Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently held a series of public events, organised through one of its colleges, the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS). These community workshops, roundtables, and conferences considered current challenges in Islamic Finance and Islamic Studies.
In March, HBKU’s QFIS brought more than 60 members of the wider community together, including students, faculty, experts and practitioners, to discuss “Shariah Governance Systems in a Globalised World”.
Speaking at the roundtable event, Dr S Nazim Ali, director, Centre for Islamic Economics and Finance at QFIS, said, “The motivation behind this workshop is borne out of the need to start progressive communication and dialogue opportunities between the two most important stakeholders of the Islamic finance industry.”
The conference explored topics such as Shariah governance policymaking, how to resolve conflicting fatwas issued by different banks on the same products, and the Shariah audit function in the Islamic banking industry.
The university held another public event, targeting individuals interested in sustainability efforts in the Muslim world. Apart from attracting leading academics from universities in and beyond Qatar, the Second Annual Student Conference gathered representatives of various youth organisations to partake in discussions around the role of Islamic institutions in efforts that support sustainability.
In addition to plenary discussions between professionals, the event featured student presentations and informal dialogue, culminating in an award ceremony honouring the most impactful community projects.
The Muhammad Bin Hamad Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilisation at QFIS held an international conference on “Contemporary Issues in Qur’anic Studies”. The event provided distinguished scholars from Germany, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States with the opportunity to present their work and comment on emerging theories in the field.
Dr Aisha Yousef al-Mannai, director, Centre for Muslim Contributions to Civilisation at QFIS, noted, “In line with HBKU’s objectives, we are proud to engage in academic pursuits that help to disseminate knowledge to the community, foster understanding, and build bridges between cultures.”