3 September 2026 — Under the banner of the CMICS–ISTAC Soundscapes of the Tanah Air: Hikayat, Syair and Dengar Series, “Bicara on Rumi and the Tanah Air: Spiritual Sounds and Civilisational Interactions” gathered scholars and guests for an afternoon of listening, reflection, and meaningful exchange at ISTAC-IIUM.
We were deeply grateful to Prof. Dr. Ahmad Murad Merican, Director of CMICS-ISTAC, Dr. Shafa’atussara Silahudin, Dr. Mehdi Soltanzadeh, Dr. Nurul Ain Norman, Dr. Habibreza Arzani, and Prof. Dr. Süleyman Derin, whose reflections brought Rumi, syair, storytelling, identity, spirituality, and the meaning of Tanah Air into conversation. Their voices reminded us that wisdom is carried not only through books, but through stories remembered, verses recited, sounds shared, and truths received with attentive hearts.
Rumi’s image of the reed flute offered a gentle thread through the gathering: the soul longing for its source, the world as a journey, and the Divine as the true home. In the language of the Tanah Air—earth and water—we were also reminded that belonging can be both rooted and expansive: grounded in place, memory, and culture, yet open to a wider human and spiritual horizon.
In the spirit of CMICS–ISTAC, the symposium affirmed the importance of nurturing civilisational conversations that are rooted in knowledge, guided by adab, and open to the living wisdom of our shared intellectual and spiritual heritage. As ISTAC moves toward its 40th anniversary, may such gatherings continue to create spaces where ideas are not only discussed, but heard, felt, remembered, and carried forward in service to the Ummah.
📺 Missed the session? Watch the full recording now on ISTAC TV: CLICK HERE
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