Remembering Prof. Nabilah Lubis, A Pioneer of Philology at UIN Jakarta
Jakarta, UIN News Online — UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta mourns the passing of Prof. Dr. Hj. Nabilah Lubis, Lc., M.A., Professor of Philology and one of the university's most distinguished scholars. She passed away on Saturday (28 February 2026) at El Galaa Hospital for Armed Forces in Heliopolis, Cairo, at the age of 84, coinciding with the 10th of Ramadan 1447 H.
Her passing marks not only a profound loss for Indonesia's academic community but also for the entire UIN Jakarta family. Rector Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., expressed his deepest condolences, describing Prof. Nabilah as an educator whose life was devoted to scholarship and public service.
"We have lost a cherished member of the UIN Jakarta family—a mother, a teacher, and a scholar who dedicated her life to the pursuit of knowledge. May Allah SWT grant her the highest place in Paradise and accept all of her good deeds," he said.
Born Nabilah Abdel Fattah in Cairo on 14 March 1942, Prof. Nabilah grew up in a family that deeply valued education. Her father worked at Egypt's Ministry of Finance while also teaching French, and her grandfather was a lecturer at Al-Azhar University.
While completing her studies in Library Science at Cairo University in 1963, she married Burhanuddin Umar Lubis, an Indonesian student from South Tapanuli studying at Baghdad University. Following their marriage, she moved permanently to Indonesia in 1964—a decision that earned her the affectionate title "The Egyptian Daughter Who Devoted Her Life to Indonesia."
Soon after arriving, she joined Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs as a civil servant and was assigned to IAIN Jakarta, the predecessor of UIN Jakarta, under the direction of then Minister of Religious Affairs Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri. She became an Indonesian citizen that same year, relinquishing her Egyptian nationality.
Prof. Nabilah began her career at IAIN Jakarta as Head Librarian (1964–1969), where she significantly expanded the university's library collections through book donations from Al-Azhar and several Arab embassies in Jakarta.
Professor of Philology Prof. Oman Fathurrahman remembered her as the pioneer who introduced the study of Nusantara Islamic manuscripts to generations of scholars.
"Prof. Nabilah Lubis was my first teacher in philology. At a time when very few people were interested in manuscript studies, she remained steadfast in introducing the field. Without her dedication, philology might never have developed as strongly as it has within Indonesia's Islamic higher education institutions," he recalled.
Her academic achievements were equally groundbreaking. In 1992, she became the first woman to earn a doctoral degree from IAIN Jakarta. Her dissertation on Zubdat al-Asrar by Shaykh Yusuf al-Makassari remains a significant contribution to the study of classical Islamic manuscripts and is currently being proposed for inclusion in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.
She also became the first woman Dean of the Faculty of Adab and Humanities (1994–1998) and, in 2000, the first woman to deliver a Ramadan sermon at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque.
In recognition of her extraordinary contributions, UIN Jakarta established the Professor Nabilah Scholarship for Arabic Studies in 2021.
Beyond teaching and research, Prof. Nabilah actively translated Indonesian literary and historical works into Arabic, including the memoir of former President B.J. Habibie, writings by Dino Patti Djalal, and poetry by Taufiq Ismail.
Since 1999, she also published Halo Indonesia, the only Arabic-language magazine in Indonesia, which gained readership internationally, including within the Syrian Parliament.
Her influence extended beyond academia. She served as a member of the Expert Council of Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama (2016–2021), Chairperson of the World Muslim Women Intellectuals Association, advisor to the Indonesian Council of Islamic Study Groups (BKMT), board member of the Nusantara Manuscript Society (MANASSA), and member of the Expert Council on Religion and Culture of ICMI.
Prof. Nabilah's commitment to education is reflected in her family. Her eldest daughter, Prof. Dr. Hj. Amany Lubis, M.A., followed her academic path and served as Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta (2019–2023). Her second daughter, Dr. Sri Ilham Lubis, currently serves as Head of the University's Bureau of Academic Administration, Student Affairs, and Cooperation (AAKK).
Her sons have also built distinguished careers. Umar Lubis is widely known as an actor and entrepreneur, while Ahmad Shobri Lubis has dedicated himself to Islamic preaching and religious service.
Indonesia's Minister of Culture Fadli Zon paid tribute through social media.
"The entire Ministry of Culture extends its deepest condolences on the passing of Prof. Dr. Hj. Nabilah Lubis, a distinguished Muslim intellectual. May the knowledge she leaves behind continue to become an everlasting charity."
Director General of Islamic Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Prof. Amien Suyitno also offered his prayers.
"May Allah grant her husnul khatimah, accept all of her devotion and service, and bestow patience and strength upon the family she leaves behind."
Through her pioneering scholarship, institutional leadership, and lifelong dedication to preserving Indonesia's Islamic intellectual heritage, Prof. Nabilah Lubis leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of scholars at UIN Jakarta and beyond.