Mohammed Safiullah
Dr Mohamed Safiullah Munsoor’s international career in development spans over three decades. He has worked with Save the Children (Norway), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) and spent nearly twenty years of his career with several United Nations Organisations (UNV, UNOPS and UNDP). His work, which primarily focuses on poverty reduction, strategic planning, and programme management, has taken him across many continents to remote locations in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, and the Middle-East. He has worked in over twenty-five countries, including the United Kingdom and Switzerland. He says that this work is grace from the Lord, tempered by insights gained through his life experiences and research, as well as his interaction with spiritual persons and use of contemplative practices. Safiullah is from Sri Lanka, where he received his basic education from Royal College, Colombo, and then advanced his studies in the United Kingdom and Australia. He studied at Seal-Hayne College, England, the University of London, the University of Queensland, and holds a Doctorate (PhD) from the University Of Reading (UK). He is currently registered for his second PhD with the Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia, where he is exploring the nexus between Worship and Code of Ethics, with special focus on Contemplative Practices within Islam. His curiosity since childhood and his parental encouragement of learning have enabled him to journey into research and explore many different cultures and ways of life. He learnt Buddhism in Myanmar, including meditative practices, as well as the system of Yoga in Sri Lanka. His interest includes self-studies in Judaism and Christianity. He is currently actively pursuing Islamic contemplative thoughts and practices, with special emphasis on the new advances in neurosciences, psychology and mindfulness. He has completed the Basic Practitioner course in NLP (Neuro-Semantics & Neuro-linguistic Programming) and is currently working towards being a Master Practitioner. For the past five years, Safiullah has been working with an International Multilateral Development Bank (Islamic Development Bank, HQ, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) as a Manager in Strategy and Programme Management within the Global Poverty Reduction Fund (Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development―isfd.isdb.org). This organisation largely covers fifty-six countries, including twenty-seven Least Development Member Countries. His area of expertise and interest is in Community Driven Development that empowers the vulnerable segments of society, including women and disadvantaged groups. Dr Munsoor has been an active sports person with past involvement in Rugby, Karate, and Judo and still enjoys exercise and walking. He is currently residing in Saudi Arabia with his wife, Husna, and their younger children, Leena and Inaam. His older daughters, Hannah and Wardah, are now studying in the UK. He welcomes feedback on this book that he calls a work in progress. He can be contacted at: Safimunsoor@gmail.com and MMunsoor@isdb.org
