The clocks have turned, the leaves falling and trains delayed! That means it’s Michaelmas Term in full swing! Delivered two lectures this week. A seminar at Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OxCIS) on Reclaiming the Financial Commons, and to the Cambridge University South East Asian Society (CUSEAS) on ASEAN @52: A Region in Waiting in a Land of Giants.

Two different audiences, each engaging and stimulating in different ways. OxCIS was a seminar with senior academics and Islamic scholars, many leaders in their respective fields including in Islamic Finance and Islamic Economics. CUSEAS is a student led body, very energetic and bright, lucky I think to be born Asean or Asean centric in these turbulent but interesting times; they will have a brave new world ahead.

The considerable side benefit of giving lectures at both sides is the delight to enjoy the beautiful architecture. Al Wakil’s magnificent OxCIS building, about two years old, and the splendour and grace of Emmanuel College, considerably older. Oxbridge colleges took inspiration from the medieval madrasahs of North Africa via the great Italian universities. As the famous hadith says, wisdom, wherever found, is the lost property of all believers.

Three more lectures in Cambridge in the next two weeks, InsyaAllah. Alhamdullilah, already 20 this year in various places. On track to do some 23 lectures, talks, panel sessions in this first year of my professional sabattical. Syukur alhamdullilah, Ilmu berguna InsyaAllah. 🙏👨🏼‍🎓⚖️ #zikirpikir 

16 November 2019