SECOND NUSANTARA CONFERENCE DISCUSSES CULTURAL PRACTICES WITHIN ISLAMIC GUIDELINES

KANGAR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Understanding how customs and traditions can be respected and adapted in line with religious values without violating religious principles will be the focus of the Second ‘Majlis Ilmuwan Nusantara’ (MIN) Conference this year, themed ‘Balancing Religion and Culture.’

Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the two-day conference, held at the State Legislative Assembly Complex here, will examine the role of customs, such as art, attire, and entertainment, to ensure they aligned with religion.

“This conference involves the participation of 30 scholars from several countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, and Vietnam, focusing on the balance between cultural customs and religious values in the Nusantara region,” he told reporters after the conference’s opening ceremony, officiated by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail today.

During the opening ceremony, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra also launched the official website of the Majlis Ilmuwan Nusantara, where information and discussion outcomes from the conference will be uploaded for public reference.

Mohd Asri said that if the discussions from the conference were comprehensive, they would be published as a reference book for the benefit of all.

The first MIN Conference was organised in Perlis last February, themed 'Manhaj Ahlus Sunnah as the Basis for Ummah Unity.'

Meanwhile, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra, in his opening speech, emphasised the importance of the theme of this second MIN conference in balancing religious principles and cultural customs within today’s society.

“Through the decisions made in this conference, it is hoped that a clearer understanding of culture according to Islamic guidelines can be achieved,” he said.

-- BERNAMA