Saifudin Amsir: Betawi Ulama and UIN Jakarta Lecturer Passed Away

Jakarta, UIN News Online- KH Drs Saifudin Amsir is a scholar of Fiqh from Betawi who serves as Rais Syuriah of the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) for the period up to 2015 with exemplaru thinking of fiqh and nationality.

The alumni and figure of a lecturer at UIN Jakarta (formerly IAIN) and the charismatic Betawi ulama had passed away on Thursday, July 19 2018 at Omni Jakarta Hospital. Here is a glimpse of Saifudin's journey as quoted by UIN NEWS Online News from the wall of FB M Faisal Ali Nurdin on Thursday (07/19/2018).

On Saifudin's determination and dedication in the field of fiqh, he was awarded the "Fiqh Award" with other figures, such as KH Abdul Aziz Arbi and KH Ali Musthofa Ya'kub in the field of Al Qur'an and Hadith by Islamic book publishers in Jakarta, Pena Ilmu and Charity. He will then be appointed as the "Indonesian Ambassador of Fiqh" to become the main speaker in the field of Fiqh.

Birth

KH Saifuddin Amsir was not the son of a cleric, and was not raised in a pesantren environment. He was born in Jakarta on January 31, 1955, and grew up in a very simple family. His father, Mr. Amsir Naiman, was "only"a Quran Education teacher in his village, Kebon Manggis, Matraman. While his mother, Mrs. Nur'ain, was also "only" a housewife who fully devoted herself to taking care of the family.

Since childhood, the fifth son of ten siblings has been taught the qualities that set an example for him later on in the future. His father educated him to behave in a straight and independent manner.

His strong desire to gain religious knowledge has been firmly rooted since childhood. Realizing that he was not from a clerical family and also not from the rich family, little Saifuddin worked to try to be independent and not to depend on his parents. He tried to cover the costs of his own educational needs, even since he was still in elementary school.

Early Education

Thanks to his diligence in learning, he also always gets a scholarship from the school. His perseverance in continuing to study various kinds of science in a self-taught manner as well as studying with prominent scholars in his youth, has made him one of the most respected scholars of Jakarta today

In his childhood, besides studying quran with his own parents, he also studied at the Al-Washliyah Islamic Elementary School (MI). On the sidelines of his time, he studied various kinds of science on a self-taught basis. He also enjoyed reading various kinds of textbook since he was a child. While he was on secondary school (tsanawiyyah), he began to study with a lot of clerics around Jakarta. He was born in Kampung Berlan, Matraman, Central Jakarta in January 31, 1955.

Advanced Education

Among the scholars who were recorded as this eachers were KH Abdullah Syafi'i, Muallim Shafi'i Hadzami, Habib Abdullah bin Husein Syami Al-Attas, and Guru Hasan Murtoha. With the teachers, he studied various branches of Islamic sciences. At the time of studying with Habib Abdullah Syami, among the books he had finished reading were the Minhajuth Thalibin (by Imam Nawawi) and the book Bughyatul Mustarsyidin (by Habib Abdurrahman Al-Masyhur).

On the other hand, after his formal education at the elementary and secondary education level after he passed, he became a student at the Shari'ah Islamic University (UIA) Syari'ah Faculty and received a bachelor's degree there. Then he completed his complete bachelor's degree at the Ushuluddin Faculty of the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, or the Jakarta State Islamic University (UIN) at this time.

From time to time in pursuing his formal education, he always incised brilliant achievements. When he graduated aliyah, he was recorded as a graduate of aliyah with the best grades in Jakarta. In 1982, he enrolled in the IAIN Akidah and Philosophy Department when the department was only opened by the IAIN Chancellor Prof. Dr. Harun Nasution MA in an education program which he named as a Doctoral Program.

Due to various achievements that have been achieved before, he was the only student who was accepted at IAIN without passing the entrance test that year. And after completing his college period, at the time of graduation he was again listed as the best IAIN graduate.

Reported from http://staff.uinjkt.ac.id, in 1986 Saifudin was appointed as a civil servant lecturer in the Philosophy Study Program of the Faculty of Ushuludin UIN Jakarta with his last position as Expert Assistant. (usa-rs)