Here, I would like to share my reflection in my Sustainable Class with Prof. Suhaimi on Tuesday, 8 October 2024.

As we know, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were introduced by the United Nations (UN) in 2015, a worldwide appeal for action to eradicate poverty, save the environment, and guarantee that everyone lives in peace and prosperity by 2030.

On the first day of the sustainable class, we have been introduced to the purpose of this class, where it is one of the initiatives of our country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by using student power to make changes for our country. Some of the workload in this subject requires the students to find a problem in the university area to make a change or improvement so the area can be beneficial to students and staff. Such activity leads to system thinking, where the students need to think and find the main factors of the problems before finding a way to solve them.

One of the issues discussed in my class is the double standard in society. Nowadays, people are being labeled based on their income, such as B40 as low income earner, M40 as middle income earner, and T20 as higher income earner. This is not healthy among the community, as there will be a bias in many aspects. That is why, one of the sustainable goals is to break the label of poverty and bring back equity in our society.

Sustainability is often framed as a set of policies, goals, and statistics—important, yet sometimes disconnected from daily life. Islam offers a profound, spiritual lens to view sustainability, one that seamlessly ties environmental care with ethical living. At its heart lies Tawhid, the belief in the interconnectedness of all creation under one Creator. This principle challenges us to see ourselves as part of nature, not separate from it, with the sacred duty of stewardship (khalifah).

Prophet Muhammad’s teachings illustrate this ethos vividly, from conserving water even near abundance to planting trees as acts of perpetual charity. These examples transcend time, calling us to live with intention, reduce waste, and honor the Earth’s balance. Sustainability in Islam extends beyond the environment; it’s about justice and fairness. Through practices like zakat (obligatory almsgiving) and sadaqah (voluntary charity), Islam emphasizes redistributing resources to create societal balance, addressing inequality, and ensuring no one is left behind.

What sets this perspective apart is its accountability to God. This divine responsibility encourages us to consider the long-term impact of our actions on the planet and future generations. By aligning our choices with this higher calling, sustainability becomes not just an ethical mandate but a spiritual one.

In a world grappling with environmental and social crises, these Islamic principles feel strikingly relevant. They remind us that sustainability isn’t just about meeting targets—it’s about living with mindfulness, balance, and care. By embracing our role as stewards of the Earth, we shift the focus from self-interest to collective well-being, leaving behind a legacy of harmony for generations to come.

This timeless wisdom offers both guidance and hope, inspiring us to see sustainable development not as a chore but as a meaningful way of life.

Since we are focusing on the SDG and Maqasid Shariah elements, here are some observations related to both of them during our visit to IIUM Gallery.

1. Maqasid Shariah focuses on the protection of life and property extends to the well-being of the environment, as natural resources are crucial for sustaining human life. Environmental Sustainability aligns with the Islamic principle of Khalifah over the Earth. Islamic teachings encourage the protection of the environment, conservation of resources, balanced living, and directly supporting efforts to combat climate change.

2. When we visit the IIUM Gallery, the second thing that strikes us is the Sejahtera Academic Framework, which IIUM created to create balanced graduate students by teaching them not only academic subjects but also how to link with Islamic maqasid shariah. This IIUM concept also seeks to fulfil SDG 18, which is spirituality, so it's like kill two birds with one stone. In this Sejahtera Academic Framework, by using humanizing education, students learn to know, to do things, to live together with community, to be, and to become someone successful. Alongside the Islamic environment (bi’ah solehah) that is a nature of IIUM, the university also provides services in the areas of education, social aspects, facilities, and student support for the well-being of students.

Among the core subjects offered by IIUM which compulsory to take by all students are UNGS that provide a deeper understanding of Islam, leadership and family management that pertains to lineage, usrah in action and sustainable development, and other skills courses that attempt to connect students with Islamic maqasid shariah and sustainable development. At the end, the aims are to produce a balance-student that excels in both academic and religious matters. As the IIUM motto, we are the Khalifah, Amanah, Iqra’ and Rahmatan lil-A’lamin.

3. Maqasid Shariah relates to five things for human well-being and development; protection of faith, protection of life/body, protection of reason/intellect, protection of posterity/lineage and protection of property/wealth. Islamic Law governs these five essentials: Figh al-Ibadat (personal law), Figh al-Munakahat (family law), Figh al-Muamalat (societal law), and Figh al-Jinayat (criminal law). They are classified into three types: Dharuriyyat (necessities), Hajiyyat (supplements), and Tahsiniyyat (embellishments). Maqasid Darriyyat refers to items that are vital to human existence and provide their basic needs. If this craving is not satisfied, their lives will be ruined. Religion, life, intelligence, ancestry, and property are the fundamentals. Maqasid Hajiyyat, or human necessities that allow people to live simple and comfortable lives. Without it, people's lives are chaotic and fraught with difficulties. Solat Jamak Qasar is one example of such a case. According to Maqasid Tahsiniyyat, these are the supplementary and complementary essentials that help people live more comfortably and orderly lives.

