Scholar and IKIM chairman Muhammad Nur Manuty dies at 76, praised for uniting faith, modern perspectives

Malay Mail

26-06-2025

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Chairman of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim), Professor Datuk Muhammad Nur Manuty, died today at Sultan Idris Shah Hospital in Serdang.
He was 76.
His passing, at 11.27am, was confirmed by his special officer, Firhan Rosli, who described it as a significant loss to the nation and the Muslim community, especially in the fields of Islamic thought, scholarship, and da'wah.
'Let us pray that Allah showers His mercy upon the professor, forgives his sins, and places him among the righteous and faithful,' Firhan said in a statement.
The funeral prayer will be held after Asar at Masjid Al-Umm in Bangi, followed by burial at the Sungai Tangkas Muslim Cemetery, also in Bangi.
Muhammad Nur was appointed IKIM chairman on May 8, 2023. He previously served as chairman of the Board of Directors at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2021.
On January 18 this year, he was honoured with the highest award by the Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore (MCAS) in recognition of his leadership and transformational contributions to the organisation.
President of the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim), Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Samsudin, described Muhammad Nur as a da'wah figure, Islamic scholar, and intellectual who dedicated his life to educating the ummah, spreading knowledge, and advocating for universal justice.
Muhammad Nur's involvement in the Islamic movement began during his university years at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where he served as secretary-general of the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students (PKPIM) in the early 1970s. He later held the position of ABIM president from 1991 to 1997.
'During his presidency, he led ABIM through a crucial transitional period, strengthening its role in nation-building and amplifying its voice on the global stage, championing causes such as the plight of Muslims in Bosnia and Afghanistan,' Ahmad Fahmi said.
He said the late professor also served as a lecturer, writer, and intellectual at UKM, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Selangor International Islamic University College (KUIS), Universiti Selangor (Unisel), and other institutions, locally and abroad.
Apart from that, he said Muhammad Nur had actively presented Islamic thought at global forums such as the Parliament of the World's Religions, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva and Dhaka, and the al-Nursi Conference in Turkey.
As a prolific writer and thinker, he leaves behind a meaningful intellectual legacy through works such as Islam & Demokrasi, Polemik Kalimah Allah, Islam, Politik dan Kesederhanaan, and his memoir Jejak-Jejak Pencerahan Umat. — Bernama