KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue
Journal KATHA first published in 2005, is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal with readership throughout the field of humanities, social and natural sciences. It provides a platform for scholars, experts, researchers, practitioners, and students to publish original research, review papers, and other scholarly works. The journal invites research articles, theoretical papers, as well as book reviews touching upon any aspect of intercivilisational or intercultural discourses on worldviews and faiths, philosophies, languages and knowledges of science. Print ISSN: 1823-2159 Online eISSN: 2636-9265 Frequency: Yearly Language: English Inquiries: katha@um.edu.my
Universiti Malaya Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD)
Articles submitted to the journal should not have been published before in their current or substantially similar form, or be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Authors submitting articles for publication warrant that the work is not an infringement of any existing copyright and will indemnify the publisher against any breach of such warranty. For ease of dissemination and to ensure proper policing of use, papers and contributions become the legal copyright of the publisher unless otherwise agreed. By submitting a manuscript, the author(s) agree that copyright for the article is transferred to the publisher, if and when the manuscript is accepted for publication. However, it can be reprinted with a proper acknowledgment that it was published in KATHA. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Where Does the Sensation of Well-Being Come from?
This paper explores the sensation of well-being from a cross-cultural perspective, comparing Western and Chinese philosophical views and integrating contemporary neuroscience. Western philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche, primarily view well-being as an individualistic pursuit related to personal virtue, happiness, or power. In contrast, Chinese philosophers, including Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Neo-Confucians, see well-being as a holistic concept, deeply interconnected with the individual’s relationship to society, nature, and the cosmos. The paper then examines contemporary neural theories, particularly Georg Northoff’s Spatial-Temporal Structure Theory of Consciousness (STSTC), which suggests that well-being arises from the alignment between the brain’s spatial-temporal structure and that of the external world. Northoff’s theory resonates with both Western individualism, in its focus on the brain’s intrinsic capacities, and Chinese holism, in its emphasis on the harmony between the individual and the environment. Finally, the paper connects Northoff’s theory with Spinoza’s double-aspect theory, positing that the brain’s capacity to produce the sensation of well-being stems from Nature’s dual attributes of thought and extension. This Spinozistic interpretation aligns with Neo-Confucian ideas of qi, reinforcing the notion that well-being is a manifestation of the dynamic interplay between the individual and the world. The paper concludes by suggesting that the sensation of well-being is inherently rooted in this complex interaction between the mind, body, and the cosmos and demonstrating how the Spinozistic and Neo-Confucian philosophical traditions can be combined into an integrated framework for understanding where the sensation of well-being originates.
Copyright (c) 2025 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Towards Understanding the Concept of Fatwa on Medical Treatment Involving Forbidden Sources
The number of patients is believed to be increasing each year due to various diseases affecting a portion of the population, leading to an urgent need for modern medicines to treat patients in this country. However, an issue arises due to the use of forbidden substances such as pork, toxins, alcohol, and the like for medicinal purposes, despite Islam prohibiting the use of such substances. Therefore, this article aims to discuss the legality of treatment using forbidden sources and establish guidelines for its use from the perspective of Islam. This study employs qualitative methods and content analysis. Information sources are obtained from books, theses, and journal articles to compile a detailed study, subsequently analyzed descriptively. The study finds that the use of forbidden sources for medical purposes is permissible to save lives in emergency situations, subject to specific conditions. Keywords: Treatment, Disease, Islam, Emergency, Forbidden.
