Browsing by Type "Doctoral"

Effective Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal is crucial for environmental sustainability and public health. As waste is segregated at source, the success of the Malaysian waste management practices such as reduce, reuse and recycle largely depends on the active participation of households. However, most Malaysians are unaware of the significance of appropriate cleaning and waste disposal, and their role as Khalifah to care for and preserve the environment. Within the domain of sustainable Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), persuasive technology (PT) has emerged as a promising approach to encourage green practices. In order to assist designers in designing persuasive application, Persuasive System Design (PSD), a framework described the process of designing and evaluating a persuasive system was introduced. The framework also enlisted four categories of persuasive design principles such as primary task support, dialogue support, system credibility support and social support. However, one of the major limitations of the framework is lack of spiritual and religious values that could influence and guide human behavior. As Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country and is largely influenced by religious values, we believe that integrating Maqasid al-Shari’ah can enhance the persuasive power of technology-driven interventions Maqasid al-Shari’ah refers to the higher objectives of Islamic law, providing a value-based approach to influencing behavior through ethical, social, and environmental principles. By integrating persuasive design strategies with these principles, the framework encourages responsible waste disposal behaviors among individuals and communities. Therefore, this study presents the development of an integrated persuasive design framework that integrates PSD principles with Maqasid al-Shari’ah to promote environmentally friendly waste disposal behaviors. The research begins by investigating community awareness of MSW disposal based on Maqasid al-Shari’ah and identifying barriers to sustainable waste management practices. Afterwards, end-users' perspectives on effective persuasive design principles based on the Persuasive System Design (PSD) framework were identified through in-depth interviews. Additionally, the principles guiding sustainable waste management practices within the framework of Maqasid al-Shari’ah were examined using qualitative content analysis and an inductive approach. The output has been used to propose a new integrated framework, which was later validated by expert review using Fuzzy Delphi Analysis. Based on the validated framework, a persuasive application Tahara was designed and evaluated through a case study involving eleven Malaysians. This finding proves that the persuasive application designed and developed based on PSD approach integrated with Maqasid al-Shari’ah, is effective and successfully motivating desired behaviour change among Malaysian. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, designers, and environmental agencies in developing culturally and religiously aligned persuasive interventions for sustainable waste management.

The dietary patterns of university students have increasingly shifted towards unhealthy consumption behaviours, contributing to the global rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular illnesses. Concurrently, malnutrition has become apparent among students due to their inability to access and consume sufficient and nutritious food. Within the context of Muslim populations, the Halalan-Toyyiban dietary concept offers a comprehensive framework that emphasizes both lawful consumption (halal) and wholesomeness (toyyiban), aligning spiritual obligations with public health imperatives. However, the operationalization of this concept in nutrition education remains underexplored. This study sought to develop and evaluate a Religious-Based Digital Intervention Tool (RB-DIT) based on the Halalan-Toyyiban framework to improve nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and dietary practices among students at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The research was conducted through a four-phase, mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with experts in Islamic dietary law and nutrition were thematically analysed to identify key components underpinning the Halalan-Toyyiban dietary model. These components informed the development of the RB-DIT modules, which were then embedded into a web-based learning management system. In the quantitative phase, pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to both intervention and control groups, with data analysed using paired and independent sample t-tests to assess the tool�s effectiveness. The results revealed significant post-intervention improvements among the intervention group across all domains: nutritional knowledge (p < 0.001), attitudes (p < 0.001), and dietary practices (p < 0.001), whereas the control group demonstrated no significant changes. The RB-DIT also exhibited high internal consistency (Cronbach�s alpha = 0.892) and was favourably received by participants. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the viability of integrating religious values into digital public health interventions. The RB-DIT offers a culturally congruent and scalable model for fostering healthier dietary behaviours among Muslim youth, contributing to the evolving discourse on halal science, nutrition education, and behaviour change strategies. Future studies should consider validating this tool in diverse settings and populations.

