WEEK 3 : MAQASID SHARIAH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

 As for today, we begin our class by reciting a prayer for Allah's mercy and forgiveness. Right after,Dr Suhaimi proceeds with the topic at hand, which is the Islamic perspective of sustainable development and the concept of Maqasid, which can be defined as the objective or foundation of Islamic law. Maqasid is based on the Quran and Sunnah and refers to the purpose or objective of Islamic law. Dr also explains that sustainable development, which involves balancing environmental, social, and economic dimensions, can be traced back to the historical development of Islamic jurisprudence. The Maqasid concept serves as the foundation for the Islamic rulings towards achieving sustainable development as part of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Maqasid Shariah principles include the preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property which will lead to chaos and injustice for society if it's not protected. It's today's date when I learned about the formation of the Malaysian education system and its alignment with the Maqasid Shariah principles. How come I have never thought of this before!  

After some discussion about the matter, we were to group the breakout rooms in the teams we the topic of 'how to apply these maqasid shariah principles in the context of you as a university student?' with the group members. Well, my group was brainstorming our ideas and exchanging views about them until Dr Suhaimi joined our breakout room, then only we realized that we were supposed to relate it to our project. Then, we started altering our points and presented them successfully just in time, Alhamdulillah. 

Furthermore, we continue to discuss today's topic and some points caught my attention which can be summarized as the significance of spirituality and humanity in guiding human behavior as humans lack purpose and direction in the absence of a soul, forcing them to focus on their desires and possessions. Besides, spirituality can help people reconnect with their moral and religious side to stay on the right track as in Surah Al-Fatihah verse 6 "Guide us along the Straight Path", as shown in the Palestinian battle to safeguard their land and community. Humans must protect their humanity while also protecting the environment through measures such as recycling and ethical consumption.