Copyright (c) 2024 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Exploring the Perception of Parents on the Participation of Learners with Special Educational Needs in a Virtual Talent Show
There is a paucity of research that focuses on understanding the perception of parents in supporting the talent development of their children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Considering the gap in the literature, participants in this study are purposely sampled from the parents whose children with SEN participated in a virtual talent show (VTS) organised by National Association of Special Education, Malaysia (NASE) during the pandemic lockdown. A total of six parents responded to the survey questionnaires and participated in the semi-structured interviews which were transcribed verbatim. The thematic data analysis revealed three categories: 1)Parents as partners, 2)Roles of NGOs and 3)Resources. This study contributes to the literature from parents' perception on how they provided exposure in VTS that impacts the development of their children. The findings also provide new insight into what drives the parents into enrolling their children in VTS and revealed how parents agreed that participation in VTS provided positive impact and progress for their children. In addition, the result from this study highlights the positive perception of parents regarding the participation of learners with SEN in VTS. It underscores the importance of NGOs in providing opportunities for their children's involvement and emphasises the need to address the barriers and challenges that exist. Additionally, the study demonstrates that parents strongly desire more NGOs to offer opportunities for their children with SEN to be involved in talent show performances. Despite the barriers and challenges faced, parents recognise the value and potential impact of such experiences on their children's overall development. The findings contribute to the existing knowledge and call for further research to promote inclusivity and support the talent development of learners with SEN. It also demonstrated that parents want more NGOs to provide the opportunity for their learners with SEN to be involved in more talent shows performances, despite the barriers and challenges that arise. Future study could explore strategies to address the identified barriers and challenges and evaluate the long-term effects of participation on the well-being and self-esteem of learners with SEN. The suggestions for future studies aim to inform the development of more inclusive practices and policies that support the talent development and empowerment of learners with SEN in talent show settings.
Copyright (c) 2023 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Tinkering Epistemology with Ontology: Reformulating Popper’s Reformulation of the Problem of Induction with Eastern and Western Ontology
Karl Popper thought that he had successfully resolved the philosophical problem of induction by replacing inductive logic with deductive logic in every aspect of the philosophical analysis of science. In examining Popper’s approach, it may seem, however, that, instead of resolving the original problem, what he has resolved was a reformulated problem of induction. Nevertheless, by “reformulating” Popper’s reformulation by using the relevant ontology from contemporary Eastern and Western philosophers, this paper maintains that this re-reformulated meta-account can be used to argue that the first impression that the problem has not been resolved can be replaced with the idea that Popper’s reformulation of the problem of induction into the problem of scientific growth has its meaning in a contemporary context. The key significance of this reformulation is: By examining the paired concepts—such as “inductive inference vs. deductive inference” or “context of discovery vs. context of justification”—from the perspective that “scientific reasoning is to find a stable causal environment or situation to derive regular causal conclusions”, we can then maintain that instead of regarding these concepts as mutually exclusive in the “practice of causal inquiry”, it is better to assume that they have a complementary relationship—this situation manifests exactly what Popper believed: In the process of scientific inquiry, there is always a dynamic interdependence between conjecture and refutation.
Social Acceptance of Green Electricity: A Case Study in Putrajaya
In recent years, the majority of the renewable energy programmes and initiatives introduced have been industry and commercial centric. Little focus has been given by the government to domestic consumers’ acceptance. The concept of "social acceptance" is used to evaluate the readiness of the public in embracing renewable investments within their area. It is a tool to measure the attitude of citizens, either active or passive, towards different green products or technologies. This study aims to identify factors that influence the social acceptance of green electricity among consumers and, subsequently, the relationship between these factors. An empirical study was conducted on the residents of Putrajaya, involving 185 respondents. Descriptive analysis and Pearson correlation were used as analysis methods in this study. The results showed that attractiveness, compatibility, and reliability are the main factors that influence their intention to use green electricity. These results suggest that the respondents’ intention to use green electricity is not affected by their level of environmental knowledge or the cost of using green electricity.
Copyright (c) 2022 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Interreligious Dialogue in Malaysia: Issues of its Implementation
As the world continues to evolve, problems among religious adherents have increasingly rendered the need for interreligious dialogue to achieve mutual understanding. The dialogue is crucial as it is a platform to communicate, understand, and get to know others of different backgrounds and beliefs. Nevertheless, the implementation of interreligious dialogue has led to some criticism on the credibility of its practice, especially in Islam. Therefore, this paper attempts to identify the challenges that occur throughout the implementation of Interreligious dialogue and their causes. This includes the arguments and the views of leaders or religious figures as well as intellectuals in favor or against interreligious dialogue. To do that, this study focuses on literature reviews and has discovered that the issues brought upon the implementation of inter-religious dialogue were based on a less accurate description of the actual ideas and practices. The finding also shows that not enough Interreligious dialogue modules are available and this gap must be filled with fresh perspectives to serve as a resource for future dialogues. Keywords: Issues, Criticisms, Interfaith Dialogue, Modules
Rethinking International Order According to Islamic International Relations Principles
The world today needs to recognise the differences and varieties of religions, cultures., societies and economies among countries. It is necessary for states and nations to uphold the law towards a common purpose, i.e. to regulate life in peace and harmony. Similarly, an international order will establish an allied world government or a coalition of allies with the executive machinery that is necessary for its implementation. This government will be supported by the international law in place that can be utilised by all, regardless of governments, institutions, communities or individuals. Therefore, the world today needs to re-establish an international order that would result in a peaceful and rational in fulfilling human needs. Thus, this article elaborates on the international order from anIslamic perspective and notes that Islam has introduced effective principles which are suitable and acceptable to all communities.
