By Norrasyidah Arshad
SHAH ALAM, July 19 — The Selangor Turath Islami Festival (FITS), which has explored classical Islamic texts over the past two years, serves as a platform for the development of knowledge, especially within places of worship.
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari said the programme at Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah also serves as a source and focal point of learning, thereby further elevating the prominence of Islam.
"As I mentioned during FITS 2023, it is my dream and aspiration to make the house of Allah SWT, the mosque, a centre of community life for the dissemination of knowledge and wisdom.
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Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari delivers his speech before Ustaz Adi Hidayat's ceramah during the Selangor Turath Islami Festival 3.0 at Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam on July 18, 2025. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
“The mosque should not only be filled with the responsibility of performing prayers — be it daily, Friday, Aidilfitri, Aidiladha, or congregational prayers — but also serve as a source and central hub for knowledge.
"In the first year, we explored the classical work Ihya Ulumuddin and introduced Imam al-Ghazali. Last year, we examined the text of Imam Nawawi.
"This time, a large part of the content features 'Pengantar Ilmu Tafsir and Tafsir Al-Jalalain', a combination by Jalaluddin al-Mahalli and Jalaluddin as-Suyuti," he said.
Amirudin was delivering his keynote speech at the premier lecture, titled 'Guidance in Raising Children to Appreciate the Legacy of Islamic Scholarship', delivered by renowned Indonesian preacher Adi Hidayat.
He added that the state administration’s efforts would not cease with the conclusion of FITS, but would continue with other initiatives, including the translation of Ihya Ulumuddin into Malay.
The study of the text, led by Pattani scholar Baba Ismail Sepanjang Al-Fathoni, would be extended through monthly sessions.
"After this, we will go to the districts, to the villages, to continue studying Ihya Ulumuddin and to encourage more readings of Imam Nawawi’s works.
“FITS is a platform to attract audiences, because the development of society must be rooted in knowledge and learning,” Amirudin said.
Meanwhile, some 10,000 attendees gathered for both FITS 3.0 and the premier lecture at the mosque yesterday evening.
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Indonesian scholar Ustaz Adi Hidayat delivers his ceramah during the Selangor Turath Islami Festival 3.0 at Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam on July 18, 2025. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Adi's ceramah was attended by both Amirudin and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Hasan.
Before its start, a video message from the former Grand Mufti of Egypt was screened as part of the programme, marking one of the highlights of this year’s FITS.
In his address, Prof Ali Jum’ah Muhammad Abdul Wahab said that programmes such as this are capable of instilling the Islamic manhaj (methodology) into the daily lives of the community, and should therefore be fully utilised in terms of knowledge, thought, and religion.
"For the benefit of daily life and the attainment of true well-being. In this third year of the festival, I had greatly hoped to join you in this celebration of Islamic heritage, but my doctor prevented me," he said.
The same programme also featured a special tribute segment to the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia's late chairman Prof Dato' Muhammad Nur Manuty, who passed away last month.
FTIS 3.0, which began on Saturday (July 12) and runs until tomorrow, features 18 distinguished religious figures and scholars, with three study sessions conducted daily starting at 9am, and afternoon sessions from 4.45pm to 8.45pm.
The festival is also enlivened by an exhibition showcasing at least 10 handwritten turath (classical Islamic) manuscripts over 100 years old at the Selangor International Islamic Arts Complex.
In addition to Adi Hidayat, four other prominent Islamic scholars: Prof Abdul Fattah Abdul Ghani Al-Awari, Prof Idris al-Kharshafi, Mohammad Akram an-Nadwi, and Majd Makki, were invited to elaborate on two monumental tafsir texts authored by Imam as-Suyuti.
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Congregants and attendees at Ustaz Adi Hidayat's ceramah during the Selangor Turath Islami Festival 3.0 at Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam on July 18, 2025. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
