Dato’ Seri Prof. Ir. Zaini Bin Ujang, President of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and former Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, visited Üsküdar University. Internationally recognized in the fields of environmental engineering and climate policy, Prof. Zaini participated in an event organized under the scope of the Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RINAP).
The event, held at Üsküdar University’s South Campus in the RINAP Hall, attracted significant interest from participants.
Prof. İbrahim Özdemir: “The meeting of hearts for knowledge and truth gives this gathering its true value”
The event was moderated by Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy at Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. In his opening remarks, he expressed gratitude to the attendees and emphasized the meaning of coming together for truth, knowledge, and contemplation. He stated: “Today, the beauty of the day is matched by the meaningful nature of our gathering here. The meeting of hearts in pursuit of knowledge and truth is what gives this occasion its true value.”
Emphasis on Prof. Zaini’s academic and administrative career
Highlighting Prof. Zaini’s impressive academic and administrative background, Özdemir noted: “He currently serves as the President of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. Previously, he held senior positions such as Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Water, Rector of the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), and executive roles in three different ministries. He is a graduate of Newcastle University and Harvard Business School. He led the Malaysian delegation at major climate summits like COP26 and COP27. He has authored over 300 articles, published 50 books, and holds more than 20 patents. In addition, he has served as a visiting professor at institutions such as Imperial College London, Lund University, and the University of Tsukuba.” Prof. Özdemir remarked that such an impressive résumé reminded him of a famous couplet by Ziya Pasha: "A person’s mirror is his work, not his words; the true measure of one's intellect is seen in their achievements.”
Prof. Özdemir spoke on said nursî and ecological sensitivity
The event addressed not only environmental issues but also their Islamic and spiritual dimensions. In the continuation of his speech, Prof. İbrahim Özdemir discussed Said Nursî’s sensitivity toward the environment, emphasizing that Nursî had a contemplative vision that saw divine wisdom even in the most ordinary beings. He mentioned that Said Nursî shared his soup with ants, felt sorrow over the killing of flies while in prison, and captured this sensitivity in a short but impactful work called “The Treatise on the Fly”. “For Said Nursî, the universe was like a living Qur’an. Every being was like a letter or a sign reflecting one of the divine names. He especially offered a profound interpretation of the name Al-Quddus (The Most Pure) by associating it with the cleanliness of both nature and human beings,” Özdemir said.
RINAP and Academic Wisdom
Prof. İbrahim Özdemir also spoke about the mission of the Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RINAP), stating that RINAP addresses contemporary issues through a spiritual lens by examining the Risale-i Nur Collection on an academic foundation. He said that RINAP is a platform that brings together faith and reason, tradition and modernity. Our goal is to ensure that the ideas of Said Nursî are not confined to the past but contribute to the present and the future. Our President, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, played a vital role in the creation of RINAP. His efforts were truly foundational. Many esteemed scholars, those present today or unable to attend and have made meaningful contributions to this initiative. However, it was Prof. Tarhan who pioneered the idea of transforming his early encounter with Risale-i Nur during his university years into an academic platform where it could be studied, discussed, and debated. The mission of RINAP is to approach Risale-i Nur through academic methodology and make it accessible to wider audiences; thus, encouraging intellectual dialogue and deep contemplation,” he concluded.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)