In this article, I discuss the implications of postmodernism on religious thought, with special reference to Islamic thought. Firstly, I discuss the nature and characteristics of postmodernist thinking, and the different schools of thought/’postmodernisms’ that fall under that rubric. My contention is that postmodernism is a response to modernism rather than religion, although it has implications on religious thought. Secondly, I examine and compare the points of contention between modernism and post-modernism. I then argue that the differences are largely due to the privileging of nature and reasoning of modernists and the privileging of human/social and psychology of postmodernists. These, in turn, have implications on their metaphysics and epistemology, respectively. Thirdly, I provide an Islamic perspective on the modernist-postmodernist discourse, showing that the Islamic perspective transcends the natural-social divide, and how the tripartite relationship between God, man and nature, informs the discourse. The philosophy of language is also brought up in the discussion, where I suggest that Islam accepts the dual role of languages, that is, conveying the meaning in its literal sense (aka modernist), as well as being a symbol and an indirect reference (aka postmodernist). Finally, a close comparison is made between postmodernism and Islam, where both their incompatibilities as well as possible points of convergence are discussed.
Mythopoeia in Akhavan’s & Eliot’s Poetry
T. S. Eliot, the well-known English poet, and Mehdi Akhavan Sales, one of the pioneers of the Modern Persian Poetry, have applied mythologies in their poetry. The present study is an attempt to make a comparison between Eliot’s early poems, i.e. “The Waste Land” and “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, and Akhavan’s two poems, “Qese-e Shahriar-e Shahr-e Sangestan” [The Story of the King of the Stoned City] and “Khan-e Hashtom va Adamak” [The Eighth Task and the Puppet] from a Tolkienian perspective of mythopoeia. Laying their arguments in Jost’s fourth category of comparative studies (themes and motifs), the present authors attempt to depict the similarities and differences in the way the poets approach mythopoeia as a literary technic. In doing so, the mythic figures created by the poets are detected and the characteristics attributed to each are reviewed in the socio-political context of the poets’ life. Then, the philosophical viewpoint implied in creating the myth will be discussed. The findings of the study reveal that while there are similarities in the literary devices and techniques (i.e., imagery, pattern of hero’s journey, …) that the poets have applied, there are differences in terms of poetic language and the kind of myths each poet creates or alludes to. Finally, it will be argued that in applying mythmaking, both poets seem to be warning their fellowmen against the evil life they are involved in. Thus, it is claimed that from a Tolkienian perspective, both poets are mythopoeic both in vision and method.
A Civilisational Dialogue Perspective for a Global Family
Surely we live in the most exciting, fascinating and challenging, if also the most complex, frightening and confusing time in human history. Even the most affluent and comfortable people in the world now face the sudden confluence of the biggest global crises ever-in energy, finance and global warming, not to mention the continuing crises of poverty, war, ecosystem destruction, air, water and soil pollution, etc. As these great global crises converge upon us with terrifying speed and impact, we seem to be numbed to the staggering amounts of new money printed for government bailouts of banks and businesses in the West while public debt and unemployment soar. In the East we fear the loss of newly found wealth and newly created or entered markets. Everywhere we are paralyzed by the dire warnings of scientists about desertification, temperature and sea level rise that governments are reluctant to address, along with the enormous waste of massive resources in many places on warfare.
Copyright (c) 2021 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
The Benefit of Cupping (Hijamah) to Post-Vaccination Mental & Physical Health
The Muslims have been challenged significantly during the pandemic, both mentally and physically. Staying safe and healthy have been a great concern of all throughout the world. The prophetic ways of life have been fundamental examples in how we could go about in dealing with the disastrous effects of the pandemic, and also the AEFI (Adverse Effect Following Immunizations) that could affect some individuals in various ways. The purpose of this study is to promote the benefits of cupping (hijamah) as one of the ways in dealing with the AEFI that may cause blockage in the brain, heart attacks and sudden death. Cupping therapy (CT) is used in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and is prevalent in Muslim communities where it is a recommended sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Cupping has been studied tremendously and proven to improve one’s health conditions related to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterols, knee and joint pains, asthma, acne, migraine, respiratory problems and other medical issues. Cupping is also proven to be able to help improve one’s mental and physical health when affected by COVID- 19 or other diseases that increase dramatically during this pandemic. Finally, some challenges and their implications are discussed with recommendations.
