Sharifah Hayaati Syed Ismail is a professor at the Department of Siasah Syar`iyyah (Islamic Political Science), Academy of Islamic Studies, the University of Malaya, after beginning her career as an assistant lecturer in 1992. She received a Bachelor of Sharia with First Class Honours from the University of Malaya in 1992, a Master of Comparative Laws from the International Islamic University Malaysia in 1994, and a PhD in Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Bristol in England (1999). Her primary research interests include Islamic governance, non-governmental organisations, halal governance, integrity, and women's leadership. She was appointed to many administrative roles at the university, including deputy director of undergraduate studies, head of department, and UM panel for SLAB/SLAI. She was appointed Honorary Professor of Infrastructure University Malaysia from October 2022 to October 2023. She is also an adjunct Associate Professor at the Islamic University Sultan Sharif Ali, Brunei Darussalam, for one semester from January to Mei 2023. She published over 300 works, including books, journals (WoS; Scopus, Mycite & International referred journals) chapters in books, Guidelines and newspapers. Her recent publications include Halal Governance, UM Press (2024), Virtual Civil Society in Malaysia: Challenge and Continuity (Eds.), UUM Press (2024), Islam & Governance in Malaysia (Eds.), University Malaya Press (2022), Civil Society in Malaysia: Issue and Challenges (Eds.), University Technology Mara Press (2022) Islam & Dynamics Civil Society in Malaysia (Eds.), University Malaya Press (2021), Effective Governance, Politics & Quality from Islam and Contemporary Perspectives, University Malaya Press (2020), ISO 9000 Quality Manual: Its Application in Civil Service, UPNM Press (2018).Due to her expertise and experience, she is appointed by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) as an external assessor for the Associate Professor position. She has supervised over 40 postgraduates at the Master's and Doctoral levels in Islamic Political Science. She frequently chaired a PhD and master's board of committees and seminars besides being appointed as an external and internal examiner. She has been a Chief Editor for the International Journal of Islam & Contemporary Affairs from 2019 to the present and an editorial board member in several local and international journals. In recognition of her insights, she has been elected as a panel and government think-tank in several national committees and projects including as a Taskforce for Shariah-based Governance Guidelines, Prime Minister Office, National Project on Maqasid Sharia Index, Syariah Advisor to TV al-Hijrah and Syariah Panel Advisor to the University of Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Appointment and Disciplinary Panel for Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (YaPEIM), Head of Research Cluster on Women & Social Affairs, YADIM Management and Research Centre, 2020-to present, Chairperson National Panel for Issues on Muslim Women (PISWI) 2019-2021 and expert panel for leadership document Qawwam (JAKIM) 2022. Her most recent research project with Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM) resulted in the successful production of a Technical Report and National Guideline for Handling Mental Health Due to Work-Family Issues During the Pandemic and Endemic COVID-19 in Malaysia based on the Dakwah Approach 2022, a blueprint for National Dakwah Plan, (YADIM grant) 2021, and a Modul for Asnaf Development (MAIW (MAIWP, DBKL & UMCARES grant) 2020. At the international level, she was awarded a fellowship at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, the University of Oxford. The research was on Islamic governance in Muslim institutions in Britain. The research was granted under the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU Titular Fellowship) and the University Malaya Study Leave Award in 2015. In 2007, she received a Fulbright Visiting Specialist award that sent her to Batavia, New York. Numerous times, she was invited to participate as a keynote speaker and plenary speaker, as well as for professional sharing. Among the most recent and noteworthy is the invitation from the government of the Kyrgyz Republic and being a Malaysian delegate to the International Women Summit in Istanbul in 2018, where she delivered a paper on Islam & women's leadership and work-family balance in Malaysia. She is actively involved as the Principal Investigator (PI) and expert advisor in her field. She received more than 10 research grants for various studies from local, international, and industrial bodies. Including the Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS), University Malaya Research Grant (UMRG & UMCares), International Islamic University Malaysia (Puncak Niaga Holdings), Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (YaPEIM), Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (YADIM), FAA Consultancy, and Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM). She was recognised and awarded Pingat Johan Mahkota Wilayah (JMW) in 2019 and Pingat Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN) in 2012. While in Dakwah & Charity work, she was awarded Anugerah Tokoh Maulidur Rasul Wilayah Persekutuan, 2018, Tokoh Maulidur Rasul Kebangsaan, 2015, Anugerah Daie Ilmuan Wanita, TV al-Hijrah, 2022, and Anugerah Pendakwah Negara (Sahabat YADIM) Kategori Ilmuan 2024.

Dr. Aqsa Isa is a Senior Lecturer based in the Department of English Language, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia and Research Associate at Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).Her teaching and scholarly interests are focused on the areas of Critical Discourse Studies, Social Semiotics and Multimodality. She is interested in multidisciplinary work and research involving (violent) extremism and (de) radicalisation, especially on social media, as well as religion and politics, among others. As a linguist, she has looked at various violent extremist and far right propaganda materials, exploring and understanding the ideologies and linguistic strategies used to garner support and attract potential followers. She is also exploring the recruitment, radicalisation as well as the reintegration processes, in which she has worked closely with former detainees, their family members and various local and international agencies. In addition, Dr. Aqsa has been invited as a speaker and resource person in various Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) programmes by agencies such as the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs (Security Division), Malaysian public universities, civil society organisations, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the SEA Women Peacebuilders Network.  Currently, she is also the Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of English Language and Linguistics. Her tasks include overseeing accreditation processes and curriculum reviews, coordinating class schedules, and ensuring the wellbeing of students in the programme. She also engages with local and international institutions to build academic collaborations. As part of her role, she provides academic guidance and supports continuous programme improvement to align with current educational and industry needs. Recent publication:‘Dust Off the Dirt of Laziness and Break the Shackles of the Dunya’: The Language of Female Extremists in Daesh Propaganda Magazines, Journal of Gender and Language. Forthcoming publications: 1. Media Framing of Violent Extremism Cases in Malaysia: A Discursive News Values Analysis (Journal Article) 2. Psychological Impacts of News Reporting on Individuals Arrested for Violent Extremism in Malaysia and Their Families (Journal Article) 3. "As Long As Nobody’s Hurt”: A Digital Discourse on Justifying Quran Burning from an Argumentation Perspective (Journal Article) 4. From Delegitimisation to Conditional Legitimacy: Media Slant and Multimodal Framings of Quran-Burning Protests (Journal Article) 5. Stance-taking in Online Far-Right Discourse Communities: Anti-immigration and Identity Politics (Journal Article)