The Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in cooperation with the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), International League of Islamic Literature Malaysia (ILILM), and Omani Research and Studies Centre IIUM, held an academic lecture titled “Islamic Literature and Its Challenges: Concept, Mission and Creativity.” The lecture brought together professors, researchers, and master’s and doctoral students from several Malaysian universities.

The lecture was delivered via videoconference on Monday, 24 August 2026, by Dr. Anas Al-Nuaimi, Head of the International Leadership Support Division for Arabic Language at ICESCO’s Center of Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers. He explained that the mission of Islamic literature is to produce literary works that combine artistic beauty with a noble message and express the ideas, feelings, and emotions of societies in the Islamic world in all their cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity.

Dr. Al-Nuaimi also addressed the concept, mission, and characteristics of Islamic literature, presenting creative examples from poetry and various forms of prose, including essays, short stories, plays, novels, translations, autobiographies, and literary translation. He stressed that the current generation of young writers should pay close attention to artistic expression, including metaphor, figurative language, and imagery, as well as the musical qualities specific to poetry, to elevate their work to the level of distinguished examples of world literature.

The lecture formed part of efforts to strengthen academic and scientific cooperation among ICESCO, higher education institutions, and organizations concerned with the Arabic language and literature in the Organization’s Member States.