UIN Jakarta Rector: Kesantrian Values Must Be Put into Practice in Modern Life
Ciputat, UIN Online News– Kesantrian values, including sincerity, honesty, hard work, independence, responsibility, tolerance, and brotherhood, remain relevant to addressing the challenges of modern life. These values must be put into practice through academic integrity, discipline, sincere service, respect for differences, and social responsibility.
This message was delivered by the Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., in his address at the 2026 National Santri Day ceremony at the UIN Jakarta Student Center Field on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Held under the theme “Santri Strengthening the Nation Toward a Golden Indonesia,” the event was attended by dozens of mahasantri from Ma’had Al-Jami’ah and members of the UIN Jakarta academic community.
In his remarks, the Rector emphasized that National Santri Day is more than a ceremony. It is an opportunity to carry forward the struggle of Islamic scholars (ulama) and santri in the context of contemporary life. Whereas santri once fought to defend Indonesia’s independence, that struggle must now continue through the advancement of knowledge, innovation, justice, and community service.
“National Santri Day loses its meaning if we merely talk about kesantrian values without putting them into practice,” he stressed.
According to the Rector, Indonesia needs a generation that is not only knowledgeable and skilled but also possesses strong moral character and cares about others. In this context, the pesantren tradition plays an important role in shaping a generation that combines intellectual depth, spiritual strength, and moral maturity.
He explained that sincerity teaches people to work and serve wholeheartedly. Honesty forms the foundation of integrity in learning, working, and providing services. Meanwhile, hard work and independence encourage individuals to keep learning, remain disciplined, think creatively, and persevere in the face of challenges.
Responsibility reminds everyone to fulfill their entrusted duties to the best of their ability. Simplicity, tolerance, and brotherhood serve as guiding principles for living modestly, respecting differences, and building social relationships without discrimination based on background or group affiliation.
“This is how we bring the pesantren tradition to life in the modern world—making knowledge a path of service and moral character the foundation of progress,” he said.
Expanding Higher Education Opportunities for Santri
Furthermore, the Rector noted that santri have opportunities to pursue careers in various fields, including as ulama, educators, scientists, doctors, technology experts, economists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. The intellectual tradition and educational environment of pesantren are valuable assets for navigating changing times, particularly when combined with mastery of science and technology.
As a state Islamic university, UIN Jakarta has a responsibility to provide the broadest possible opportunities for santri to develop their potential and pursue higher education. According to the Rector, a pesantren educational background is not an obstacle to achieving broader ambitions. Rather, it is a strength that can support academic development and character formation.
With 12 faculties and one Graduate School, UIN Jakarta offers opportunities to pursue knowledge across a wide range of disciplines, from Islamic studies, education, social sciences, humanities, and economics to technology, medicine, and health sciences.
Therefore, access to educational information, opportunities to continue studying, scholarship support in accordance with applicable requirements, and an inclusive academic environment must continue to be strengthened. This responsibility rests not only with university leaders but also with all faculties, institutions, work units, faculty members, administrative staff, and students.
The Rector also encouraged stronger partnerships between universities and pesantren through education, research, community service, capacity building, dakwah (Islamic outreach), and economic empowerment. Pesantren possess strong traditions and close ties to local communities, while universities contribute academic resources and scholarly networks. These strengths can complement one another.
Such synergy is expected to broaden the benefits of education while strengthening the contribution of pesantren to national development.
Strengthening the Spirit of Jihad for National Progress
The 2026 National Santri Day commemoration at UIN Jakarta also served as a reminder of the historical role of santri in Indonesia’s struggle for independence. The Jihad Resolution proclaimed by Hadratussyekh K.H. Hasyim Asy’ari, together with other ulama and santri, on October 22, 1945, underscored the important role of pesantren in defending the nation’s independence.
In today’s context, this spirit of jihad can be carried forward through dedication to learning, personal development, the preservation of integrity, and service that benefits society.
Through the theme “Santri Strengthening the Nation Toward a Golden Indonesia,” the National Santri Day ceremony at UIN Jakarta highlighted the importance of preparing mahasantri to combine the intellectual traditions of pesantren with academic and professional competencies to meet future challenges.
The ceremony was attended by the Rector of UIN Jakarta, vice rectors, deans and vice deans, and members of the university’s academic community. Ceremony officials included university leaders and administrative staff, among them the chairs and secretaries of university institutions; the Head of the Bureau of Academic Administration, Student Affairs, and Cooperation, Dr. H. Yayat Supriyadi, M.Si.; the Head of the Bureau of Planning and Finance, Dr. M. Arfi Hatim, M.Ag.; and the Head of General Affairs at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Nilam Nur Azizah, S.E., M.Si.
Also in attendance were the supervisors of Ma’had Al-Jami’ah, Fasjud Syukroni, S.Th.I., M.Ag., and Muhammad Farid Perdana, M.Pd., along with dozens of mahasantri and members of the UIN Jakarta academic community.
In closing, the Rector expressed his hope that santri would continue to serve as a source of moral, intellectual, and social strength for Indonesia. Synergy among pesantren, higher education institutions, and all elements of the nation is essential to realizing a Golden Indonesia that is knowledgeable, morally grounded, just, and dignified. (Manta/Zm)