Maker
This is the Gnomonist Maker Mark of the designer of the Saras 2021 sundial.
Syed Kamarulzaman bin Syed Kabeer, the sundial designer, is the President of The Malaysian Islamic Astronomy Society
Syed Kamarulzaman is a founder and the first Secretary of the Malaysian Islamic Astronomy Society in 1985.
He has been a member of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, Prime Minister Office (JAKIM) advisory panel on Islamic Astronomy since 2007. He had been involved in developing curricula and teaching Islamic Astronomy at University Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.
He studied Islamic Astronomy under the late Haji Mohd Khair b Hj Mohd Taib, a student of Sheikh Muhammad Tahir bin Muhammad bin Jalaluddin Ahmad (1869- 1956). Sheikh Muhammad Tahir was an Islamic scholar who studied and in Makkah and Al Azhar and taught Islam throughout the Nusantara. He studied Islamic astronomy in Cairo and was considered the foremost astronomer in the early 20th century, who utilised modern technologies and knowledge, to perform his work.
Prof Mohammad Ilyas and Syed Kamarulzaman coedited the book ‘ Unified world Islamic calendar: Sharia’, Science & Globalization.’
Syed Kamarulzaman was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Malaysian Astronaut Foundation.
Since the 1980s, he has been calculating and producing Hijri calendars (Taqwim Hijri) and prayer times tables for national organisations and minority Muslim communities in Bosnia Herzegovina and Laos.
He led the research on prayer times on commercial flights supported by JAKIM and the Malaysian Airline System. Subsequently, he directed the development of software, mymuwaqqit, that provided prayer times on all commercial flights and Tabung Haji charter flights.
He has been active in promoting outreach and awareness programs in Islamic Astronomy via TV & radio talks, lectures in mosques and institutions. He has presented papers on Islamic astronomy at seminars and conferences.
Syed Kamarulzaman was honoured by the the King Of Malaysia to receive an award for services to the development of falak and astronomy in Malaysia on the occasion of the commemoration and celebration of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on 28 September 2023.
He is an electronics and computer engineer by training and had worked in the Tenaga Nasional Berhad, TNB, (the electricity utility company of Malaysia) for over 33 years. He had been involved in maintaining computer systems in power stations, trainer in instrumentation and control systems, Rector ILSAS ( TNB training institute) and was responsible for the master plan for the University Tenaga National, CEO of a cable manufacturing company and divisional General Manager for strategy and business development.
Whilst President of Pakatan Persatuan Kebajikan Islam, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, he conducted Training Needs Identification and analyses of engineering graduates, in post Tsunami Aceh, and subsequently organised training for them in ILSAS.
He was also a consultant to The World Bank funded projects for Nepal Electricity Authority and Electricite du Laos development of training centres and facilities
He is a Certified Manager of Quality / Organizational Excellence from American Society of Quality and a Trainer In TRIZ Innovation. He was a Senior Member of the American Society of Training and Development. He has consulted and helped organisations to establish and implement Quality Management Systems such as ISO 9000, Balanced Score Card and preparation for the Prime Minister’s Quality and Innovation awards. He also conducts training in quality, creativity and innovation.
He has an OND in Electrical Engineering from Brighton Technical College, BSc In Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University of Technology and MSc Manufacturing Management, Warwick University from the United Kingdom. He also has a post graduate diploma in Islamic Studies, University Kebangsaan Malaysia.
His has been involved in designing and building sundials for almost 15 years. His sundials are designed to be functional sculptures that also serve as pedagogical aids in teaching astronomy. He is a member of the British Sundial Society and the North American Sundial Society
A beautiful armillary dial in Sepang Malaysia that elegantly combines calligraphy with the shape of the dial and the name of the hotel where it is located.
British Sundial Society