This work studies the Sharh `Uqud Rasm al-Mufti (An explication of the Chaplets on the Manual of the Mufti to Give Fatwa) of Ibn Abidin al-Shami (d. 1252/1836) which collects everyday principles a mufti should know to serve the fatwa-giving institution (ifta�). The principles in this treatise dwell around fatwa giving methods of the Hanafi legal school. The researcher edited and presented the Arabic text in the modern style with complete information of the works and scholars Ibn Abdin referred to with short titles and names. The text was translated into English and drew an analysis reflecting on the principles Ibn Abidin presented in the treatise. The work finds that a mufti is bound to give fatwa according to the preferred (rajih) opinion of a legal school or of a mujtahid. This principle gives assurance that the mufti is not giving fatwa according to his lust (hawa) or out of ignorance (jahalah). This principle is only feasible, if the mufti is an expert in knowing the hierarchy of the legal transmissions of the legal school, hierarchy of the scholars (fuqaha), and their works. He should know the different writing styles of the fuqaha and their method of compiling several legal opinions for a single issue. The mufti has to master the rectification codes such as sahih (correct opinion) and mufta bihi (opinion according to which the fatwa is given) and its hierarchy in choosing a legal opinion for his fatwa. Ibn Abidin�s treatise does not discuss principles which only demand the mufti to be a bookworm, but there are principles which require the mufti to know the situation and circumstances of the mustafti. The mufti can only know the maslahah and darurah if he knows the custom (`urf) and habit of his people. The mufti cannot give fatwa according to an opinion which was based on some other people�s custom to his people who follow their own sets of customs and habits. This may cause injustice and hardship to the people. Human need is an important factor and hence if the mufti has to give fatwa according to a weak or not preferred opinion of a legal school or a mujtahid, he can do so. Ibn Abidin�s treatise is not the A-Z of the principles of giving fatwa, but it is a starting point to put the scholars on tract who intend to serve the institution of giving fatwa.

On the basis of the teachings of the Qur??n, this research seeks to analyse the street da�wah practices of Tabligh Jama�at in Malaysia. The primary objective is to investigate the principles and methods of street da�wah that the group utilises. This qualitative study comprehensively examines relevant verses from the Qur??n and Mufassirs� interpretations. To gain a better understanding of the matter that is being researched, data has been gathered through the use of semi-structured interviews and library research. The purpose of this research is to fill the gap in the field of da�wah, which is generally carried out at educational institutions, masjids (mas?jid), and other places where those who are interested in learning Isl?m typically go to observe the preachers and listen to their lectures. On the other hand, street da�wah preachers from Tabligh Jama�at are required to continuously search for individuals to convey the message of da�wah to them, regardless of whether or not they have an interest in Isl?m. Tabligh Jama�at accomplishes this by visiting individuals and approaching them in public without considering their background, education level, or other characteristics. Not only does Tabligh Jama�at conduct street da�wah, but it also goes beyond merely presenting the da�wah and then moving on from the subject of da�wah (mad??) without taking any further action, but Tabligh Jama�at places a high priority on the activities that take place after the street da�wah, namely by encouraging the mad?? to visit the masjid and participate in conversations that emphasise the enhancement of their ??m?n and ?amal ??li?. The analysis reveals that Tabligh Jama�at prioritises specific sets of principles that focus on internal or spiritual aspects rather than merely procedures. It highlights the need to engage in street da�wah activities that are in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet Mu?ammad (saw). In order to fulfil the commitment of being the best ummah, it is of utmost importance to possess ?istiq?mah (steadfastness) patience, overcome fear when engaging in street da�wah, and have the objective of conducting street da�wah, as well as the importance of incorporating Islamic practices into daily lives and followed by certain disciplines to assist in improving their Islamic knowledge.

Virtual teams have been used in workplaces in recent years, replacing traditional teams. Therefore, researchers have been interested in how to improve the performance of virtual teams. The main research problem is to re-evaluate the factors influencing the performance of virtual teams in the Malaysian higher education sector to support the creation of effective virtual teams that contribute to the success and survival of institutions. This study aims to investigate the role of the components of social presence (relationship building, trust, cohesion, and communication) and virtual leadership in enhancing the performance of virtual work teams in the higher education sector in Malaysia. Moreover, the study aims to examine the mediating role of knowledge sharing and the moderating role of media richness in previous relationships. The research employed a quantitative research methodology. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire where data was obtained from 373 administrative employees from the Top-Ten Malaysian Universities according to Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses using (IBM AMOS). Findings show that the components of social presence (relationships building, trust, cohesion, and communication) and virtual leadership have a statistically significant impact on the performance of virtual teams. In addition, it was found that knowledge sharing plays a mediating role in the relationship between social presence and the performance of virtual teams, while it does not play a mediating role in the relationship between virtual leadership and the performance of virtual teams. Moreover, it is concluded that media richness did not play a moderating role in the relationship between social presence, virtual leadership and the performance of virtual teams. Thus, the study contributed an original contribution to the literature review on the performance of virtual teams. In the theoretical context, this study makes a significant contribution by exploring previously inadequately examined relationships, such as the mediating role of knowledge sharing and the moderating role of media richness. Sectorally, it stands out as a recent research conducted in Malaysia to evaluate the performance of virtual teams within the higher education sector from an administrative perspective. Methodologically, the study is noteworthy for its focus on administrative employees in the higher education sector, thereby addressing the performance of virtual teams from an administrative standpoint. This contrasts with prior research, which predominantly concentrated on students and examined virtual team performance from an educational perspective.