Towards a World Class University: Islamic Religious Education Study Program FISH UNJ Welcomes Professor Mohamed Mahmoud El Gammal as Adjunct Professor and Holds Public Lecture "Contemporary Ijtihad"
Jakarta, February 25, 2025 – Jakarta State University (UNJ) held a public lecture entitled "Contemporary Ijtihad" at Maftuchah Yusuf Hall, Dewi Sartika Building, 2nd floor, UNJ campus. This event presented Professor Mohamed Mahmoud El Gammal, an expert in Comparative Fiqh from Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar. The event, which took place from 09.00 to 11.30 WIB, was attended by students, lecturers, and academics from various disciplines. The series of events were opened with the reading of the holy verses of the Al-Quran (Tilawah), singing the Indonesian national anthem, "Indonesia Raya," the Qatari national anthem, and the UNJ March. The welcoming speech was given by Dr. Andi, Vice Rector IV of UNJ.
The main session of the event was the presentation of material by Professor Mohamed Mahmoud El Gammal. In his presentation, he emphasized the importance of ijtihad in contemporary Islamic law. Ijtihad, according to him, must be based on strong sources of law, namely the Qur'an and Hadith. "A mujtahid (ijtihad expert) must have a deep understanding of the principles of ijtihad, basic rules, and five other important aspects so that ijtihad can be understood and accepted by many people," said Professor Gammal.
One of the main points emphasized by Professor Gammal was the importance of mastering Arabic for a mujtahid. He explained that many sources of Islamic law, such as the Qur'an and Hadith, are written in Arabic. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of Arabic is very important so that a mujtahid can understand the original meaning of these sources and produce the right ijtihad. "Understanding sharia law will not be perfect if you do not understand Arabic," he said. He also gave an example of how differences in language understanding can lead to differences in legal interpretation, such as the story of Umar bin Khattab about takhawuf.
Professor Gammal also motivated the seminar participants to learn Arabic better. He regretted that there are still many Muslims in Indonesia who have not mastered Arabic well, even though the language is considered relatively easy. "One university in China even has non-Muslim students who can speak Arabic better than us," he said, motivating the participants to be more active in learning Arabic.
Professor Gammal also emphasized that ijtihad is not just a form, but more of a deep understanding. A mujtahid must have extensive knowledge of fiqh, ushul fiqh, legal principles, and relevant social contexts. "A mujtahid must be like an airplane with right and left wings," he said, illustrating the importance of multidisciplinary understanding for a mujtahid.
In addition to filling the UNJ Public Lecturer activity, Professor Mohamed Mahmoud El Gammal, came as an Adjunct Professor in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) and the Arabic Language Study Program. He will give lectures and conduct FGDs with lecturers to conduct joint research and publications, then he will fill online lectures.
The event ended with a group photo session involving Professor Mohamed Mahmoud El Gammal, officials of the Jakarta State University (UNJ), and all seminar participants. This moment is a symbol of close cooperation between the university and the participants in an effort to broaden their horizons and knowledge through seminars full of scientific and inspiring discussions. []
- Writer: ZR, IM
- Editor: WPS
- FISH Media Center Team
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