DR. HAZWAN ARIFF BIN HAKIMI

Dr. Hazwan Ariff Hakimi is a poetic architect and academic whose career bridges architectural history, theory, and practice. With a PhD in Architecture (Graduate on Time with Excellent Thesis) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and a Master of Arts in Architectural History (Distinction) from The Bartlett, University College London (UCL), he embodies a rare synthesis of professional rigour and scholarly depth. His research delves into architectural historiographies, postcolonial theories, and the Islamisation of architecture in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. His scholarly works, including refereed journal articles and book chapters, have been widely recognised, earning him prestigious awards such as the UKM Excellent Thesis Award and the International Conference on Regional Architecture and Built Environment (seniBINA) Gold Award. Dr. Hazwan's interdisciplinary approach enriches the discourse on the intersection of traditional and modern architecture, literature, and philosophy. As a design architect, he has contributed to landmark projects such as the Rica Residence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the City International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He fosters critical thinking and innovative design in academia through courses like Architectural Theory and Philosophy, encouraging students to connect theoretical constructs with practical applications. Dr. Hazwan's dedication extends beyond the classroom. He is a registered member of professional bodies, including the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA), actively contributing to architectural and cultural dialogues. His editorial roles and jury appointments reflect his commitment to advancing the field and nurturing emerging talents. An advocate for collaboration, Dr. Hazwan invites potential research partners and postgraduate students to join him in exploring the nuanced narratives of architecture and its cultural contexts. His vision lies in integrating theoretical frameworks with sustainable practices to address contemporary urban challenges, shaping a built environment rooted in history yet responsive to the future.

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PROF. DR. CHE ZARRINA BINTI SA'ARI

Che Zarrina Sa’ari, who graduated from the University of Malaya (Bachelor's and Master's degrees) and Edinburgh University (PhD), is currently the Professor at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia, working in the Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought. She served several times as the Head of the Department of Aqidah and Islamic Thought and as the Deputy Director (Development and Research) at the same Academy, and currently she is the Deputy Director (Research) until December 2024. She was also a visiting scholar at Leiden University (2004) and Edinburgh University (2010). Dr. Che Zarrina’s broad academic and research interests involve Sufism, Islamic Psychospiritual, Islamic Psychotherapy, and Islamic Ethics. She has produced over 300 publications, including books, chapters in books, articles in journals, short articles in mass media, and conference proceedings that were presented nationally and internationally. Dr. Che Zarrina has been invited many times by national as well as international universities to deliver lectures or talks on Islamic Psychospiritual and Psychotherapy. She has also been invited to be a keynote speaker, plenary speaker, or invited speaker in seminars, conferences, and workshops nationally and internationally in her area of expertise. She has presented papers in seminars and conferences and delivered motivational talks as well as religious talks to the public from time to time, and written short articles in magazines and newspapers. Dr. Che Zarrina has produced about 50 master's students and 53 doctorate students in her field. The graduates, national and international, became her successors in the dissemination and enhancement of their expertise and have contributed to the academic world, government, and community, especially in spiritual and mental well-being. In research, she has been awarded about 105 internal and external research grants, for instance, ERGS, FRGS, MAIS Fatwa Research Grant, IIRG, MRUN, JAKIM Fatwa Research Grant, RACE, USM, JAIS Fatwa Research Grant, GP LPPKN, UMRG Project, and UMRG Programme. The outputs of the research could be seen through the graduation of graduate research assistants, publications, curriculum designs, and reviews for new courses or module improvements. In addition, those outputs have also been utilized to assist government institutions. For example, in developing modules, manuals, guidelines, policies, and fatwas. Furthermore, many of the outputs of Islamic Psychospiritual and Psychotherapy have been applied and carried out publicly by the community and non-governmental associations (NGO). To impart this knowledge to the relevant communities, Dr. Che Zarrina has been invited to facilitate the training of the trainers (ToT) workshops and intervention sessions that are usually organized by the government, such as JAKIM, Malaysian Ministry of Health, Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Intergrasi Nasional, state religious councils and departments, non-governmental organizations, and the public. In the professional field, based on her expertise and involvement with the stakeholders, she has gained their trust and has been appointed to one of JAKIM’s prestigious committees as an Expert Panel for Aqidah (PPA) with terms of reference to respond to current issues of `aqidah and school of thought in society and give an initial view on the issuance of a fatwa for Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa, Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia (MKI). She has been involved in various committees and has been appointed as an expert panel, among others in Expert Panel for Programme Standards: Islamic Studies by Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), Expert Panel of the Field of Aqidah and Sufism, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Top Management Committee for KSKCare Centre JAKIM, and Dini Curriculum Development for Ministry of Education Malaysia. In academic linkage, Dr. Che Zarrina has been involved as an academic advisor for several local universities, journals editor-in-Chief, advisory board member, member of journal editorial boards, postgraduate external examiner, and member of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES). She is the Editor in Chief for AFKAR: Journal of Aqidah & Islamic Thought, indexed in WoS-ESCI and SCOPUS. She has also been appointed Editor in Chief for Qalbu: International Journal of Sufism published by PERTAMA, the advisory board for the Journal of Islamic Theology Pakistan and the Journal of Islamic Research Turkey, and has become a reviewer for WoS and SCOPUS journals. She also contributes to society through her involvement with several national and international non-government organizations (NGO) such as the Islamic Psychospiritual Association Malaysia (IPSA) as Deputy President, Majlis Dakwah Negara, Persatuan Kaunseling Syarie Malaysia, and the International Association of Islamic Psychology. She has obtained several certificates as a certified practitioner, such as Psychological First Aid, Mental Health Coach, and Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling. Among her significant contributions to the country is her involvement from the beginning in setting up the KSKCare Centre@MTMZA JAKIM which is a community referral center that provides professional and free services to the community.  Since then, she, who leads the Islamic Psychospiritual Team, has always performed training of the trainers (ToT) managed by JAKIM and others for related persons.

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DR. SUFIAN RAJA

Sufian Raja has graduated with a PhD from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya in in 2022. He has completed B.Tech and M.Tech degrees from ZHCET, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. His resolute research niches are in friction stir welding, friction stir processing, metal matrix composites, and additive manufacturing. He has to his credit one patent and 18 research publications in internationally referred journals and conferences.  

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