Tulungagung — Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung State Islamic University (UIN SATU Tulungagung) has once again confirmed its professorship. This time it was Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor who was inaugurated as a professor in the field of Ushul Fiqh on Thursday (22/02/2024) in the 6th Floor Hall of the KH Arief Mustaqiem Building. This inauguration was carried out directly by the Chancellor of UIN SATU Tulungagung, Abd. Aziz. which was attended by a number of invited guests, starting from the Chancellor, vice chancellor, senate secretary, and his staff.
The inauguration event began with singing the national anthem Indonesia Raya, Mars UIN SATU Tulungagung, which was then opened by the Chairman of the UIN SATU Tulungagung Senate, Achmad Patoni. Followed by the reading of holy verses from the Koran by Anggun Afina Khuriyatus Sofa, a student at UIN SATU Tulungagung and followed by the reading of prayers led by Ustad Taqiyuddin Alawi Masduqi.
After completing the prayer reading, the event continued with the reading of the Professor’s Decree by the Senate Secretary of UIN SATU Tulungagung, Dede Nurohman, followed by the screening of a documentary film about the life story of Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor as an Inaugurated Professor with the title “Student Steps from Sawentar”.
After the screening of the documentary, Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor as the professor who would be inaugurated was invited to deliver his inauguration speech. In his inauguration speech, he conveyed his theme, namely “Moderation of Ushul Fiqh, Unraveling Religious, Humanitarian and Environmental Problems in Indonesia”.
In his inauguration speech, Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor quoted a sentence from Gus Dur, which said, “Difference is natural, and it must be placed in the principles of universal humanity.” According to him, the problematic issues of Fiqh will always develop along with the life of human civilization.
He also talked about the problem of Mbah Kyai Bisri Sansuri and Mbah Wahab Hasbullah who had different opinions regarding the Ya Mualim Foundation in Semarang,
“Mbahyai Wahab said that jurisprudence is broken when it is made into pieces. (if it’s narrow, it should be widened),” he said.
Fiqh is sure to find a solution to every problem that occurs. In this case he said that although there will be differences, these differences will reveal the truth.
“When the problem becomes a dead end, then there must be a solution. After all, the result is truth which is ijtiahdi in nature, truth which is relative in nature, not truth which is absolute in nature,” said this man from Kanigoro Blitar.
Quoting from the book NU Liberal by Mujamil Qomar, according to him, the science of fiqh is so important, he emphasized that fiqh is the queen of knowledge, a guide for all behavior, and an explanation of what is permissible and what is not permissible.
In his inauguration speech, he conveyed three important things, namely religious problems, humanitarian problems, and environmental problems.
Firstly , religious problems, this refers to examples of unrecognized understanding of religion which has implications for legislative products and government bureaucratic practices in Indonesia, these implications then result in the exclusion of citizenship rights. Second , the humanitarian problems that exist in Indonesia, such as lack of respect for each other, egoism and the failure to fulfill other people’s rights, as well as the decline of democracy as evidenced by the politics of hatred and hate speech.
The third problem is a big problem related to the environment. In this case, Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor said that there are 10 biggest environmental problems in Indonesia, namely rubbish, floods, polluted rivers, global warming, air pollution, damage to marine ecosystems, difficulty in clean water, forest destruction, abortion and land pollution.
In another part, Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor also explained that the fatwa could change according to the situation and conditions in human civilization.
He explained. that a fatwa is relevant at the time, but if it is possible then it is brought at this time it may need to be studied or it may no longer be relevant. For example, NU’s bahsul masail as a fatwa institution in 1997. This forum decided to forbid people from wearing ties, forbid people from wearing trousers, shoes or hats, you can see the decision at that time.
“The argument referred to is that these clothes are traditional customs worn by the Dutch colonialists at that time, from a religious perspective they were non-Muslims or infidels in their language, so the result of the decision with reference to that is that people wearing that kind of clothing is prohibited, man tassaba “min qoumin , taken from the reference Buyatul Mustarsyidin by Sheikh Abdul Rohman Baalawi,” he explained.
In this case, the fatwas from the mujtahids will always be considered and adjusted to existing conditions, whether they may change or not. With this, the first Professor of Ushul Fiqh at UIN SATU Tulungagugn then offered a methodology in moderating Ushul Fiqh.
“From what I have conveyed, the methodological offer in ushul fiqh, the ikhtilafi fuqoha tradition is a source for understanding the shift in Islamic legal thinking (fiqh) that difference is a blessing. “So the tradition of ikhtilaful fuqaha becomes a source for understanding the shift in Islamic thought or fiqh that differences are grace,” he said.
Apart from that, ijtihad ushul fiqh is realized through the following rules which are also important, such as legal Insbath is a combination of textual and contextual reasoning.
After the inauguration speech, the event continued with an inauguration procession by the Chancellor of UIN SATU Tulungagung, Abd. Aziz which was marked by garlanding the shamir and handing over the Professor’s Decree to the confirmed Professor.
After the procession, in his speech, the Chancellor said that there was homework that had to be carried out by Ahmad Muhtadi Anshor as a Professor in the field of Ushul Fiqh, namely related to the use of crypto currency or virtual money by the gen-z generation.
“In Indonesia there are 247 customers, 247 of whom are Muslim and 18 percent of them are crypto customers, and this is a problem. “And in the meantime, if what is said is that fiqh is a tradition or a change from the times, then there are 18 percent of Muslims who are crypto or virtual money users. I think this is homework for Fiqh professors,” said the Chancellor.
Apart from that, according to the Chancellor, the problem that is happening now is with businesses in Indonesia. For example, when there are young people as YouTubers or as content creators.
“Isn’t this a fiqh problem? There is Mr. Muh. Starting from the content they load until he gets the money into his account. So what about the content? Because fiqh does not only discuss the end result but what about the process? “I think this is a problem on campus,” said the Chancellor.
In closing his remarks, the Chancellor also said that there were several homework assignments that could be used as discussions and seminars related to things like that. It is also necessary to discuss themes that will give rise to new laws whether they are prohibited or what.
“I think there needs to be an academic text, and there are scientists who can be held accountable,” stressed the Chancellor.
Not to forget, the Chancellor also expressed his thanks to all the invited guests who had taken the time to come to this professorial inauguration event.
The full Open Senate Meeting for the Inauguration of Professors in the field of Ushul Fiqh can be watched on SATU Televisi’s YouTube. (warp)