The Dean of the Faculty of Sharia at the University of Jordan, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Kilani, welcomed the Minister for Islamic Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Dr. Mohamed Faisal Ibrahim, and his accompanying delegation, in a visit aimed at exploring prospects for academic cooperation between the two sides and strengthening the partnership between the Faculty and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) in developing new academic programs for teaching Sharia sciences in Singaporean universities.
Al-Kilani emphasized that the Singaporean side's choice of the Sharia College as an academic partner reflects Jordan's leading role in establishing the values of moderation and balance, and the role of the University of Jordan in providing a sound Sharia education that combines authenticity with openness to contemporary issues.
He explained that the cooperation with Singapore aims to launch new academic programs in Singapore based on the University of Jordan's experience in teaching Sharia sciences, combining the depth of Islamic heritage with the spirit of modernity, thereby promoting critical thinking, dialogue, and intercultural understanding, in harmony with the nature of Singapore's multi-religious and multicultural society.
He pointed out that the Faculty of Sharia works to provide its students with both knowledge and skills, noting that the university recently launched a career training course within all faculty programs. taught by experts from the Ministry of Awqaf and various state institutions, with the aim of preparing graduates to serve their communities with sound knowledge and balanced thinking based on the Islamic principles of justice, mercy, tolerance, and the preservation of human dignity.
Al-Kilani added that international students, especially those from Singapore, are a valuable addition to the college's academic environment due to their cultural and intellectual openness, saying: “We believe that a good Muslim is a good citizen who contributes to building his society effectively and responsibly and makes his presence a positive value in his environment.”
He explained that the mission of the College of Sharia extends to major humanitarian issues such as sustainable development, education, health, and the economy, emphasizing that “everything that serves humanity is an Islamic cause,” noting that the college seeks to build partnerships with international institutions concerned with these areas, based on the Islamic vision that makes serving humanity the essence of both science and worship, in harmony with the objectives of Sharia, which calls for reconstruction, charity, and the establishment of justice.
For his part, the Singaporean minister expressed his delight at visiting the University of Jordan, praising its role in preparing scholars who combine religious knowledge with human awareness, and commending Jordan's efforts in promoting a discourse of moderation and balance.
He affirmed that cooperation with the Faculty of Sharia would contribute to preparing a generation of scholars and preachers capable of spreading the correct understanding of Islam in Singapore's diverse society, based on the values of mercy, coexistence, and balance that represent the essence of the Islamic message.
He also expressed his admiration for the awareness and openness he saw in the college's students, especially the Singaporean students, noting that the University of Jordan offers a comprehensive academic and humanitarian model that combines knowledge, responsibility, and belonging.
The delegation concluded its visit with a tour of the university's facilities, including the Folklore Museum, where the two sides exchanged commemorative shields in recognition of the depth of academic and cultural relations between Jordan and Singapore and the promising prospects for enhancing cooperation in spreading the values of moderation and consolidating the status of the University of Jordan as a global intellectual beacon that brings together the East and the West on the land of knowledge.