UniKL RCMP’s Chairman joins University of Chicago expert to bridge ‘Islam and Biomedicine’

His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, The Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan, officially launched the book titled “Islam and Biomedicine” in a historic event held at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC), today. 

The distinguished publication, edited by the renowned Oxford Muslim theologian, Dato’ Dr Afifi al-Akiti, marks a significant stride in the realm of academic and intellectual collaboration.

Dato’ Dr Afifi, who also serves as the Chairman of Universiti Kuala Lumpur Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP), joined forces with Dr A.I. Padela, a medical doctor from the University of Chicago. 

The groundbreaking book, published by Springer, reflects their concerted effort to bridge the domains of Islam and biomedicine.

The Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan also attended a special ‘Islam and Biomedicine’ forum, as part of the book launching ceremony. 

The forum saw active participation from esteemed institutions such as the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), the University of Malaya (UM), UniKL RCMP, and the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford.

This forum, the first of its kind in Malaysia, brought together Deans and Heads of Medical Schools from universities across the nation. 

Present were Orang Kaya Kaya Seri Agar Diraja, YBhg. Tan Sri Diraja Dr. Haji Ramli Ngah Talib; Perak Menteri Besar, YAB Dato’ Seri Saarani Mohamad; Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) Council Member, YBhg. Tan Sri Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali; MARA Deputy Director-General (Management Services), Rohayah Mohd Zain; MARA Director of Investment and Subsidiary Development, Mohd Halmishahril Ahmad Jamir; Chairman of MARA Corporation Sdn Bhd, YBhg. Tan Sri Dr. Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman; Chief Executive Officer of MARA Corporation, YBhg. Dato’ Julainie Mohd Salleh; and the top management of UniKL. 

For the record, Dato’ Dr Afifi is the Kuwait Fellow in Islamic Studies at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Theology, Oxford University’s oldest faculty. 

He is also a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford, where he is an expert on both Islam and Christianity.

He is internationally famous for his 2005 fatwa, Defending the Transgressed by Censuring the Reckless Against the Killing of Civilians, written in response to the 7 July London bombings, which was praised by scholars worldwide and gained a massive readership. 

In August 2023, it was recently announced that Dato’ Afifi will be inducted as a Senior Fellow of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Academy of Jordan by His Majesty The King of Jordan.