The intellectual and moral challenges of our times are complex, yet the adage that resonates through all the problematics of modernity and postmodernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned. The role of critical thought that not only critiques but simultaneously engages positively with these challenges is pivotal, and only through such engagements can knowledge and understanding be furthered. The rich tradition of Kalam has historically proven to provide the language and tools of critical engagement with intellectual ideas and trends and can help facilitate such a conversation. The International Kalam Symposium (KLIKS 2) is organised specifically to deliberate on how Kalam could respond to these postmodern challenges. With more than 400 participants and 21 international speakers attending KLIKS 2 to share their ideas and thoughts on the challenges faced within the kalam tradition and within our societies the symposium proved a grand success.
Under the banner title Kalam’s engagement with postmodern challenges key scholars specialised in Islamic creed and Islamic philosophical thought such as Shaykh Dr Saeed Foudeh (Jordan), Shaykh Dr Umar Faruq Abd Allah (USA), Shaykh Dr Hakim Murad (UK), Shaykh Dr Khalid Zahri and Dr Hakima Chami (Morocco) gathered to demonstrate the vitality of the kalam tradition and its revival vis-a-vis contemporary challenges of modernity. Local Malay scholars such as Dr Mohd Zaidi Ismail, Dr Mohd Farid Shahran, Dr Wan Suhaimi Wan Abdullah, Dr Megawati Moris and Dr Haslina Ibrahim illustrated the notion of an international revival of kalam. All English and Arabic (with live translation) lectures can be found on our youtube-channel. We’d like to express our sincerest gratitude to the many organisations that have collaborated to make KLIKS 2 a successful event of which we’d like to mention the Templeton Foundation, the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysian (IKIM), the Malaysian Strategic Research Institute (IKSIM), the Centre for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA), the Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought and Civilization (INSIST), EMBARA and Al-Azhar University Alumni of Malaysia.
Below is the programme along with the links to the video recording of the various speeches:
Day 1
Opening Remarks
Keynote Speech by Dr Umar Faruq Abd Allah: Values, Self and humanity – postmodern ethical challenges
Dr Saeed Foudeh Truth, knowledge and reality – postmodern epistemological challenges.
Dr Khalid Zahri: Kalam’s sources and chronology in the Andalusian Empire.
Day 2
Dr Abdal Hakim Murad: Muslim Intellectuality and Moral Decline
Dr Umar Faruq Abd Allah: Reviving the nature and meaning of values, self and humanity.
Dr Khalid Zahri: The revival of Kalam’s discipline in the Maghreb region.
Dr. Hakima Chami: A case study on Kalam of Abu Ali al-Majri al-Kafif.
Day 3
Dr Abdal Hakim Murad: The importance of Islamic institutions: Cambridge Muslim College.
Dr Saeed Foudeh: Reviving traditional knowledge and sciences vis-à-vis contemporary knowledge
Round Table Discussion: Engaging Postmodern Challenges – Reviving Kalam in the Academic and Public sphere
All the videos of KLIKS 2 can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwmEqkvaOXDwd15GuEEZP6xx-VgPYgTap
Conference Photos can be viewed here:
https://snakhooda.smugmug.com/2nd-Kuala-Lumpur-International-Kalam-Symposium-2017
https://snakhooda.smugmug.com/KLIKS2-Day-1
