Indonesia’s Minister of Religion Urges Islamic Scholars to Anchor Global Peace and Combat Digital Disruption

JAKARTA, UIN Online News – In a powerful philosophical address delivered at the IKALUIN Award 2026, the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Professor Nasaruddin Umar, challenged UIN Jakarta alumni to position themselves as transnational peace anchors. The Minister’s state address, delivered by his Special Advisor on Law and Human Rights, Professor Salman Maggalatung, frameworked Islamic scholarship as a frontline defense against geopolitical polarization, climate crises, and artificial intelligence ethics.

Speaking from the iconic Harun Nasution Auditorium, the Minister emphasized that the venue is not a mere assembly hall, but an international monument symbolizing open, tolerant, and highly progressive Islamic rationalism.

"The name Harun Nasution represents a historical era of intellectual emancipation," Professor Maggalatung stated on behalf of the Minister. "From its foundational roots as ADIA and IAIN to its modern evolution as UIN Jakarta, this institution has engineered the waves of modern Islamic thought that permanently shaped the democratic identity of contemporary Indonesia."

Minister Umar highlighted that "Ciputat" is no longer a mere geographical location in South Tangerang; it has officially evolved into a world-class school of thought, a cultural commitment, and the global epicentre of progressive Indonesian Islamic intellectualism.

This rich heritage, pioneered by legendary global scholars such as Harun Nasution, Professor Nurcholish Madjid (Cak Nur), and the late UNESCO-recognized historian Professor Azyumardi Azra, established the bulletproof empirical foundation that religious piety does not contradict rational modernity.

"Our intellectual vanguards proved to the world that being a devout Muslim does not require the rejection of global modernity," the Minister asserted. "Conversely, becoming a highly modern, rational human being does not mean losing one's deep spiritual roots. In a world where many nations weaponize religion against nationalism, UIN Jakarta’s alumni have proven that defending the pluralistic homeland is a direct, tangible manifestation of spiritual worship."

As Indonesia accelerates its structural roadmap toward the Indonesia Emas 2045 era, the Minister outlines four non-negotiable strategic imperatives for UIN Jakarta's global living diaspora:

1. Transdisciplinary Epistemology Alumni must eradicate the artificial borders between classical Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia) and modern scientific engineering. Islamic theology scholars must master advanced digital systems, while STEM and medicine graduates must possess deep spiritual accountability.
2. Projecting the Ciputat School Nationally and Globally Graduates must actively occupy the global stage, exporting the unique "Ciputat Model" of fair, balanced religious moderation (Wasathiyah) as an antidote to international extremism and social polarization.
3. High-Velocity Intellectual Literacy Alumni are mandated to actively publish research and drive policy-making debates across prestigious national and international forums to provide concrete, data-backed solutions to human suffering.
4. Optimizing Collective Socio-Economic Capital The massive quantitative and qualitative network of the university's global alumni must be unified into a powerful, self-sustaining social and economic engine to combat poverty and global wealth disparities.

Concluding the state address, Minister Umar praised the IKALUIN Award 2026 for establishing a rigid, high moral benchmark for future generations of scholars.

"On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, we recognize your real-world achievements as the essential pillars sustaining the pluralistic unitary state," the Minister concluded. "UIN Jakarta must remain blessed and steadfast in its global mission as the sacred epicenter of advanced science and human civilization."

(Meisa/Nosa/Zaenal/Arifin/Photo: Tiara Abdhie)