1. Budi and Sejahtera Leadership in Economics and Management Sciences with Paradigm and Maqasid al - Shariah by Dzuljastri Abdul Razak, Suhaimi Mhd Sarif, and Yusof Ismail.

2. The Heart of Sustainability by Andres R. Edwards.

3. Malaysia’s Economic Sustainability by Ramon V. Navaratnam.

Here are the explanation and our opinions about those books:

• mKitchen was developed to give free food to those in need. In addition to providing free food, the Budi Akal Kitchen's goal is to give information and training to the targeted groups among the poor and needy so that they may become food entrepreneurs and eventually create their own self-sufficient business outlets. Budi Akal in Ottoman soup kitchens or imarets survived thanks to the wisdom and generosity of cash created by public endowments. In times of adversity, Budi Akal has been utilized to launch mKitchen, a socioeconomic vehicle that uses mosque kitchens to crowdfund, cook, distribute, and share meals for the poor. Budi Akal proposes mKitchen as a tool for ending poverty, achieving zero hunger, providing excellent education, and reducing inequalities in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Nature undoubtedly plays a crucial role in ensuring our well-being and bringing people together in natural settings can be a way to encourage community feeling, thus this book successfully highlights the importance for us to strive for SDG Goal No.3 (Good Health & Well-being). It is mostly mentioned that exposure to nature has significant benefits on us humans, mainly related to the increase of peace, solitude, reflection and inspiration. People living in buildings with greenery and trees nearby has reduced mental fatigue, socialize more with their neighbours and others around thus they develop stronger community ties. Plus, children are likely to engage in creative games, and activities like planting trees yield a healthier community with fewer social problems. So, it is very important for us to invest in greening initiatives for all, especially for urban residents as an effort to sustain our health and well-being.

• What we can derive from the book is that it mentioned one of the Sustainable Development Goals which is SDG 4 : Quality Education. This ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all. The recent furore over the non- admission of very bright non- bumiputera SPM students to our local universities has become another major contradiction. On the other hand, we need our best and brightest students to lead our country in the future. Besides that, improving the standard of English. The recommendations of the Ministry of Education’s Special Committee to improve the standards of English in Schools is praiseworthy. We also hope that there will be the necessary political will and the continuing commitment of the teachers,to implement the good recommendations. Otherwise a great opportunity would be lost for a long time to come.

1. IIUM is known for its greenery environment that helps students become more aware of environmental issues. As we all know, students are well known as agents of change in various fields. Also, there are some researchers pointed out that universities should do more to raise awareness regarding green issue among students. This has significantly increased sustainability outputs.

2. The IIUM Riverside: A Sanctuary of Inspiration and Sustainability The IIUM Riverside is a serene retreat where beauty meets purpose. Its lush greenery, flowing waters, and fresh air create a peaceful environment, ideal for students to relax, reflect, and generate creative ideas. This tranquil space fosters mental well-being, supporting SDG Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by offering a natural escape that promotes mindfulness and outdoor activities. Moreover, the Riverside showcases IIUM's commitment to sustainability, aligning with SDG Goal 15 (Life on Land). Its biodiversity and eco-friendly landscaping not only protect the environment but also provide a habitat and food for birds, enriching the ecosystem. The IIUM Riverside is more than a picturesque landscape it is a living example of harmony between nature, education, and sustainability.

3. Going green aims to minimize pollution. As we all know, plants produce oxygen, which we and all other aerobic (air-requiring) species require to thrive. Without plants and their ability to produce oxygen, life on Earth would not exist today. Plants also create oxygen as a consequence of photosynthesis, which is a series of chemical events that occur within plant cells in response to light. Going green by minimizing or eliminating air pollutants improves the quality of air we breathe. As the saying goes, "prevention is better than cure," and minimizing pollutants is less expensive than trying to clean up pollution once it has spread. Therefore, it is necessary to aim for green living.

