In recognition of his distinguished achievements in the scientific, administrative, and political fields since earning a Ph.D. in Law from IIUM’s Faculty of Law three decades ago, of his contributions in promoting the University’s vision and mission at the local and international levels, through his teaching for sixteen years, his supervision of a significant number of master and doctoral dissertations, and his assumption of several important positions at the University, including as the Vice President for International Relations and Innovations Affairs and his supervision of the establishment of a number of institutes such as the Global Institute for Unity of the Ummah;

During the twelve years following his return to his country, His Excellency distinguished himself at the national level, having held a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Religious Affairs, Minister of International Cooperation and African Integration, Minister of State at the Presidency of the Republic for Diplomatic Affairs, and Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the Guinean Republic, during which he was awarded the Best Minister Award.

His Excellency has also distinguished himself in the world of authorship, having published nearly thirty books in various fields of thought, education, language, usul al-fiqh, Islamic economics, and politics, and was recently awarded the Doha Arab Book Award.

For all these reasons, IIUM conferred on the Secretary General of the Academy the Alumni Icon Award, which is awarded to a personality who represents an icon and a model of success. The award is given annually to the most prominent personality among the distinguished graduates and affiliates of the University. His Excellency Tan Sri Syed Shamsuddin, President of the University, presented the award on Tuesday, 17 Muharram 1445, corresponding to July 23, 2024, at the Great Hall of Cultural Activities at the University in Kuala Lumpur, in the presence of the university staff, including professors and administrators.

His Excellency expressed his great happiness for this honor, which is in addition to the honor he received a few months ago by Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia in granting him an honorary professorship. He also expressed his appreciation for all that the Malaysian leadership and people, and the University in particular, have done for him since he came there three decades ago to one of its faculties, the Faculty of Revealed Knowledge, as an ordinary lecturer and a doctoral student. His Excellency took this opportunity to express his thanks to everyone, especially the late former directors Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulaiman, Prof. Muhammad Kamal Hassan, may Allah have mercy on them, Prof. Syed Arabi, may Allah protect them, Prof. Zulaykha Kamaruddin, and Prof. Zulkifli Abdul Razak, the current rector, may Allah bless them.