still with the strong support systems that we have (various offices in the University in particular Office of the Legal Adviser, Office of Internal Audit etc.), such incidences are being dealt with and, in doing so the University is sending a message that it does not condone any act of misconduct.

In the last four days, various activities were carried out to remind us on the importance of integrity in our work and the role we play in the University, most importantly to ourselves as human beings. Integrity begins with the realisation of ooneself; God consciousness, the presence of Allah and fear Him.

Brothers and Sisters,

I hope that you have benefited from some if not all the activities during the Integrity Week 2018. The takeaways from these activities should be shared and practised before we arrive at the true meaning of Integrity (istiqamah) in the University.

Lastly, I thank you for your presence today and I hope to see more programmes alike in the future.

May Allah swt showers upon us His blessings.

Wassalam.