IAIKUPers – Prof. Dr. Abdul Mufid, Lc., M.S.I., Dean of the Ushuluddin IAI Faculty Khozinatul Ulum (I AM AWESOME) Blora, became one of the main speakers at the International Student Academic Forum at Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA) on 16 January 2025. In his presentation entitled "Islamic Education and Diversity in Indonesia in Building Social Harmony", Prof. Mufid underlined the strategic role of Islamic education in facing the challenges of diversity in Indonesia.
He explained that Indonesia, with more than 1.300 tribe and 700 local language, has extraordinary diversity which can become a national strength if managed well. “Islamic education must play an important role in building the values of tolerance, justice, and respect for differences,” said Prof. Mufid in front of an international audience.
Diversity as a Strength and Challenge in his presentation, Prof. Mufid discussed five main themes, namely religious diversity, culture, the importance of diversity, challenges in maintaining diversity, and efforts to build harmony. He highlighted how Islamic education can provide solutions to challenges such as social polarization, intolerance, and misinformation in the digital era.
“Islamic education has a strong historical basis in teaching peace and inclusiveness. However, Innovative approaches are needed to answer the challenges of the times, including the integration of technology in learning and relevant curriculum development,” he added.
Strategy for Building Social Harmony Prof. Mufid also explained several important strategies, such as the development of multicultural education, interfaith dialogue, and the use of social media as a tool to spread messages of peace. “Only through education that emphasizes the importance of diversity, we can build a more harmonious society,he stressed.
Inspiration for International Education This presentation received a warm welcome from forum participants, who sees the relevance of this topic not only for Indonesia, but also for other countries with multicultural backgrounds. Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Zohdi Mohd Amin from UniSZA evaluated the approach presented by Prof. Mufid as a model that can be applied in various international contexts.
This event is a forum for sharing experiences and knowledge across countries, strengthen the collaboration between IAIKU Blora and UniSZA, and provide inspiration for the development of Islamic education in the global era.