Amirah Izzati Mohd Iskandar Sandakumaran
Major Muslim-Christian Dialogue Initiatives Since 9/11
The events of 9/11 deepened tensions between the West and the Islamic world. But there were also Christians and Muslims who used the occasion to intensify dialogue with each other. In the 20 years since then, dialogue has taken place in many forms and settings. This article asks which large-scale dialogue initiatives between Muslims and Christians were started in the time since 9/11 and what their salient characteristics are. Using a historical and qualitative approach, it contributes to establishing a framework for Muslim-Christian dialogue by showing the developments and providing insights in the current status of the larger, widely visible Muslim-Christian dialogue initiatives. The first part introduces and describes seven such initiatives, ranging from conferences to centres, programs and individual persons. Using a deductive approach, initiatives are analysed according to the people involved, the time and location in which they took or take place, and the topics dealt with. The second part critically analyses the progression of these large-scale dialogue initiatives between Muslims and Christians. What stands out is their diversity and the fact that notable individuals and institutions of both religions have been involved as actors in the process. In a globalized world, what happens on the big stages also impacts what happens elsewhere. The precedence set by the initiatives introduced thus can serve to encourage and give credibility to the enterprise of Muslim-Christian dialogue in other contexts as well.
Islamist Extremism Ideology Rehabilitation Programs: A Critical Analysis
The September 11 attacks gave an immense impact on Muslims worldwide. Governments, both Islamic and Western took matters regarding terrorism even more seriously. The incident too, however, became a stepping stone for Muslim terrorists to be louder. Nevertheless, terrorism among Muslims have always existed in the doctrine of certain sects, Salafi Jihadi in particular. Such extreme and radical misconceptions of Islam is inherited by their predecessor, the Khawarij. The study discusses the rehabilitation programs for those affected by extremism in Malaysia, and the regional guidelines for counter terrorism. The root cause for Islamist extremism is also analysed, along with the influence of Khawarij ideology on Salafi Jihadi, the similarities shared by both, particularly with regards of jihad.
Veni, Vidi, Vici: Immigrant Entrepreneurship at the Historical Town of Melaka and Venice
This aim of this study is to investigate the strategy and influence factors of immigrant entrepreneurship at the World Heritage Site of Melaka and Venice. It focused only the immigrant entrepreneurs that involved directly in the tourism industry within both cities. A theory-building qualitative approach was followed. It gathered the data by conducting twelves semi-structured interviews in the historical site of Venice and Melaka. It adopted thematic analysis to analyse the transcript interviews data that stored in NVivo. Both cases were presented in a comparative view. The original contributions indicated that immigrant entrepreneurs: (1) applied market segmentation and niche products, (2) played in pricing strategy, and (3) promoted their businesses using their strong immigrant-network ties at the host country. Also, there are some similarities and differences in their approach compared to the local entrepreneurs were generally discussed. This paper contributes to understanding better the immigrant entrepreneurship phenomenon in both Venice and Melaka. Also, several limitations and recommendations for further study were discussed.
Copyright (c) 2020 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue
Interpretation and Views of Quranic Commentaries on Peace Based on Al-SalÄm and Al-Amn Terms
Peace is a very important topic for discussion in a world of war, chaos and insecurity. Islam is a religion that prioritises peace and rejects all forms of violence. The term “peace” is repeated often in the Qur’an, in phrases such as al-salām and al-amn, with meanings of peace, security and harmony. This study seeks to identify phrases in the Qur’an relating to peace and to present the views of quranic commentaries (mufasirin) regarding these phrases. The methodology applied in this study is based on data compiled from library research by using deductive and analysis methods. The study shows that among the terminologies used in reference to the meaning of peace are al-salām and al-amn which have been certified by the Quranic commentaries in their books. Indirectly, through Quranic verses it shows that element of peace is one of the messages brought by Islam.
