Georgetown University: Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs: Seminar on Religion and Society with Visiting Indonesian Scholars

Thursday, April 10,2008
3:00-4:30pm
Berkley Center conference room
3307 M St, Suite 200
Cosponsored with the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
RSVP: berkleycenter@georgetown.edu

The Berkley Center is hosting a seminar with visiting Indonesian scholars around the topic: "Religion and Society: A Dialogue between the US and Indonesia." The 12 scholars are visiting Georgetown as part of a State Department sponsored program. The discussion will center on religious pluralism as it intersects with state and society in the US, Indonesia, and around the world.

Delegation Participants:

Verry Azis
Paramadina University
He is a lecturer of Middle East Studies, Islam and International Politics at Paramadina University. He achieved his bachelor degree in Islamic Theology from Al Azhar University, Cairo. He has traveled to Saudi Arabia for umra where he acted as an official officer for Hajj. He is the Director of Al Kahiriyah, an educational foundation and is the secretary of Tarbiyah Islamiyah Al-Falah, an Islamic educational, social and communication foundation. He is also an Imam (preacher) of a Masjid and works with study groups.

Muhammad Imdadun Rahmat
PTIQ- Institute of Qu’ranic Sciences
Paras Foundation
He is a lecturer and director of the Research Department at PTIQ-Institute of Qu’ranic Sciences. He is also the program director of Paras Foundation, an NGO that encourages education and empowerment, and is a board member of MADIA, an interfaith dialogue society. He is both a freelance training facilitator and speaker, addressing the following topics: democracy, pluralism, interfaith dialogue gender issues, Islamic radical movements and Islamic perspectives. He has written articles for various publications and published a book: “Radical Islam New Stream; Transmission of Islamic Revivalism from the Middle East to Indonesia.”

Romlah Abubakar Askar
Darunnajah Islamic College
UIN Jakarta, the State Islamic University
PTIQ- Institute of Qu’ranic Sciences
University of Al Azhar, Jakarta
She is a lecturer of Tafsir and Hadith’s at four universities in Jakarta. She is active as a religious speaker on radio and for women’s issues. She has studied in several countries: Egypt-bachelor’s degree; Pakistan-master’s degree; Malaysia-PhD. She has published numerous articles: Methodology of Hadith’s Research: Personal Experiences in Egypt, Pakistan, India and Indonesia, and Hadits from the Sunni and Shia Perspectives.

Ai Fatimah Nur Fuad
Muhammadiyah University, Jakarta
Dr.Hamka University
ICAS-Paramadi
She is a lecturer of Islamic History, Qu’ranic Studies, and Arabic Language at Muhammadiyah University and Dr. Hamka University. She received a full scholarship for her bachelor’s degree in Tafsir and Hadith’s from Al Azhar University in Cairo, where she was also honored for her academic achievement as a Ushuluddin (Islamic Hadist) Graduate (Jayyid Jiddan) by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Cairo. Her master’s degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies was received from the University of Indonesia. She is also the Secretary of the Research Department at ICAS Paramadina, where her focus is on Middle East Studies, Islam and social transformation.

Saifuddin Zuhri
PTIQ- Institute of Qu’ranic Sciences
Institution of Islamic and Society Studies
He is the director of the Institution of Islamic and Society Studies (Lembaga Kajian Keislaman dan Kemasyarakatan/LK3), an NGO that focuses on social and religious dialogue and publishes a journal called “Koridor”. He is also a lecturer at PTIQ- Institute of Qu’ranic Sciences and one of the Imams at Masjid At Tin. He has published articles concerning Jihad, Norms and Manners based on the Qu’ran, and on marriage in Islam.

Abdul Haris
Muhammadiyah University, Malang
He is a lecturer of Arabic language, hadith’s and Islamic studies. He received his bachelor’s degree in Arabic Education from Sunan Ampel Islamic State University, Malang and continued with his master’s degree at Khartoum International Institute, Sudan. He has traveled to Egypt to study at Al Azhar University and Saudi Arabia for Hajj. He has published several books on learning Arabic, the foundations of Islam, and a guidance book on coping with loss and the rites of Islamic funerals.

Muslihati
Malang State University
She is a lecturer on educational assessment, learning, and guidance counseling, A member of the Center of Women Studies Pusat Study Wanita (PSW) at Malang State University and Zainul Hasan Islamic College, her focus is on gender and religious issues, and Islam and psychology. She is also a board member of two women’s communities in Malang and Probolinggo, Majlis Ta’lim Al Hidayah and Majlis Ta’lim Al Barokah. She is also a member of Nahdlatul Ulama Scholars Association in Probolinggo and has traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

Cekli Setya Pratiwi
Muhammadiyah University, Malang
She is a lecturer on law, having received her master’s degree in International and European Protection of Human Rights through the Ford Foundation at Utrecht University, Netherlands. She is also the director of the Center for Human Rights Study. She is actively engaged in Asyiah, a Muslim women’s organization that is a branch of Muhammadiyah. Her main interests are in gender issues and human rights from an Islamic and perspective.

Rahayu Relawati 
Muhammadiyah University, Malang
She is a lecturer on the relationships of society/economics/agriculture and director of the Center of Women and Social Studies. Her focus is on domestic violence and issues concerning women laborers. She has been involved in numerous research projects related to these fields, i.e. agriculture, gender, family, women empowerment, etc. A presenter at numerous venues, (Seminar of Women Participation in Politics), she is also the secretary editor of Tropika Journal, an agricultural journal. She has traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

Ahmad Adip Muhdi
STAI Salahuddin, an Islamic College, Pasuruan
STAI Darullughah Wadda’wah, Bangil
STIT Muhammadiyah Bangil, an Islamic Education College
STIT PGRI, Pasuruan
He is a lecturer of Quranic studies and hadith’s at four Islamic colleges in Pasuruan and Bangil and received his master’s degree in Islamic law. Both his bachelor’s degree from Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic Institute, Yogyakarta and his master’s degree from Sunan Apel Islamic Institute, Surabaya were awarded thru academic scholarship. At SKSII, he was recognized as a top student of the graduating class (P.T Djarum Kudus). He is also actively engaged in Nahdlatul Ulama Research Institute and Human Resources Development for Pasuruan.

Nikmatullah 
IAIN Mataram, the State Islamic Institute
She is a professor of gender studies and the director of the Center of Women Studies at IAIN Mataram. She is interested in early childhood education and women’s empowerment and has published several books and articles related to gender education and studies. Since 2005, she has been conducting a life skills training program for women in rural villages in Lombok.

Ahmad Zaenuri 
STIT Nurul Hakim Kediri, an Islamic Education College
IAIN Mataram, the State Islamic Institute
He is a lecturer of Islamic Philosophy at two Islamic Colleges. He received his bachelor’ degree at Jakarta State Islamic University and mater’s degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language from Mouta University, Jordan. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in religious (dawah) and communication studies. He is actively engaged in Pesantren Nurul Hakim, a well known and influential Islamic Institution in Lombok. He has also translated a book entitled “Praise to the Prophet” and has traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and umra.