4. For today's task, we went to IIUM riverside, capturing the greenery and nature of IIUM. The establishment of parks and green areas in the campus plays a significant role in promoting students' health and well-being. Spending time in nature has always been proven to reduce mental health concerns such as stress, anxiety and depression. Students and even non-students who visit the campus can often be seen along the IIUM riverside and around the area to do their activities, whether to spend their time with those around them, or to have their alone time. The calming effects of green spaces, the flowing river and the purring of pigeons help them to feel more relaxed and less overwhelmed, which fosters emotional well-being. Nature also allows students to disconnect from academic pressures and daily life stresses, as well as to gain intellectual benefits such as attention, concentration and memory, which is why we can see students regularly hang out and sit by the riverside either with their paperworks or just nothing in hand, relaxing. From our observation, IIUM surely stresses and takes into account the importance of a balanced lifestyle among its community to improve their overall health and well-being, which achieves SDG Goal 3 - Good Health and Well-Being.

Below are some Sustainable Development we had found around the kulliyyahs:

1. IIUM Sejahtera Clinic

Opening an IIUM Sejahtera Clinic is crucial for the sake of student's health while studying in the university. The IIUM clinic can treat any kind of diseases suffered by students and gives their best services to cure the students with complete tools and good medicine. This relates with SDG 3- Good Health and Wellbeing where the university needs to ensure the health and well-being of its students because it is a responsibility of the university to maintain good health among its students. We also photographed the garden in front of the kuliyyah education center and placed it under the 15th SDG, which is life on land.

2. Lift

We also went to look around the buildings and visited Kulliyyah of Education. As we walked through the hallways we observed some facilities that we thought are very well-prepared, which is, considering that there surely are students who suffer from various forms of disabilities, they may face some struggles in their daily lives that are not experienced by normal students, mainly difficulties to move from one place to another. So we discovered elevators, and they are placed at various locations in the building that are accessible for the students. As we Know, students who have to use the wheelchair, and those who are vision-impaired, and several more, often encounter problems in moving between places with ease, thus, it Is such a thoughtful act that IIUM takes the initiative of providing facilities that will benefit disabled students too, especially those who have to use the wheelchair to move from floors to floors in the buildings. These disabled-friendly facilities will surely ease the mobility for the special-needs students, making IIUM a university that succeeds in striving for SDG Goal 10 - Reduce Inequalities.

3. Green For All

As we were roaming around the kulliyyah, we found a beautiful mini garden in front of the IIUM Sejahtera Clinic. This plantation in front of the clinic can create an equitable and sustainable future for everyone. However, green spaces are not only beneficial to people but also vital for the environment. As we all know, growing plants helps to absorb carbon dioxide from the air while also lessening the influence of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, which can help to mitigate the consequences of climate change. Pollutant gasses can also be filtered and decreased using natural technologies in the plant itself. Cultivating these plants highlights the need for biodiversity protection and restoration, while also acknowledging the critical function of healthy ecosystems in supporting life and delivering a variety of key services like clean air and water and climate control. These sustainable development goals fall under the SDG 15 - Life on Land.

Sustainable development is an idea that feels right in principle but proves challenging in practice. Its goals—ending hunger, providing clean water, ensuring gender equality, and more—are noble but require addressing deeply rooted inequalities, systems, and habits that have persisted for centuries. This complexity reminds us that progress isn’t straightforward; it’s messy and requires persistent effort.

Inequality is one of the biggest barriers. It’s hard to imagine true sustainability when some people don’t even have their basic needs met. The gap between those with access to quality education, healthcare, and clean water, and those without, doesn’t just harm individuals; it stifles entire communities. Addressing these inequities is essential, but it’s tied to larger systemic issues, such as the uneven distribution of wealth and opportunity.

Environmental challenges, especially climate change, add another layer of difficulty. Transitioning to clean energy and sustainable practices sounds ideal, but it’s daunting for economies reliant on fossil fuels or communities struggling with daily survival. These issues are interconnected—fixing one often supports progress in another, yet coordination across sectors and nations remains a challenge.

Governance plays a critical role. Policies must be inclusive, flexible, and locally relevant, with meaningful public participation. Without buy-in from the very people these policies aim to help, even the most well-intentioned plans can falter.

Despite the challenges, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a roadmap for hope. They remind us that sustainability is about balance—meeting today’s needs without compromising the future. Achieving this balance requires us to rethink how we live, work, and care for one another and the planet.

Sustainable development isn’t just the responsibility of governments or organizations; it’s a shared effort. Every choice we make—from how we consume to the causes we support—can contribute. While the path ahead is complex, approaching it with compassion, creativity, and collaboration offers a chance to build a fairer, greener, and more inclusive world for everyone.