Copyright (c) 2020 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Thematic Animal Postage Stamps of Malaysia: Study of State Narratives from the Colonialism to the Post-Colonialism
This research explores the visual representation of animals in postage stamps issued in North Borneo, Sarawak, British Malaya and Malaysia from the 19th to the 20th century. Since postage stamps were an official product of the State, this research exemplifies the postage stamp as a part of the visual culture that facilitates different State narratives and reveals their contribution towards the formation of colonial or national identities. Furthermore, the study explores visual art from a sociocultural perspective, intending to augment its value as a piece of historical evidence. It shows the visual representations of postage stamps as a record of the civilising process by examining the changes in animal representation as it shifts from a kaleidoscope of exotic romanticism towards the righteous pride of animal protection in the postcolonial era. More than hundreds of thematic animal stamps that were issued in Malaysia were examined in order to identify the preferences influencing animal selection in both colonial and postcolonial era. Following that, background studies, theoretical analysis and visual methodologies form the main research approaches. This paper addresses the research gap that State narratives are disputable without any visual cultural element or ideological construct.
The Aggressiveness of Russia’s Politic and the Limitations of Western Europe’s Politic
The purpose of this topic is to discuss the massive limitations of Pro-Western policies based on the impacts of Ukraine crisis and Crimea annexation. The international orders that existed nowadays, such as the UN Charter, NATO Articles, and EU policies, are purposely set-up to promote global peace and harmony in our world order. However, the impact of the Ukraine crisis is contrary to the intention of international orders, as the reality in Europe. The scope of this study is restricted to the NATO policies, EU policies, and the introduction of the UN Charter. Content analysis is the methodology to identify three sections for this study. This study is divided into three sections, i.e. the limitation of the Western policy in the Ukraine conflict, the weakness of NATO military power, and the failure of Pro-Western policies in the case of Ukraine crisis. The sections were analysed by the Neoclassical realism approach to ascertain the irrelevance of the international orders within the parameters of the UN Charter, NATO Articles, and EU policies. Limitations of Pro-Western policies in the case of the Ukraine crisis is unprecedented for the application of Neoclassical realism; hence, reasonably understanding the situation of the Ukraine crisis is the primary application of this study.
Metaphysics of Nothingness: Heidegger, Ibn ‘Arabi and Nagarjuna
For this article, the author attempts to describe the metaphysics of nothingness from three sources; Martin Heidegger, Ibn ‘Arabi and Nagarjuna. Each of the philosophers engages the intimation of ‘the nothing’ to fathom the existential question of being, reality and logic. The idea for the article was influenced by Heidegger's seminal text “What is Metaphysic?” (1929/1998). Heidegger writes how human “a being held out into the nothing.” Why and how is human holding out into the nothingness? What are the boundaries that form this nothingness? Rather than risk into pessimistic existentialism, the author pursues the question of nihilism in the nothingness with the kind of joy, as Heidegger would say it: “Secret alliance with the cheerfulness and gentleness of creative longing.” With three different thinkers from different eras – Heidegger was a German philosopher but brought up with Christian teachings, Ibn ‘Arabi was an Andalusian Islamic Sufi whereas Nagarjuna was an Indian-Buddhist teacher – it is hoped that the idea about nothingness can be grappled and if not, be meditated upon. Keywords: Martin Heidegger, Ibn ‘Arabi, Nagarjuna, nothingness, metaphysics
Social Economic Perspectives of Homecoming Tradition: An Indonesian Context
Homecoming has been practiced by most Indonesians as a routine tradition that cherished every year. This interesting practice has developed rapidly as an impact of the integration of capitalist economic systems in the early 1970s. The tradition of homecoming in Indonesia mostly occurs at the moment of religious holidays. This phenomenon is considered an essential part of the celebration. As the largest Moslem population in the world, the most prominent homecoming activity in Indonesia mostly happens during Eid Mubarak Celebration. At this moment, not only Moslem but almost all the people in the country go back to their hometown. Every year, this tradition is getting bigger in numbers and giving more significant impacts on the country in terms of social and economics. Therefore, this study tries to describe the homecoming tradition for Indonesia, specifically seen from a socio-economic perspective. As a qualitative content analysis study, this study analyses related works of literature, documentation, and publications relevant to the topic. The result is written descriptively by explaining the phenomena, discussing the impacts and proposing solutions. The results show that going home is proven to provide a substantial multiplier effect on the socio-economic side. From social perspectives, homecoming means the fulfillment of primordial and emotional interests to strengthen the relationship between family and friends. On the other hand, this tradition also boosts the economic development of the regions, which is interpreted as equalization or circulation of money from urban to rural areas in the country. Keywords: homecoming, tradition; impacts, social and economics
Heritage Tourism Trail Development in Kampung Luat, Perak: A Case Study
