Dr. Muhamad Alihanafiah bin Norasid is a senior lecturer at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya. He was born on 22 May 1987 at Kuala Lumpur General Hospital and is the eldest of twelve siblings. Originally from Johor, he has resided in Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat, Selangor, for over 30 years. He is married and blessed with five children—two boys and three girls. Educational Background Dr. Alihanafiah began his early education at Sekolah Agama Menengah Rawang, Selangor in 2000, before continuing his secondary studies at Sekolah Menengah Agama Kerajaan Johor in Kluang from 2001 to 2004. In 2005, he pursued religious studies at Ma’ahad Johor in Johor Bahru and successfully obtained the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM). He continued his academic journey at the University of Malaya, earning a Bachelor of Usuluddin (Al-Quran and Al-Hadith) from 2006 to 2009. He then pursued a PhD in the field of Thematic Quranic Interpretation and Human Capital Development at the same university from 2010 to 2016. He also attended a one-month Arabic language enhancement course at Cairo University, Egypt in 2008, and a three-month research methodology course at The World Islamic Sciences and Education University in Amman, Jordan in 2012. Academic Career Dr. Alihanafiah has been serving as a lecturer at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya since 2017, and currently holds the position of Senior Lecturer. With over eight years of academic experience, he has demonstrated strong commitment to teaching and research, particularly in the field of Quran and Hadith studies. Leadership and Involvement Since his student days, Dr. Alihanafiah has actively engaged in various leadership and co-curricular activities. He served as Chairman of the Student Committee, Department of Quran and Hadith (2005–2006), and was a committee member of the Islamic Student Association of the University of Malaya (2004–2005). He also held the position of Advisory Committee Member of the Training and Cadre Unit at YADIM (2020–2021), and served as Chairman of the Youth Bureau (Lajnah Syubban) of the Malaysian Muslim Scholar Association (PUM) from 2017 to 2024. As of 2025, he holds the position of Chairman of the Madrasah Ulama’ Secretariat, also under PUM. Academic Publications and Scholarly Network Dr. Alihanafiah is an active academic in the field of scholarly publishing. He has authored more than 60 academic articles, which have been published in various academic journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. Additionally, he has presented over 15 research papers at international conferences and seminars. His involvement in research includes delivering presentations as a guest speaker in countries such as Japan, Iran, and Indonesia. He has also participated in research competency courses in Turkey, Thailand, Egypt, Brunei, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Iran, and other countries. He is recognized as a subject matter expert in the areas of Quranic thought, thematic (Mawdu‘i) interpretation, human capital development, and environmental sustainability from the perspective of the Quran. Academic and Co-Curricular Achievements Dr. Alihanafiah has received various awards and recognitions throughout his academic journey. These include the Cikgu Haji Osman Hassan Book Prize for Best Student at the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya (2009), the Active Student Award of Residential College 8 (2007), and the Academic Excellence Award of the same college (2007). He also received the University Book Prize for achieving a perfect CGPA (4.00) in three out of six semesters. In the field of debating, he represented the University of Malaya in the Royal Intervarsity Debate Championship (Arabic category) and emerged as First Runner-up in 2007. He also reached the quarterfinals of the ASEAN Debate Championship (Arabic category) in the same year. Additionally, he was the First Runner-up in the Quran Memorization Competition and Islamic Calligraphy Competition (khat) at the university level in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Vinnie Siow Wei Yin is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Higher Education Center of Excellence (HICoE) specializing in molecular parasitology and entomology. She holds a PhD in Molecular Parasitology from Universiti Malaya, where her studies focused on the association of filarial parasites with their hosts and vectors. She also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science (First Class Honours) from Management and Science University, where she received an Industrial Award for her outstanding contributions. Dr. Vinnie’s primary expertise lies in  filarial parasites, insect vectors, molecular analysis, insecticide resistance, and proteomic analysis. Her current research interests focus on insect vectors that play important roles in both medical and veterinary contexts, along with their associated infectious disease agents. She is committed to unraveling the complex relationships between insects and their parasites, particularly in the context of public health. Additionally, she has experience in the detection of soil-transmitted helminth diseases among the Orang Asli communities. Her research aims to develop innovative strategies for controlling vector-borne diseases, striving to make a significant impact in the field and improve health outcomes in affected communities. In her future endeavors, She aspires to lead impactful projects that bridge research and practical solutions in the fight against infectious diseases.

Dr Meshari Al-Daihani attained a B.A. in accounting at Kuwait University-College of Business Administration, a foundational degree that provided him with a strong understanding of financial principles, which he later applied to Islamic finance. He then pursued a master in Accounting at Al al-Bayt University – Jordan, and a Master's in Islamic Finance and Banking with high distinction from the recognised College of Business at the Northern University of Malaysia (UUM), an AACSB accredited with a ranking of 400 in QS 2024, 90th in Asia and 2nd in Malaysia (2 Master degrees). In addition, He has attained a PhD in Islamic Finance and Banking with high distinction from the recognised Academy of Islamic Studies at the University of Malaya (UM) with a ranking of 65 in QS 2024, 16th in Asia and 1st in Malaysia. As an accomplished and passionate academician. Dr. Al-Daihani has dedicated over five years to academic and research in Islamic finance-related disciplines. Dr Al-Daihani has obtained many professional certificates in Islamic Finance (Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) IBFIM.His professional certifications further underscore Dr. Al-Daihani's expertise in Islamic finance. He is a certified Shariah Adviser and Auditor (CSAA) from AAOIFI, a Vocational Master in Islamic Economics from EAIFE, and an Islamic Certified Trainer from the Islamic Economic Club-Kuwait University. These certifications not only demonstrate his comprehensive knowledge in Islamic finance but also his commitment to continuous learning and professional development in his field.Islamic Certified Trainer (Islamic Economic Club-Kuwait University). Dr. Al-Daihani's research has made a significant Impact in the field of Islamic finance. His publications in top-quartile indexed journals, including numerous articles in peer-reviewed indexed Scopus and Web of Science publishers, have contributed to the body of knowledge in Islamic finance. His work, including publications in the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research (Emerald), International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development (IGI Global Publishing), Sustainability (MDPI) and Computers in Human Behaviour Reports (Elsevier) (forthcoming), among others, have been well-received. He has also shared his insights as a speaker at many conferences, webinars, seminars and workshops, further amplifying the influence of his research.