Vol. 8 No. 1 (2023): al-Irsyad: Journal of Islamic and Contemporary Issues

The Editorial Board of the al-Irsyad: Journal of Islamic and Contemporary Issues is pleased to announce this volume 8, issue 1 (June 2023), devoted to Islam. This issue includes eight studies devoted to the history and phenomenology of religion from an Islamic perspective.

Usman et al., in their paper “Does Islam Tolerate Other Religions? A Quranic Perspective" aimed to show how Islamic tolerance can solve religious conflicts that affect numerous areas of life, such as the economy, security, and politics. This paper also provides more profound knowledge based on the perspective of the Quran to build a society full of peace, harmony, and unity through Islamic tolerance. The Quran's stance on tolerance must be understood and followed to prevent societal divisions.

The second paper is titled “Writings and Studies Related to Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (1931-2015): Bibliometric Analysis Over Three Decades,” by Nasir et al. The article presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the writings and studies associated with Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, a prominent figure in Malaysian politics and Islamic scholarship. This study contributes significantly to the field of knowledge by shedding light on the scholarly output and impact of Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s works over the past three decades. The analysis provides insights into the scope and depth of his contributions and highlights the evolving trends and themes within the field of study. The paper also serves as a valuable resource for researchers, academics, and enthusiasts interested in exploring the life and intellectual legacy of Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Included in this June 2023 issue is an exciting topic by Othman et al. titled “Religiosity Level and Perceived Social Support for the Psychological Well-Being of Muslim Undergraduate Nursing Students.” This paper expands the empirical understanding of the psychological well-being of Muslim nurses by examining the impact of two protective factors: religiosity level and perceived family support. The study provides an example of how protective factors can benefit the mental health of Muslim healthcare workers and other religious health professionals by focusing on undergraduate nursing students.

Mohd Ghazi et al. wrote the following paper titled “The Role of Mainstream Media and Christian Organisations in Shaping South Korean Views on Islam and Muslims: A Historical Study.” This paper contributes to the field of knowledge by shedding light on the broader dynamics of media influence and religious organisations’ role in shaping societal perceptions of Islam and Muslims. The comprehensive historical analysis offers a foundation for further scholarly investigations into the intersection of media, religion, and public opinion formation. Furthermore, the insights provided in this study can inform policymakers, interfaith dialogue initiatives, and advocacy organisations working towards fostering greater understanding and tolerance among different religious communities in South Korea. This paper expands our understanding of the complex interplay between media, religion, and social attitudes, significantly contributing to the field.

The Arabic paper for this issue is titled "Phonological Analysis for Liquids Rules in al-Sūsī of Abī ‘Amr Narration" by Mohamad Isa et al. This article provides findings that other researchers can study to contribute new findings for future research. As for the phonology field, the results show that liquid sounds and rules are applied in Arabic and other languages. Two main features or traits, [± repeated] and [± side], play roles in changing liquid sounds. The findings also show that the Quranic narrations have various samples and data to be analysed and can contribute to many other fields. These findings contribute to the phonological data and the Quranic narrations field, which can be diverted as big data that can be referred to in future studies.

Mohd Noor et al. paper titled “Badī‘ al-Zamān Sa‘īd Nursī’s Approach Through Writing in Da‘wah: A Study of Effective Verbal Communication,” contributes to at least three groups: researchers in the field of communication, preachers (dā’ī), and the Tullāb al-Nūr (students and researchers of Rasā’il al-Nūr), especially in Malaysia. For students in Islamic communication, this study adds to their knowledge about the importance of writing methods, especially by any Islamic figure, as an effective preaching approach. For dā’ī in Malaysia, this study is expected to improve their techniques and approaches when delivering da‘wah while introducing famous 20th-century da‘wah figures to them. While for Tullāb al-Nūr, it is part of the reference and collection of scientific studies about Rasā’il al-Nūr in Malaysia.

The study by Habib and Nasir on fanaticism in Cordoba during the 5th century AH defines a crucial stage in Andalusia's Islamic state. The reasons for hindering the construction and dividing the Islamic civilization caused conflicts and its collapse. The paper can emphasise the contribution of Andalusian society's racial diversity to the collapse of sectarianism in the tribe, which persisted even after the establishment of the Islamic state.

Furthermore, the last paper for this issue is “Divine values in engineering science: Highlights of Quranic verses and its appreciation based on Tafsīr Fī Zilāl al-Qur’ān by Sayyid Quṭb (1906-1966),” by Alpandi et al. They found that the literature lacks sufficient discussion about Quranic verses and their impact on engineers' lives in various engineering fields. The divine values highlighted through the appreciation of verses, translations, and Tafsīr Fī Zilāl al-Qur’ān explain that every branch of engineering is related to the power of Allah, the Creator. Therefore, it is reasonable for a servant to make this divine value the core of the study of any field of knowledge, thus strengthening his obedience and faith in Allah.