The Continuity of Walisongo’s Islamic Propagation (Da’wah): Religious Faculties at The State Islamic Universities (UIN) in Indonesia

Abstract

The decline in numbers of Muslims and the lack of interest in religious studies were ironic for the State Islamic Universities (Universitas Islam Negeri — UIN) which one of its universities uses the name Walisongo (i.e. nine medieval saints who spread Islam in Java). The Islamic propagation of Walisongo evidently aimed at the Islamization of the Javanese isle, production of ‘ulama cadres, and establishment of an Islamic society. The religious faculties at UINs which are the continuity of Walisongo's efforts in propagating the Islamic teachings have been lessening recently. The purpose of this research was to analyze the causes of students’ low interest towards the religious faculties at UINs, and to relate them to the spirit of Walisongo's undertakings. This research was a literature research with a qualitative approach which did not hold quantitative data calculation. This research concluded that the existence of religious faculties at UINs was in line with the goal of Walisongo that was the spread of Islam through educational institutions. The entity of religious faculties that could be said as a continuation of Walisongo’s struggle in propagating Islam comprised four faculties: Adab, Ushuluddin, Syarī’ah, and Da'wah. For a special case at UIN of Jakarta, there is the Faculty of Dirāsāt Islamiyyāh cooperating with Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Faculties of religiosity had their golden age during IAIN period, yet have been waning throughout UIN period. The decline was assessed by the indicator of the decreasing number of students, particularly, compared to the number of students enrolled in the secular faculties at UINs.