Indonesia to Hold Halaqah (Meeting) of ASEAN Ulemas This Year

The Head of Research and Training Agency of the Religious Ministry Abdurahman Masud (second left) speaks to reporters about preparations for the implementation of halaqah of the ASEAN Islamic clerics in Jakarta, Friday (12/10). Photo: Rina/MINA

Jakarta, MINA – The ASEAN Ulemas Meeting is scheduled to be held again this year to discuss various issues ranging from economic independency, education in Islamic boarding school or pesantren to radicalism.

A number of Islamic clerics or ulemas from 10 ASEAN countries and China and East Timor will attend this meeting. There will also be some scholars from Myanmar.

According to the Head of Research and Training Agency of the Religious Affairs Ministry (Kemenag) Abdurahman Masud, Kemenag will hold an exhibition featuring various pesantrens with their achievement in economic independency during the course of the event.

“We have six pesantrens, we will see their success story in the exhibition,” he said in a press conference with the media, in Jakarta, Friday (12/10).

The event which will take place on October 17 to 19, at the Sari Pan Pasific Hotel, Jakarta, is special because it features research on pesantren and educational institutions that have economic independency, both in Indonesia and in ASEAN countries, conducted before the meeting.

“This study will be a term of reference and topic of discussion on the planned meeting,” said Head of Center for Religious and Religious Education Research and Development Bakhtiar Amsal in the same meeting.

The first Halaqah of the previous year was held in Bogor issuing several recommendations which became the learning materials of the ulemas in advancing Islamic education in their respective countries. This year there are three main issues that are the focus of attention and discussed in the forum to share opinions and experiences.

“ASEAN Halaqah Ulama 2017 will focus on three issues. Firstly, moderate Islam development through ASEAN’s Islamic education network. Secondly strengthening the competitiveness of Islamic education institutions in ASEAN. Thirdly, creating a model of a competitive Islamic institution capable of responding to the challenges facing the ASEAN economic community, “said Abdurahman.

Bearing the theme of “Strengthening the Competition of ASEAN Islamic Educational Institutions” the meeting will present various speakers ranging from representatives of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Islamic businessmen and other foreign scholars. (L/RE1/B05/RS5)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)