KUALA LUMPUR: Former Penang mufti Datuk Seri Hassan Ahmad has been named the recipient of the National Tokoh Maal Hijrah 1446H/2024M award.
International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) president Prof Dr Ali Muhyiddin Ali Al-Qaradaghi, meanwhile, was conferred the International Tokoh Maal Hijrah award.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, presented the awards to the recipients at a ceremony held in conjunction with the national-level Maal Hijrah 1446H/2024M celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here today.
Also gracing the event was Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, along with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia director-general Datuk Hakimah Mohd Yusoff were in attendance.
Hassan and Ali Muhyiddin both received a cash prize, a medal and a certificate.
The national-level recognition for Hassan, 82, is the second for the native of Kepala Batas, Penang, after being selected as the recipient of the National Maulidur Rasul 1433H/2012M Award.
Hassan, who served as the Penang mufti for 17 years from 1997, demonstrated exceptional leadership in overseeing the state’s religious affairs.
He also held the role of syariah advisor to multiple financial institutions, including Bank Negara Malaysia.
Graduated with a Master’s Degree in Usul Al-Fiqh from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, he has made significant contributions to education, serving as honorary advisor at Pusat Pengajian Darul Hadis in Penang, lecturer in the Faculty of Syariah at the Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya, and also as dean of the Faculty of Syariah and a Senate member of the same university.
The recipient of the Penang state-level Maal Hijrah 1436H/2014M Award has also made significant contributions in the field of writing, authoring books such as “Bai’al-Murabahah”, “Kepentingan Mencari Kekayaan Dalam Islam”, “Ruang Lingkup Ijtihad” and “Kesesuaian Islam Untuk Semua Keadaan”.
Meanwhile, Ali Muhyiddin, 75, better known as Sheikh Ali Al-Qaradaghi, is a prominent figure in Islamic Economics, Islamic Banking, Maqasid Syariah, and Islamic Thought, with his knowledge recognised as a primary reference for numerous Islamic financial and banking institutions.
Born in Qaradagh, Iraq, he has earned widespread international acclaim from Russia, Turkey, Kuwait, Sudan, and Jordan for his outstanding contributions to various fields of Islamic education.
He has also published over 100 research papers and authored 59 books on various subjects.
In addition, Sheikh Ali Al-Qaradaghi has held several significant positions, such as professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at Qatar University, vice-president of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, and member of the Academic Advisory Board of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
