VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Vice President, Ma'ruf Amin, advised that Islamic boarding schools in all regions of Indonesia can play a role as centers for three areas, namely religious education, preaching, and empowerment of the people's economy.

He stated that when he attended the National Islamic Students Day commemoration event held by the National Committee for Islamic Economics and Finance (KNEKS) virtually, from his official residence, in Jakarta, Thursday.

"Islamic boarding school, as a place for the guidance of students, must continue to function. First, make and prepare people who understand religion; second, Islamic boarding schools are also centers of da'wah; third, Islamic boarding school must become centers of empowerment, especially in the economic sector," he said.

As a religious educational institution, Islamic boarding schools are expected to produce quality resources for students in terms of Islam. By producing students who understand the teachings of Islam well, the country has the potential to have pious leaders.

"As the Prophet said, the scholars who have been called by Allah SWT must have a replacement, there must be a successor. If not, said the Prophet, if the pious are no longer there, then people will become leaders of ignorant people who do not understand religion," he said.

As a da'wah center, he hopes that Islamic boarding schools will take advantage of technological developments in broadcasting Islamic teachings.

Through the digitization of da'wah, the messages conveyed by the speakers can reach a wider community.

"Because with digital da'wah, the target will be wider, the time (can be) anytime and anywhere. Through digital preaching, the message and advice will go anywhere," said the vice president, who has a scholarly background.

Finally, regarding the role of Islamic boarding schools as centers of community economic empowerment, he wants all Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, which number 28,000 Islamic boarding schools, to encourage the development of sharia-based financial lending institutions to target communities with weak economies.

Ma'ruf Amin also encouraged each Islamic boarding school to have a micro waqf bank and Baitul Maal wa Tamwil (BMT) to empower the economy of the people living in the Islamic boarding school environment.

The existence of BMTs in an Islamic boarding school is expected to be an intermediary for the provision of loans or financing from the Revolving Fund Management Institution for Cooperative Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (LPDB-KUMKM) to the community.

"Therefore, I hope that all Islamic boarding school, if possible, 20,000 Islamic boarding school, can build BMTs and later receive financing apart from Islamic banks and LPDB from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises," he said. (Antaranews)