KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim paid his last respects and joined hundreds of mourners in performing the funeral prayers for Royal Professor Tan Sri Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas, a leading thinker in contemporary Islamic civilisation, at Masjid al-Taqwa in Taman Tun Dr Ismail today.
The Prime Minister, who arrived at 11.25am, was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Hasan, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, Selangor state executive councillor for youth, sports, and entrepreneurship Mohd Najwan Halimi, and former foreign minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar.
The funeral prayers were led by the deceased's son Datuk Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas.
Also present was the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Anwar’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Speaking to the media, Anwar recalled personally knowing and collaborating with Naquib on several scholarly works during his time leading the Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), including the publication of seminal works such as Islam and Secularism and Islam Dalam Sejarah Kebudayaan Melayu.
“His contributions were invaluable. Even during ABIM, we took him across Malaysia to share his knowledge. Later, he continued to make significant contributions at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), and the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC).
“His passing is a profound loss for the nation and the world,” he said.
Anwar added that the government received hundreds of condolence messages from leaders and academics abroad, including from Turkiye, Iraq, and Pakistan.
The Prime Minister noted that the title of Royal Professor, bestowed by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, in October 2024, recognised Naquib’s outstanding contributions to Islamic education in Malaysia.
Only one other scholar, the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid, has received this honour, which was in 1978.
Born in Bogor, Indonesia, Naquib passed away at 6.47 pm yesterday at the age of 94. He is survived by his wife Latifah Abdullah and four children: Sharifah Faizah Al-Attas, Datuk Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas, Sharifah Shifa Al-Attas, and Syed Haidar Al-Attas.
He was later laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery.
