Minister of Religion Urges Students to Strengthen Academic Traditions and Religious Literacy

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Minister of Religion, Nasaruddin Umar, has urged the younger generation of Muslims, particularly university students and student activists, to continue strengthening academic traditions and religious literacy amid the increasingly dynamic development of digital spaces.

“We see young people today are very active on social media, but sometimes this is not accompanied by deep literary knowledge or a strong research tradition,” the Minister stated during a statement in Jakarta on Friday.

The statement was made whilst receiving a visit from the Alumni Association of the Islamic Student Movement of Indonesia (IKA PMII) at the Ministry of Religion’s official residence in Jakarta.

“Social media is part of the development of our era that cannot be avoided, but enlightening work must be born from mature and well-founded thinking,” the Minister said.

He encouraged student and youth organisations to continue building a culture of discussion, scientific study, and the publication of substantive thought across various mainstream media. According to him, the dynamic interchange of ideas among students is fertile ground for future leadership.

“Healthy dynamic discussion and intellectual debate within organisations will certainly bear positive fruit. Without challenge and intellectual debate, there will be no meaningful development in a student’s maturity,” he said.

The Minister reminded listeners of the intellectual legacy of Islamic higher education institutions, which have long been the repository of a blend of Islamic and nationalist thought. He challenged the current generation to assume this role.

“A strong intellectual tradition will produce a generation capable of addressing contemporary challenges with good, moderate, and enlightened arguments,” the Minister said.

At the conclusion of his remarks, the Minister affirmed the Ministry of Religion’s commitment to supporting efforts to strengthen literacy and constructive dialogue spaces among young people.

“We long for an ecosystem capable of producing again figures of robust Islamic thinkers. The Ministry of Religion will certainly always support all scholarly endeavours that produce young thinkers for the benefit and glory of the Indonesian nation,” he said.