Kiai And Ulama Play A Strategic Role In Encouraging Love For The Homeland, Head Of BNPT: Hubbul Wathan Minal Iman

The atmosphere of BNPT national friendship at the Sidogiri Islamic Boarding School, Pasuruan, East Java. (Photo: Doc. Antara/BNPT)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) Boy Rafli Amar continues to communicate with kiai and ulama, especially the leaders of Islamic boarding schools. Through this step, Boy hopes that kiai and ulama, especially in religious education institutions, will play a strategic role with his party to inflame the spirit of nationalism and love for the country to students.

"The Islamic boarding school builds the spirit of love for the country, "hubbul wathan minal faith" (love for the homeland is part of faith)," said Boy Rafli Amar in a statement quoted by Antara, Saturday, February 19.

Thus, according to him, this can be useful for overcoming the misuse of religious narratives by radicalist and terrorist networks in order to attract sympathy and plunge the Indonesian people into becoming part of them.

"We understand the narratives built by radical and terrorist networks. One of them is raising narratives related to religion," he said.

Furthermore, Boy Rafli also said that a number of previous kiai and scholars had helped inflame the spirit of love for the country while strengthening national values.

This, he said, was done by them to maintain the unity of the Indonesian nation by building the spirit of nationalism.

"As exemplified by kiai and scholars, one of them, KH Muhammad Hasyim Asy'ari," said Boy Rafli.

With regard to the strategic role of kiai and ulama, BNPT in 2022 will always strive to prevent and counter terrorism with the pentahelix concept or multi-stakeholder collaboration. One of them is realized through strengthening cooperation with community leaders and religious leaders.

This step, on Wednesday, February 16, was taken by BNPT through national friendships at two Islamic boarding schools in Pasuruan, East Java, namely the Sidogiri Islamic Boarding School led by KH Ahmad Fuad Noerhasan and the Ngalah Islamic Boarding School led by KH Sholeh Bahruddin.

Furthermore, BNPT is committed to inviting more parties to cooperate and collaborate through the multi-stakeholder concept (pentahelix), including educational institutions, both formal and non-formal, as well as religious leaders and Islamic boarding schools.