African media is reporting that the US-based International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) Has sponsored a three-day conference on Islamic Epistemology and curriculum development. recently held in the African country of Zanzibar. According to the allAfirica.com report:
April 20, 2015 Zanzibar — THE SUMAIT University of Zanzibar has welcomed scholars from across the East African Region from this weekend, for a three-day conference which began on Saturday, to discuss Islamic Epistemology and curriculum development.
Prof Hemed Rashid Hikmany, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the SUMAIT University (formerly University College of Education) informed journalists at a press conference that at least 40 academicians will gather at the institute located at Chukwani area, on the outskirts of Zanzibar town.
Dr Hikmany said, “We have been lucky to host the event to be attended by delegates from Morogoro Islamic University, Umma University and Moi University both of Kenya, Islamic University of Uganda, Project of Islamic University of South Sudan, International Islamic University of Malaysia and the host.”
He said the participants who include professors, vice-chancellors and researchers will focus on capturing the on-going socio-economic and scientific global changes. He thanked the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) for supporting the conference.
“The workshop will design a curriculum which captures all domains of learning outcome including knowledge, practical skills, problem solving, and scientific skills, life-long learning attitude and professionalism,” Dr Hikmany said at the press conference.
Previous posts have discussed the Nigerian branch of the IIIT.
The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) describes itself as “a private, non-profit, academic, cultural and educational institution, concerned with general issues of Islamic thought and education” and using the slogan “Towards Islamization of Knowledge and Reform of Islamic Thought.” The concept for IIIT was developed at a meeting held in Lugano, Switzerland that was attended by many luminaries of the Global Muslim Brotherhood including Youssef Qaradawi. IIIIT was founded in the U.S. in 1980 by U.S. Muslim Brotherhood leaders including Iraqi-born Jamal Barzinji and Hisham Altalib who wished to promote the Islamization of Knowledge as conceived by Ismail Al-Faruqi and who were also early leaders of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). A 1991 internal document of the US Muslim Brotherhood, introduced as evidence in the holy Land Foundation trial, included IIIT in “a list of our organizations and organizations of our friends.”
For more on IIIT, go here.