The global focus on sustainability didn’t begin overnight. It took a pivotal moment—the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm—to spark collective action. This event marked the first global recognition of environmental challenges as shared responsibilities. From it came the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), laying the groundwork for international collaboration. However, as the years unfolded, it became clear that cooperation alone wasn’t enough; we needed a shared vision for sustainable living.

The Brundtland Report in 1987 offered just that, defining sustainable development as meeting “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition struck a chord, making sustainability both personal and forward-thinking. It bridged the gap between environmental care and the well-being of humanity.

Subsequent milestones like the 1992 Rio Earth Summit expanded this vision, introducing Agenda 21 and binding treaties like the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity. These agreements solidified the global commitment to action. Yet, the road wasn’t without challenges. The Kyoto Protocol’s ambitious targets for reducing emissions, for instance, met resistance, highlighting the tensions between developed and developing nations.

The 2002 Johannesburg Summit brought sustainability closer to the people, emphasizing vital issues like water and sanitation. It reminded us that sustainability isn’t just about lofty environmental goals but about addressing urgent human needs. The 2007 Bali Conference built on this momentum, focusing on including developing nations through financial and technological support—a recognition of the unequal burdens of climate change.

Reflecting on this journey, it’s clear we’ve made significant strides, but challenges remain. Each summit, treaty, and initiative has brought us closer to a sustainable future, but they’ve also highlighted the complexities of global cooperation. Ultimately, sustainability isn’t just about global agreements; it’s about individual and collective choices, the policies we support, and our commitment to shared responsibilities.

This history inspires hope. Despite setbacks, the progress made demonstrates humanity’s capacity to unite for a common cause. Now, it’s up to all of us to sustain this momentum, recognizing that sustainability isn’t just a policy—it’s a shared way of life, rooted in care for the planet and each other.

Sustainable development requires coordinated efforts across global, national, and local levels to address interconnected challenges. Institutions play a pivotal role in achieving this through robust policies, effective governance, and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into broader frameworks.

At the global level, initiatives like the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) facilitate collaboration across nations to address transboundary challenges such as climate change and health crises. Regional and national frameworks ensure that the SDGs are localized, taking into account specific cultural, economic, and environmental contexts. For instance, Malaysia has integrated the SDGs into its five-year development plans, embedding sustainability into policies and establishing mechanisms like the SDG Progress Monitoring System.

Local institutions complement these efforts by addressing community-specific needs. By fostering inclusivity, enhancing public awareness, and advocating for sustainable practices, they help bridge the gap between global goals and grassroots realities. Malaysia’s example highlights this through its emphasis on data-driven planning, participatory governance, and innovative financing, such as SDG-focused micro-grants.

Individuals also hold a crucial role in this process. Employability skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and social responsibility empower people to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development. Ultimately, achieving the SDGs requires the alignment of efforts from all stakeholders—global entities, local institutions, and individuals—toward a shared vision of balance and equity.

Reflecting on these insights, it’s clear that sustainable development is not just a policy goal but a collective journey. By integrating global ambitions with local actions and individual contributions, we can navigate the complexities of sustainability and create a world that thrives in harmony for generations to come.

Measurement plays a vital role in understanding progress toward sustainable development, providing tools to gauge economic, social, and environmental well-being. Indicators, indices, and other metrics are essential for tracking advancements and guiding improvements. Among the global measures are the Human Development Index, Ecological Footprint, and Environmental Performance Index, each offering unique insights into sustainability.

Malaysia, for instance, employs the Shariah Index to assess governance in alignment with Islamic principles, ensuring policies benefit society while upholding universal values. This approach underscores the importance of tailored metrics that resonate with cultural and ethical contexts.

Sustainable development indicators (SDIs) are a critical subset of these tools. Emerging from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, they quantify changes and communicate progress across resources—economic, social, institutional, and environmental. These indicators are classified into four types: context (e.g., poverty rates), input (resources used), process (efficiency of actions), and impact (results achieved). For example, in addressing hunger (SDG 2), input might involve resources allocated to food programs, while impact reflects improved community health.

Reflecting on these insights, the role of measurement in sustainable development is transformative. It bridges aspirations and actions, ensuring efforts align with strategic goals. By integrating relevant metrics, projects gain clarity, accountability, and a roadmap for continuous improvement. Ultimately, measurement is not just a technical exercise but a means to create meaningful change, reminding us that progress is a collective journey requiring constant evaluation and recalibration.

I live in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. A fourth daughter of 5 siblings. I love sport and most actively participate for table tennis tournament. My favorite food and drink are chocolate and green tea.✌️