The organizing committee of the 8th International Conference on Integrated Sciences (ICIS) is pleased to announce the winners of this year's Best Paper Award. The award recognizes outstanding scholarly contributions distinguished by originality, methodological rigor, and impact on Islamic scholarship. This year, two papers were selected for this honor.

Award-Winning Paper 1

Title: Reassessing Ṭālūt and Saul: Role Conflation and Quranic Corrective Historiography

Author: Ahmed Twabi

This paper offers a fresh reassessment of the identification and roles of Ṭālūt and Saul, tackling a significant case of role conflation through a Quranic lens. The committee commended the work for its systematic and critical engagement with Quranic and historical sources in revisiting established interpretations. Beyond its scholarly contribution, the paper provides a practical framework for improving the accuracy and contextual understanding of Quranic historical narratives in Islamic education and research. By challenging conflated interpretations, the study advances Quranic historiography and underscores the Qur'an's own corrective approach to historical narrative.

Award-Winning Paper 2

Title: Operationalizing the Thawābit–Mutaghayyirāt Framework for Advancing Sharīʿah-Compliant Digital Transformation in Muslim Academia

Author: DhoonNoorayn Durojaye

This paper introduces an innovative application of the Thawābit–Mutaghayyirāt framework to the challenges of digital transformation in Muslim academic institutions. Reviewers highlighted its strong conceptual grounding and coherent integration of Islamic principles with contemporary digital transformation issues. The work offers practical guidance for shaping digital transformation policies that uphold Sharīʿah principles while embracing technological progress. By extending an established Islamic conceptual framework into a contemporary academic context, the paper lays a foundation for further research and institutional practice.

About the Award

The ICIS Best Paper Award is presented annually at ICIS to recognize outstanding research that demonstrates originality, rigorous methodology, practical relevance, and meaningful contribution to knowledge within Islamic studies. On behalf of the International Open University (IOU) the ICIS organizing committee extends its congratulations to both winning authors.