Muddin Beting from WADAH Sabah giving a talk to the participants.
KOTA KINABALU: Understanding the true history of Islamic development is fundamental for Muslims to uphold the religion in this region.
State Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia (WADAH) chairman Abdul Manap Mahmud said this at a public talk on the historical advent of Islam in Borneo (WASKIB) at the Tabung Haji Complex yesterday.
“An accurate understanding will develop the devotees’ attitude and identity, their dignity and confidence, as well as strengthen the idealism in the religion,” said Abdul Manap.
At the same time, the chairman said the public talk was also a platform to assemble forms of thinking that is current and can be utilized to develop Muslims.
WADAH Sabah delved into the movement of inspirational clerics and intellectuals who have pioneered in the spread of Islam through the third series of WASKIB, this year.
The rise of the Islamic movement and the aspects of civilization in Borneo was also part of the agenda in the public talk.
Muddin Beting from WADAH Sabah, Milus Abd Wahab from Persatuan Graduan Iranun Sabah and associate professor Dr Saharuddin Badaruddin were the three speakers invited to talk on the subject to some 215 participants.
A discourse on the arrival of Islam in Borneo through Tan Sri Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas’ books entitled “Islam dalam Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu” and “Historical Fact and Fiction” was presented by Muddin.
Meanwhile, Milus spoke about the characters in the Islamic history in Borneo and Dr Saharuddin on the connection between the Islamic characters, events and history in Borneo and the historical developments in the region.
Abdul Manap said the demand to develop a database and literature in the form of monographs as historical recordings and educational materials for Muslims seemed apt.
He said the first WASKIB, held here in 2010, focused on the development of Islam regionally, and its impact in Borneo while the second edition, held in Lahad Datu two years ago, concentrated on the contributions of local scholars in Lahad Datu.