RIYADH, 7 June 2004 — Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh has registered four candidates for a research program into the causes of terrorism. The research could lead to Master’s degree or PhD.
“The idea is to study how dialogue at the level of the international community can be made effective to serve the cause of peace. We would also like to examine the coverage of the Saudi media with regard to terrorism and what role it can play in addressing the problem,” said Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamoud, dean of the faculty of dawa and mass communications.
The university has come under fire after the Ministry of Interior revealed that nine on a list of 26 most wanted terror suspects were IMSIU graduates.
Al-Hamoud said it was important to remember that students do not spend more than five or six hours a day for five days at the university. “The rest of the time they are outside where they are interacting with (other) members of society or otherwise exposed to the mass media,” he said. “Their social behavior is accordingly shaped by their perception of what they see, hear or think. Their individual response is the sum total of all that is happening around them, be it the Israeli actions against Palestinians, the bombings of innocent people in Afghanistan, or torture of prisoners in Iraq. How does the university then come into the picture?”
Charges against the university were part of a Western “campaign against Islam and Muslims,” he said.
He was equally defensive about associating terrorism with a particular society. “Highly educated people, whether in Asia, Africa, Europe or the United States, have also been involved in acts of terrorism,” he said. “We should not look at things in isolation, while ignoring various other factors that contribute to the development of a particular mindset.”
Asked whether IMSIU had plans for academic reforms, Al-Hamoud said: “Yes, we do have a plan. But if you are relating it to the ongoing campaign against Islam, the answer is no. In that sense, there is no need to make any change in the syllabus, which is meant to fight terrorism on the basis of the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.”
Even so academic reform was an ongoing process to keep the syllabus in tune with evolving needs. “In that context, and not because of terrorism, we are reviewing our syllabus — something that we do once in five or ten years,” he said.
A revised syllabus would include some textbooks dealing with terrorism. “We also plan to invite scholars for a dialogue to promote better understanding between Islam and the West,” he added.
