Returning back to what's happening in Malaysia...
Last Thursday I went to the law faculty of the International Islamic University of Malaysia in Gombak.
I wanted to attend a talk titled "Clash of Civilisation". I understand it is part of a series. The day's talk is on the Sunni-Syiah schism in Islam with parallels to be made between the Protestants and Catholics in Christianity.
I came in late. The talk or you can call it a lecture was already more than halfway through.
The speaker is Professor Dr. Johan Galtung, a world class intelectual. Born in Norway 84 years ago (yes! the man is that old), he has a PhD in Mathematics (1956) and another in Sociology (1957).
I might have missed most of the lecture. But I could catch enough to know that he has a deep understanding of world history, economics and comparative religion. The flavour and feel of the whole proceedings reminded me of a lecture of a local world-class intelectual. Look at An evening with the eminent Professor Syed Naquib Al-Attas. When comes the question and answer session, I took the opportunity to ask his opinion, how the Muslims could bring the return of the Caliphate given the current circumstances such as division between the Sunni and the Syiah. The man who hold the Tun Mahathir Perdana Global Peace Foundation chair for Global Peace took a few minutes to elaborate before ending it with a simple solution that many might have forgotten. Get back the feeling of togetherness between the Muslims, that should eventually do the job he practically said.
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