UIN Jakarta Professor: Kemenag's Eight Priority Programs to Shape Indonesia's Religious Civilization
Jakarta, UIN Online News – The Ministry of Religious Affairs has launched eight priority programs titled "Asta Protas" for the 2024–2029 period. These programs are seen as a new blueprint for Indonesia's religious policy, designed to foster harmony, empower the ummah (Muslim community), and modernize religious governance.
Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie, a Professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and also the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, describes Asta Protas as a strategic policy ecosystem containing three main dimensions: socio-spiritual reconciliation, grassroots empowerment, and modernization of religious bureaucracy.
“This program is a true test for the state in managing religious diversity as a unifying force, not as a source of division,” Tholabi said during a discussion at his campus on Friday (July 11, 2025).
Restoring Religion as a Blessing
Socio-spiritual reconciliation forms the first pillar of Asta Protas. Its two main focuses are strengthening harmony and human compassion, and mainstreaming ecotheology. According to Tholabi, these two pillars respond to two major crises: social polarization due to identity politics and the increasingly acute ecological crisis.
“True religion must not be a tool for division. The thought of Imam al-Ghazali, which emphasizes religion's role as a source of peace and compassion, becomes highly relevant,” he explained.
He also stressed the importance of ecotheology as a new approach in religious education, which not only integrates science and faith but also addresses the climate crisis as a moral responsibility of religious communities.
In the dimension of grassroots empowerment, Tholabi highlighted the importance of an excellent, friendly, and integrated education system. He underscored the historical role of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) in the nation's education, as well as the urgency of empowering the ummah's economy through instruments of zakat, infaq, and waqf (Islamic charities).
“Schools and madrasahs must be safe spaces, not fields of violence. Friendly education is a laboratory for inclusive character building,” he said.
In the context of empowering the ummah's economy, he emphasized that spirituality should not be separated from the welfare agenda. “Optimizing zakat and waqf is a bridge between religious values and economic justice,” he stated.
The third dimension of Asta Protas is the modernization of governance. Its three pillars include successful Hajj pilgrimage management, impactful religious services, and the digitalization of bureaucracy.
“Hajj management concerns Indonesia's reputation as the largest Muslim country. Failing in Hajj means embarrassing the nation before the Islamic world,” Tholabi remarked.
He also stressed the importance of building a religious service system based on community needs and digital data, to be more responsive and accountable.
Challenges and Proposed Solutions
Tholabi pointed out several serious challenges that must be anticipated, ranging from problems with success indicators, sectoral ego among directorates, to implementation capacity gaps in regions.
“Without internal consolidation and a clear implementation roadmap, these eight programs could just remain slogans,” he warned.
To address this, he proposed three strategic steps. First, internal consolidation based on performance indicators. Second, partnerships with Islamic higher education institutions as think tanks and policy laboratories. Third, establishing an independent oversight council composed of mass organizations, academics, and civil society.
“Transparency is a form of accountability as well as public involvement in this endeavor,” Tholabi said.
Concluding the discussion, Tholabi emphasized that Asta Protas is not just a technocratic program, but a significant gamble for Indonesian civilization.
“We have the social and spiritual capital to make this a catalyst for transformation. It's now up to our collective commitment to oversee it,” he concluded.
(Zaenal M./Noeni Indah S./PIH)