Featuring Ja'far Al-Hadar: UIN Jakarta Freshmen are Urged to Become the Best Version of Themselves

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News — Jafar Al-Hadar, an alumnus of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, was invited as a guest speaker at the Introduction to Academic Culture and Student Affairs (PBAK) 2025 program on Wednesday (August 27, 2025). During his session, he shared his academic journey, his dedication to da’wa, and his efforts in establishing a social foundation.

He highlighted a core principle he learned at UIN: to be a person who brings benefit to others.

"People sometimes ask pessimistically, ‘How can you make a living when you just a Religious undergraduate ?’ For me, even when the career path isn’t always clear, what truly matters is how we create opportunities and contribute positively to others. The best of people are those who bring benefit to their fellow human beings," he stated.

He completed his undergraduate degree in Aqidah Philosophy and continued his postgraduate studies in Qur’anic Interpretation. After graduation, he devoted his life to da’wa and later founded Rumah Cahaya, a health-oriented foundation that has been operating for four years, with a special focus on mental health.

"Rumah Cahaya provides free mental health counseling with professional psychologists and psychiatrists, and also involves doctors committed to humanitarian service. All services are free for anyone in need," he explained.

In his message, Habib Jafar expressed great hope for the students of UIN Jakarta.

"Today, UIN has become an international campus. But for me, its true identity lies in spirituality, human tolerance, and universal values. My hope is that UIN students will excel not only in science and technology but also in faith and piety—not just in rituals, but in spirituality—so that these values become the soul of scientific and technological progress," he conveyed.

Reflecting on his time as a student at UIN Jakarta, Habib Jafar admitted he was not an active student in organizations, choosing instead to channel his energy into writing.

"Back then, I would just attend classes and go home. I didn’t join any organizations, but I wrote every single day. Through writing, I was able to pay for my tuition and daily expenses," he recalled.

For him, writing was not just a hobby but a way to organize thoughts, refine ideas, and deliver messages effectively.

"Until now, I never speak about anything I haven’t written about first. Writing helps us think systematically and communicate more effectively," he added.

Through his da’wa and the work of Rumah Cahaya, Habib Jafar continues to embody the values he learned at UIN Jakarta—anchored in the principle of being beneficial to society at large, across religions and communities.

(Nosa Idea L./Zaenal M./ Fauziah M./Muhamad Arifin Ilham)