The Role of IIUM in Promoting the SDGs through Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah: A Survey of Students’ Perception
Hasanuddeen Abd Aziz
Jalal Mohammed Zayan
Abdul-Hamid Abdul-Wahab
Abstract
The United Nations general assembly in its 2015 meeting adopted the “UN Vision 2030” through a holistic approach for attaining self-sustainability and improving lives in terms of enhancing socio-economic conditions, tackling climate change, and preserving the environment. In this Islamic framework, the Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah theory translates the objectives or goals of the Islamic legal system revolving around five universal essentials that constitute the foundation of human good and well-being. These essentials consist of the protection of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property. The 17 goals making up the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are, basically, in line with the Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah. These goals are, generally speaking, meant to preserve and enrich the lives and social well-being of people in the fast-paced, technologically developing world of the present. Because the SDGs are formulated as a universal call for action for the benefit of everyone everywhere, it is worth looking into how closely they align with the Islamic vision of development for two reasons: 1. the West is currently leading in terms of overall societal development, giving them huge leverage in influencing the rest of the world, but despite this; 2. Islam still sets the development agenda in predominantly Muslim societies. This study aims to examine the role of IIUM, as an institution of higher learning, in promoting the SDGs through Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah and the level of students’ awareness in both respects.
Keywords: Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah, Islamic Banking and Finance, SDGs.