Edris Khamissa – History and Philosophy

			Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
		

			I suspect some of you have come across i v e r r, what does it stand for? It stands for
international board for education, research and resources. When did it begin? What's all about?
Well, actually, the start point was 1977. There was a, an international conference of Islamic
educators or Muslim educators scholars throughout the world, and Saudi Arabia in Mecca. And
		

			scholars did a lot of work. From that title timelog published a lot of really fantastic
inspirational books. And as a result of that, several other
		

			international conferences were held. Let's move on to the curriculum to start development,
Islamization. And they were held held in different parts of the world. And as a result of the 77
conference,
		

			universities in Malaysia,
		

			and Uganda, and Islamabad in Pakistan, they were directly because of that conference.
		

			And years on.
		

			We met in South Africa, and the Muslim teachers who were invited to have a look at yet another
development to talk about discus, they stopped us
		

			short, by saying, We don't want any more papers on philosophy and psychology and all these
wonderful,
		

			high level contributors. What we want is to sit with you as scholars. And for you to tell us what
can we do? We teach five year old six year old seven year olds, we teach maths, we teach science, we
take our subject, how can we Islam is what we teach in South Africa. We have the national
curriculum, we are doing our best, are we doing the right thing? Can you help us with that? So the
whole team had to think again, and established a workshop type of conference, it developed into just
a workshop conference. And thanks to those wonderful teachers, thinking teachers of South Africa,
who really invited us to another level, to ask us the questions that matter what are the resources,
		

			what noses can be produced, what things are good and doing well, but what else can be done to Islam
is and to promote the quality of education that is really needed for generations to come? That was a
very good start, because that's where it really began ever was established by those people who
attended conference saying, We need a few people to lead on this. And, as usual, the pioneers of
Islamic education of Muslim schools around the world.
		

			Abdullah Idris, Ali from the United States and Canada, experience and half so many years of
experience in education, maulana aljada, again, a pioneer of establishing Islamia College in Cape
Town, and in South Africa, a whole variety of activities, use of Islam,
		

			brother use of Islam who, when his daughter
		

			became three, establish a nursery when she became seven establish the primary school when she became
11 establish the secondary school. And then when his son became
		

			similarly at the age of 11, started a boys secondary school. So holla what a response to the
realistic needs of his children and Muslim children in the United Kingdom. These three parties were
		

			nominated to head ever as trustees. It's not an organization, but it is an organism a think tank,
and did an excellent job as trustees for a number of years to lead us to help us to organize
ourselves to review each time we met. We met here we met there we met in the United States, in
Qatar, in Dubai, in various parts of the world in South Africa and UK carried on under their
leadership. And then on one occasion Idris you were there when we met in Dubai.
		

			share with us what happened along the Leela? You know, the we were very excited and re energized
because in Dubai when we met with rather use of venue is the meat of aber here
		

			The question, do you think we have producing highest children? And we all put our heads down? We
said no. And we were very, very despondent about it. And then I think it was Dr. Bill Phillips, who
was there that time, he said, You must not become despondent, you know, because you must do whatever
we can. And with the kind of leadership that by the use of Islam shows his focus his attention to
detail, we, that led us in developing those manuals, which I use many places, the first and second
menu. And as you said, We traveled many parts of the world, to Canada, to the UK, of course, going
to UK, going to the United States of America, to find out which schools have got the recipe, because
		

			many people today speak about a Muslim school phenomena. But the understanding in each school is
different. Many people, the nuances, and some of them are fundamentally different. And the
intentionality is another aspect of it right? And but in the end, what was the bottom line, that we
need to have a school that has an Islamic ethos, and promoting, of course, academic excellence, and
what has happened as evil? We are very concerned about one fundamental thing we said, Yes, indeed,
because the academic excellence, our schools are indeed efficient. But are they excellent, in the
holistic way, are the products of our school serving the wider humanity. And we said, we do not
		

			think so. And therefore, with the use of Islam leadership, with a vast experience, of course of
check out the libraries Ali, and one of the earliest participation, I have been in line, of course,
we would be remiss if we not speak about smoker brother, who was indeed the chief coordinator of the
conference, they in the UK, and what he did, in turn for all of us, I know, I have been enriched by
my participation, I learned about myself, I learned about the good practices everywhere. And
therefore, as ever, as you indicated, the last time when you had the conference in Leicester, it's
about celebrating good practice. And evil does not suggest in any way, we have the monopoly of
		

			knowledge, we are saying to you, you're all of you are part of Eber shares, share with us what you
are doing, inspire us, and many of you are doing that. And we we will carry on with that now that we
have
		

			established a different
		

			way of looking at how the technology is has developed, and the means by which we can
		

			network with each other across the world, sister Selma, Iran from Australia is coming to the United
Kingdom, again, this time.
		

			And, you know, we will carry on that networking process so that everything that we promote is
enriched by it by the good practice, the effectiveness of, of what happens in the classroom, what
the children are gaining from the way that our schools are doing. And I think, with the association,
Muslim schools this year, and UK,
		

			with the help of sponsorship or paper, we hope that it will carry on, and we will renew a way of
networking by producing yet another forum. And we hope that everybody, everybody who was anybody in
promoting the Islamic education movement throughout the world, particularly the English speaking
world, anywhere, if you're involved in the Islamic education, promoting the Islamic education
movement, you're part of a bar, we want you to participate in the in the in the forum, and raise the
issues that matter to you raise the issue so that in the forum, we can continue having a dialogue so
that we can help each other to think through issues that matter issues that are of greatest
		

			consequence, in terms of what it is we're trying to do to achieve. The outstanding school is one of
them to achieve the best quality of teaching is another one of them. To achieve the best quality of
learning is a significant one. That's where the creativity lies with the teaching and learning and
teachers who are putting in so much effort in lesson planning, schemes of work, new dimensions,
extra dimensions, moral spiritual values, all this is worth capturing together in a way that
everybody else learns. If you've got something new going, even if it's old hat you're doing it in
such a way that it is having quite an impact on the lives and making a difference in the lives of
		

			these children that we love and care for.
		

			Then you're part of ever, and I hope that the forum will continue to benefit you.
		

			And vice versa, that you will also contribute to the forum so that other people can take the full
advantage and maximize the benefit of this network together. And just that one, bread crumb for your
input, and I'm a total optimist. I have no idea. I may not forget about No idea. I'm very short and
very confident that the participants will be enriched and they go back and share those practices, as
salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.