Mohd Kamal bin Hassan (26 October 1942 – 23 February 2023) was a Malaysian academic and Islamic scholar, specializing in contemporary Islamic thought, particularly pertaining to the Southeast Asia region. He was the Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) from 1998 to 2006.

Education background

Kamal Hassan attended Sultan Ismail School in

Kota Bharu Kota Bharu ( Kelantanese: ''Koto Baghu''), colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mout ...

. He attained his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in Islamic studies from

University of Malaya The Universiti Malaya (lit 'University of Malaya'; abbreviated UM) is a public university, public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest Malaysian institution of higher education, and was the only university in ...

(UM) in 1965. He furthered his postgraduate studies in

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, where he obtained the degree of

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

in 1970,

Master of Philosophy A Master of Philosophy (MPhil or PhM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. The name of the degree is most often abbreviated MPhil (or, at times, as PhM in other countries). MPhil are awarded to postgraduate students after completing at leas ...

in 1972 and

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...

in 1975.

Career

Kamal Hassan started his academic career at the

National University of Malaysia The National University of Malaysia (, abbreviated as UKM) is a public research university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Its teaching hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), ...

, where he chaired the Department of Usuluddin and Philosophy in 1979 and was later made a full professor. He then joined IIUM, where he founded the Faculty of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences in 1983. He succeeded Abdul Hamid Ahmad Abu Sulayman as the third Rector of IIUM on 5 April 1998 and served in the office before passing it onto Professor Dato' Sri Syed Arabi Syed Abdullah Idid. To mark his contributions to the country, he was chosen to be a National Academic Figure in 2017. He left IIUM on 30 July 2018 after 42 years of service to Malaysian education, on which IIUM awarded him the title of Professor Emeritus. Before exiting IIUM, he was a Distinguished Professor at its Centre of Islamisation. He was one of three academicians in Malaysia who was promoted to the rank of Distinguished Professor by the Ministry of Higher Education in 2010.

Death

Kamal Hassan died from complications of surgery on 23 February 2023, at the age of 80.

Honours

* : **

Companion of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (JSM) (1988) **

Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) – Tan Sri (2006)

Education background

Career

Death

Honours

References

Further reading