NILAI, April 17, 2019 – The Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM), through its programme lead the Islamic Science Institute (ISI), extended the scope of its corporate social responsibility to the community by working together with three non-governmental organisations (NGO), Rumah Ngaji Negeri Sembilan, AQ Wise Sdn Bhd, and KL Braille Resources. The collaboration was finalised by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 17 April 2019.

The objective of the cooperation is the enculturation of al-Quran reading among the community and the empowerment of Quranic-related programmes and activities by USIM and Rumah Ngaji Negeri Sembilan. In addition, USIM and AQ Wise Sdn Bhd’s collaboration focuses on the development of the Thematic Tadabbur al-Quran through multimedia and content consultation from USIM to make the content accessible to the disabled community. Besides that, USIM and KL Braille Resources partners to enhance the literacy rate and knowledge base for the visually impaired community and also those who are interested in increasing their knowledge in the field of Special Education (Vision).

Through this joint venture, USIM will offer its consultancy and expertise in Education and Religion to the disabled people (OKU). This noble effort opens a path for USIM to collaborate with NGOs to enhance reference materials towards the realisation of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 that combines the biological, physical, and digital worlds and produce new technologies that affect the various disciplines, economies, and industries.

According to USIM Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dato’ Dr Musa Ahmad, ”USIM is working to mobilise and activate its collaboration with various parties, both within and outside the country, to allow the current sharing of expertise to be mustered to contribute towards creating a loving community with a positive attitude towards the strengths and differences of the disabled community by offering an inclusive environment. To achieve this, USIM through the Faculty of Quranic and Sunnah Studies (FPQS) has begun to explore the issues and challenges of the visually impaired in the Quranic study as early as 2006.”

”That’s why USIM is offering the Application of Braille in Quranic and Sunnah Studies as a Faculty Compulsory Course as early as 2008 to meet the religious teachers’ lack of skill in teaching the Quran using the Braille al-Quran. In 2010, FPQS established the Special Interest Group (SIG) of ‘Quran Sunnah for Special Needs’ by focusing on the issue of Islamic studies among disabled persons in a holistic manner such that the Quran Braille Institute (IQ Braille) was established in 2011.”

”Now, the function of the IQ Braille has been expanded to other disabilities such as hearing impairment, learning disorder, and physical disability through a rebranding exercise under ISI as the Ibnu Ummi Maktum Research Unit (UMMI) in January 2018. To further improve its capability, the management of the university agrees with the establishment of the Ibnu Ummi Maktum Centre (UMMI Centre) on 7 February 2019 as a service, training, research and innovation hub. The centre which costs RM 16 million of development infaq is situated next to the Tunku Muhriz Islamic Complex (KITM),” added Dato Musa.

The MoU ceremony between USIM and the industry was signed by YBhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr Musa Ahmad, USIM Vice-Chancellor, Dato Haji Mah Hassan Haji Omar, KL Braille Resources Managing Director, YM Raja Zainal Abidin Shah Raja Izhar, AQ Wise Sdn Bhd Founder and Puan Ghazirah Hashim, Rumah Ngaji Negeri Sembilan Coordinator.

The ceremony also inaugurates the Ibnu Ummi Maktum Street, also known as the UMMI Street, which is the corner of the FPQS building that serves as the gateway and foyer for students and visitors to the Braille Quran Laboratory. This space has come into focus due to the uniqueness of the Braille Quran Laboratory, placing it as a part of the main destination for guests and visitors to USIM or FPQS. The Quran Braille Laboratory is the only ‘teaching lab’ developed by USIM as a tutorial lab for the Application of Braille in Quranic and Sunnah Studies course. This course has indirectly given exposure and training to students about the importance and needs of delivering Islamic knowledge to the special needs communities.

Also present were Prof. Dato’ Dr. Roshada Hashim, USIM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Assoc. Prof. D.r Mohd Zohdi Mohd Amin, FPQS Deputy Dean and Ustaz Norakyairee Md Raus, Ummi Maktum Cluster Lead.

 

Prepared by:
Noorumaina Mohamed Yunus
Pusat Komunikasi Strategik (StraComm)
Aras 1, Canselori Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Tel : 06-798 8026/78629/78620 Faks : 06-798 8032