Kampung Luat situated in Lenggong Valley, Perak, is a well-known tourist destination due to its natural attraction, archaeological elements, promotion of rural agroindustry and home-based products, as well as unwavering and strong local community commitment. Distinct local characteristics, such as traditional culture, agricultural setup, countryside landscape, and simple lifestyles, offer a different experience for its visitors. The combination of these aspects provides a huge opportunity for tourism heritage trail development. As such, this study discusses the development of a heritage trail in Kampung Luat. The initiative was taken by a group of USM researchers, along with the cooperation from the local community. Observation and focus group discussion (FGD) techniques were adopted in this study. Several meetings were conducted and the development of Kampung Luat heritage trail was proposed, which covered seven stops in four hours, which involved 20-30 residents with different roles. This heritage trail was tested by 20 respondents. The findings showed that the visitors had placed a high value in the experience and enjoyed the different rural activities, apart from proposing several suggestions for trail improvement. Low level of community readiness, lack of facilities, and communication issues were their main concerns for trail improvement. These findings suggest the implementation of stringent and effective action taken by the federal and state governments, apart from including stakeholders to both coordinate and realise the heritage trail in future to increase the competitiveness at the Lenggong Valley as a tourism destination. Keywords: Heritage trail, trail development, case study, Kampung Luat, Lenggong Valley
Interreligious Dialogue: An Islamic Approach
Dialogue among the followers of different religions is a necessary condition for promoting peace, tolerance, harmony, and religious co-existence in today’s world. Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, unity, justice, love and brotherhood which always fosters mutual, cooperative and positive relation between one another irrespective of caste, creed and religion for the greater happiness of mankind. The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of interreligious dialogue and its relation to Islam. It highlights the importance of interreligious dialogue in Islam as a model for strengthening mutual respect, understanding, cooperation and human dignity. The study is followed by textual analysis and historical interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. This study also includes the treatment of Muslim rulers to the people of other religions with a view to understand the real picture of interreligious relationship in any Islamic society. The research shows how Islam plays a unique role in promoting interreligious dialogue and harmony through accepting all previous prophets as the prophets of Islam and granting the freedom of religious practices by the people of any religion, culture and civilization. Finally, the research also provides some important suggestions to future research in this area more effectively which will resolve many interreligious conflicts and establish better understanding among the people of various religions around the world.
Copyright (c) 2019 KATHA- The Official Journal of the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue
Intention to Adopt Islamic Quality Standard: A Study of Hotels in Peninsular Malaysia
Since 2010, Malaysia is among the first choice travel destination in the global Muslim travel market. To better serve the market, in 2013 Islamic Quality Standard for hotels (IQS) was introduced in Malaysia. However, many are skeptical about its feasibility. It is not clear whether hotels in Malaysia are keen to adopt this standard. Despite the ambiguity, a quantitative study to ascertain the intention to adopt IQS remains scarce. The purpose of this study is to investigate hotel manager’s intention to adopt IQS. A total of 355 questionnaires were distributed to hotel managers throughout Peninsular Malaysia. Based on 72 usable returned questionnaires, it was found that most of the hotel managers were undecided on whether to adopt IQS or not. The percentage of those who were positive about the intention to adopt IQS was only slightly higher than those who were negative about it. Furthermore, it is important to note that the finding is based on marginal response rate where the majority of respondents are Muslim.
The Impact of Electric Power Consumption on Green Economy Development in Malaysia
This study analyses low-carbon emission economic development in Malaysia amidst transformation of economy. The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact on carbon emission by applying Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) over the period of 1970–2013. Firstly, the unit root test will be used, and then cointegration approach will be applied to examine the cointegration relationship between the variables. Results from cointegration indicate a co-movement between variables. At 10% significant level, there exists unidirectional causality of electric power consumption to carbon emission. At 5% significant level, the results from the Granger causality test show that the urban population unidirectional causality run to electric power consumption. On the other hand, the urban population and electric power consumption have a unidirectional causality run to gross domestic product. Furthermore, the regression results show that electric power consumption is the significant cause of increase in carbon emission. The findings of the study provide some directions to reduce the carbon emission and provide policy reference for the development of green economy in Malaysia on the use of renewable energy and green technology. Malaysian Government should consider these when constructing long-term strategies for carbon abatement.
