Al-Quds Foundation Malaysia (QFM) concluded the activities of the "Jerusalem Cultural Week 2020", which was organized in cooperation with the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuala Lumpur.

The activities of the cultural week, which took place from 14th to 18th Sept., were attended by the Rector of IIUM, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, who honoured QFM for its role in preparing the week’s activities.

QFM participated in several programs throughout the week, including a photo gallery and heritage collections of traditional clothing, handicrafts, copies of old Palestinian newspapers and architectural models reflecting the cultural and civilizational aspects of Jerusalem city.

The exhibition also provided an opportunity for its visitors to acquire copies of QFM’s books and publications, and it was met with great turnout and interest from visitors and the university administration, which requested it to be a permanent exhibition held in the Central Library.

The activities also included an “introductory tour of Masjid Al-Aqsa,” led by Dr. Sharif Abu Shamala for the rector of the University and some significant visitors to introduce them to the landmarks, history, and reality of Masjid Al-Aqsa.

 Meanwhile, the co-publisher, QFM recently held a discussion seminar for the book “The Palestine Issue: Historical Backgrounds and Contemporary Developments” on the occasion of launching its English version, in cooperation with Al-Zaytouna Centre for Studies and Consultations.

The seminar was attended by a group of students and professors at IIUM, with the participation of others via the Zoom app. The seminar was moderated by Dr. Elmira Akhmetova, an Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Civilization at IIUM.

Dr. Sherif Abu Shammala, the CEO of QFM, addressed the importance of the book and the goal of its publication in Malaysia, and his foundation’s plan to publish it in several Southeast Asian local languages to be a reference for academics, researchers, and interested parties. The author of the book, Dr. Mohsen Mohammad Saleh, acquainted the audience with the book and the background of its publication, and he indicated that the book was published in seven languages and printed in several countries, pointing to the widespread of the book, whether by its soft or hard editions. The author also explained the most important political and historical conclusions reached by the book. Dr. El Fatih Abdullahi Abdelsalam, a Senior Academic Fellow in the Department of Political Science at IIUM, has presented a review of the book emphasizing on the accuracy of its scientific content, the ease of its reading, and its comprehensiveness. Prof. Murakeen Makhdoomi also gave a reading of the book that focused on its scientific importance in comparison to the books published on the Palestinian issue in English and drew attention to many of its advantages.

QFM also coordinated the Friday sermon on September 18th, 2020 performed by Prof. Dr. Mohd Roslan Bin Mohd Nor, the Head of Islamic History and Civilization Department at the University of Malaya, in which he addressed the status of Jerusalem and the seriousness of normalization on the Palestinian issue.

It is noteworthy that the cultural week witnessed holding many virtual lectures, an exhibition of Palestinian products, and several paragraphs such as the traditional and folkloric dance ‘Dabke’ and Palestinian cuisine.