Kuala Lumpur: Chairman of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), Professor Datuk Dr Muhammad Nur Manuty, has passed away at Sultan Idris Shah Hospital in Serdang. He was 76 years old.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, his passing at 11.27 am was confirmed by his special officer, Firhan Rosli. Firhan expressed the significance of the loss to the nation and the Muslim community, highlighting Muhammad Nur’s contributions to Islamic thought, scholarship, and da’wah. He called for prayers for Muhammad Nur, hoping for divine mercy, forgiveness, and a place among the righteous for him.
The funeral prayer is scheduled to take place after Asar at Masjid Al-Umm in Bangi, with burial to follow at the Sungai Tangkas Muslim Cemetery in Bangi. Muhammad Nur was appointed as the IKIM chairman on May 8, 2023, and previously served as the chairman of the Board of Directors at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2021.
On January 18 of this year, he received the highest award from the Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore (MCAS) in recognition of his leadership and contributions to the organization. Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin, President of the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM), recognized Muhammad Nur as a pivotal figure in da’wah, an Islamic scholar, and an intellectual committed to educating the ummah and advocating for universal justice.
Muhammad Nur’s journey in the Islamic movement began during his university days at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where he was the secretary-general of the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students (PKPIM) in the early 1970s. He later became president of ABIM from 1991 to 1997. During his presidency, he guided ABIM through significant transitions, enhancing its influence in nation-building and advocating on global issues like the struggles of Muslims in Bosnia and Afghanistan.
He also contributed as a lecturer, writer, and intellectual at various institutions, including UKM, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS), and Universiti Selangor (UNISEL), both locally and internationally. Muhammad Nur actively participated in global forums, including the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva and Dhaka.
His legacy as a writer and thinker is marked by impactful works such as “Islam and Demokrasi,” “Polemik Kalimah Allah,” “Islam, Politik dan Kesederhanaan,” and his memoir “Jejak-Jejak Pencerahan Umat.”