Academic Community of UIN Jakarta Held a Joint Prayer for the Late Prof Azyumardi Azra
Ciputat, UIN News Online – Academic community of UIN Jakarta once again held a prayer for the late Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra M. Phil., MA., CBE., Professor and Chancellor of UIN Jakarta for the period of 1998-2006, Monday night (09/09/2022) led by Professor Asep Usman Ismail, Professor of Sufism at UIN Jakarta.
Also present in the event, Rector of UIN Jakarta Amany Lubis, colleagues of Prof Azra, students and the public. In addition to reading the verses of the Koran, tahlil, and prayer, the joint prayer activity which started at 19.00 WIB was also filled with testimonials from colleagues.
In her testimony, Rector Amany revealed that the the late Prof Azra was a figure who strongly supported women to have a wider role. He also provides access for female colleagues and students to be active in various professional and academic organizations.
“In addition, he was also very concerned about interfaith dialogue at the national and global levels. He also had serious attention to the development of philanthropy for the empowerment of the people,” she said.
One of the Azra’s colleagues, Professor Husni Rahim added, Azra was a person who had great attention to science. After returning from his studies at Columbia University, he developed a scientific tradition by establishing a research institute which later developed into the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) UIN Jakarta.
His attention to science, he continued, was also carried out by encouraging fellow lecturers and students to carry out serious research and continue their education to a higher level. “He was very concerned about people who want to develop their education,” he added.
Regarding the academic development of colleagues, Professor and Rector of UIN Bandung Prof. Dr. Nanat Fatah Natsir also confirmed it. “When I was with the Indonesian Ulema Council, I once wrote a book. Then he suggested that the book be designed to be more popular so that it can be more accepted by the public,” he said.
Another distinctive attitude, continued Nanat, the late Professor Azra was a serious figure due to his discipline in work and teaching. “He also went to Malaysia to teach. Insha Allah, he will be placed in Jannatunnaim Heaven,” he added.
Professor Mundzir Suparta, a colleague of Prof. Azra who is a Professor at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training at UIN Jakarta also has a special impression of him. “Professor Azra is a consistent and confident person, but remains open to criticism,” he explained.
His consistency and confidence, he continued, became Professor Azra's capital to encourage the transformation of UIN Jakarta from IAIN Jakarta. In this case, he said, Azra invited him to take part in leading the development of UIN Jakarta as Vice Rector for Academic Affairs.
One of the students and colleagues of the deceased, Professor Syukron Kamil, said that the specialty of the late Azra was that his distinctive, original and depth thoughts. “This is evidenced by his dissertation which was published as a book titled Jaringan Ulama,” he said.
The book, he continued, became a pioneering study that encouraged many scholars to conduct Islamic research in the archipelago. This attention then encouraged many groups to break the minor perspective of Western scholars by positioning Islam in the Nusantara region as periphery Islam. (zm/usa)