Copyright (c) 2018 Journal of Dialogue of Civilisations
The Historical Approach between Ibn Hishām and Ibn Saʿd in Sīrah Nabawiyyah
Sīrah Nabawiyyah has been the most widely used name for the traditional account of life and background of Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH). In the period of ninth century, Islamic literatures and biographies of the Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) were actively developed as a reflection on the needs of Muslim community. Among the famous of the extant texts composed in the medieval Islamic genre is Sīrah Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hishām (d. 218/833 or 213/828) who rests mainly on his selection from the work of Ibn Isḥāq, and Kitāb al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā by Ibn Saʿd (d.230/845) who compiled it from the works of his predecessors, specially al-Wāqidī and al-Kalbī. There are some studies conducted by Muslim and western scholars on the background of Ibn Hishām and Ibn Saʿd‘s works, however, the differences in the approach of writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah between them are hardly found. Thus, the present study aims to explore the style or pattern of historical approach applied by these two scholars on the biography of the Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH). The study is qualitative in nature, in which the researcher employed descriptive, comparative and source-critical approaches where it analyses and extract the approach used by the authors in writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah. The study in its finding infers that there are two opposing patterns of historical approach employed by Ibn Hishām and Ibn Saʿd in writing Sīrah Nabawiyyah.
Islam and the West: From Clash to Dialogue
No doubt that the present fluctuating relation between Islam and the West is, and has always been, coloured by earlier encounters, (the spread of Islam, the Crusades, the Reconquista of Spain, the Inquisitions, to name a few). This article readdresses Islam-West relation by examining the fundamental underpinnings of the clash theory as delineated by Bernard Lewis in “The Roots of Muslim Rageâ€ and Samuel Huntington in “The Clash of Civilizations.â€ Though Lewis laid the foundation of civilizational conflict, it was Huntington who later fashioned and set the parameters of this conflict. The article also attempts to forge the idea of mutual understanding and dialogue by way of building bridges of scholarship, knowledge, respect and co-operation between people within this global village. To achieve this goal, the article highlights seven principles of the Islamic perspective of dialogue, drawing practical precedence from Islamic history, particularly from the Prophetic as well as the rightly-guided Caliphs' era.
Theory of Ibn ʿArabī in the Cosmic Symptoms
Ibn ʿArabī believes that the cosmic symptoms or fact of the facts is one of the manifestations of the mediator between the divine and the world. Its mediation means that it represents the contents of old divine knowledge. The science is a fact in the psychology related to the nonexistent and existent. The fact of the facts or the total truth is the sum of the facts that constitute the divine science. The science belongs to both: The nonexistent and existent. Ibn ʿArabī is in the favor of idealistic philosophy of Plato: “Everything has created on the image of its essence, the essences of things are prior to their existence”, i.e., it was in the divine knowledge when it was in the nothingness. Thus Ibn ʿArabī avoids the presence of any existent had its real existence before being in the divine knowledge. The total fact of the facts cannot be labeled by “the possible”, as it is understood that the total fact of the facts do not accept the real existence, which can be acceptable to the possible, although it is possible for the total fact to appear in the features of real existence as it is in the reality.
In this volume KATHA devotes itself to several issues pertaining mainly to intra-civilisational dialogue.
This issue of Katha contains five articles on a wide range of topics written by scholars and academics from different parts of the world. As a journal published by the Center for Civilizational Dialogue dedicated to the pursuit and advancement of intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue concerning cross-cultural human problems in all their dimensions, Katha tries as far as possible to publishe articles pertinent to these issues.
On behalf of the Center for Civilizational Dialogue, I would like to make this important announcement: the Centre has ceased to publish its bilingual journal known as Katha, Journal of the Centre for Civilizational Dialogue. The last pubclished issue of the Journal was Katha 3, 2007.
The contributions to this edition of Katha: Journal of Dialogue of Civilisations have a topical focus around different aspects of the Islamic faith and civilisation.