Tan Sri Dato Seri (Dr) Syeikh Ismail Mohamad Al-Hafiz: A Respected Quran Figure

Abstract

Tan Sri Dato’ Syeikh Ismail bin Mohamad al-Hafiz was a prominent Qur’anic scholar who made significant contributions to the development of Qur’anic education in Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. His expertise and authority in Qur’anic studies earned the trust of YAB Tan Sri Wan Mokhtar Ahmad, the then Menteri Besar of Terengganu, who appointed him as the founder and first principal of Maahad Tahfiz al-Quran Negeri Terengganu. This study aims to examine the scholarly stature of Tan Sri Syeikh Ismail in the field of the Qur’an and to identify his contributions and involvement at both state and national levels, particularly through his service as the Grand Imam of the National Mosque of Malaysia. The study employs a qualitative approach through interviews with former students and individuals who had interacted with the scholar, complemented by the researcher’s personal experience with him in various educational programmes and as a judge in national-level Qur’anic memorisation competitions, as well as documentary sources obtained from the Multimedia Unit of the National Mosque. The findings indicate that Tan Sri Syeikh Ismail’s prominence in Qur’anic studies was reflected in his contributions to Qur’anic education, memorisation, teaching and institutional development. His contributions were also recognised at both state and national levels, including his conferment as Terengganu State Tokoh Maal Hijrah and Tokoh Perdana for the Maulidur Rasul Award. The study demonstrates that his contributions not only influenced the development of Qur’anic education, particularly in the field of memorisation, but also fostered the continuity of Qur’anic knowledge through the institutions and generations he guided. This study is expected to serve as a reference and source of inspiration for strengthening Qur’anic education and the development of Qur’anic knowledge in the contemporary context.