“Islam and the Need for a New Epistemology in 21st Century.”
Third FOCUS Conference, Palembang, 23-24 April, 2010

The Third Forum Cendiakawan Umat Serantau (FOCUS) Conference was held at IAIN Raden Fatah, Palembang from 23 to 24 April, 2010. More than 50 scholars from Indonesia and Malaysia participated in the two days conference representing various academic institutions such as UIAN, IAIN and STAIN.

FOCUS was founded in 2006 as one of the intellectual and scholarly activities initiated by the IIITM (International Institute of Islamic Thought, Malaysia). Its main goal is to provide a healthy forum for Muslim academics and scholars especially from the Southeast Asian region to discourse on important issues pertaining to Islam and the Muslims and intellectual challenges confronting the contemporary Muslim ummah. The first FOCUS conference was held in December 2006 at Cherating, Kuantan, Pahang. FOCUS 2 was held in Kuala Lumpur on 23-25 January 2008.

The theme for this year conference is on ““Islam and the Need for a New Epistemology in 21st Century.” Paper presenters include:

Session I: Is there an Islamic Epistemology?

Epistemology in Islamic Perspective: The Theory
Prof. Osman Bakar

Islam dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Membangun Studi Islam Multi Discipliner
Prof. DR. Nur Syam

Some Epistemological Principle in the Qur’an.
Prof. DR. Syed Muhammad Darwilah

The Theory of Perception in Light of Knowledge by Presence
Zubaidah Yusuf
 

 Session II: Western and Contemporary Epistemology: Islamic Critique

Newton’s Theology of Mathematical Problems.
Prof. DR. Abdul Latif Samian
 
The Epistemological Foundations of  Modern Western Democracy and Islamic Critique
DR. Shaharuddin Badaruddin

Epistemological Problems in Human Geography: An Overview and a Preliminary Islamic Evaluation
Prof. DR. Amriah Buang

Philippines Muslim Intellectual and the Problem of Modern Knowledge
DR. Ali Zaman
 
 
 Session III: Islamic Perspective on Epistemologies of Individual Academic Disciplines

Al Fitrah Intelligence: The Foundation of Education Curiculum Development
DR. A. Suryadi Nomi

Tauhidic Scince: From Framework to course Design
Prof. DR. Khalijah Saleh

Interelasi Ilmu: Konsep Awal Metamorfosis Kelembagaan IAIN Raden Fatah
Dr. Musnur Hery and Dr. Ismail

Leadership/ Rectors’ Forum : Universities’ Experiences
- Prof. DR. Osman Abu Bakar (STAIN Surakarta)
- Prof. DR. Nur Fadhil Lubis (IAIN Medan)
- Prof. DR. Elyasa’ Abu Bakar (IAIN Ar Raniri, Aceh)
- Prof. DR. Amin Nurdin (UIN Syarief Hidayatullah,Jakarta)
- Prof. Aflatun Muchtar (IAIN Raden Fattah, Palembang).