EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, UK – Muhammadiyah’s literary works have expanded their international reach following an earlier donation to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS). Four books on Muhammadiyah, including works by Indonesia’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, have officially joined the collections of the Bodleian Libraries, the main library system of the University of Oxford.
Ince Dian Aprilyani Azir, Chairperson of the Special Branch Board of Muhammadiyah in the United Kingdom and Ireland, handed over the book on Wednesday (7/10). The collection includes Muhammadiyah Cristian by Abdul Mu’ti and Fajar Riza Ul Haq, Positive Pluralism by Abdul Mu’ti and Azaki Khoirudin, and two English-language works by the Central Board’s Council for Religious Opinion and Reform: The Contemporary Fatwas of Muhammadiyah and Coping with Disaster: Principle Guidance from an Islamic Perspective.
Emma Mathieson, the Bodleian Libraries’ Subject Librarian for South Asia, with responsibility for Indonesia, received the books and welcomed the addition of Muhammadiyah’s works to the collection.
The authors also expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the initiative. Abdul Mu’ti extended his thanks to PCIM UK and Ireland and the University of Oxford for their contributions and for accepting the books.
He expressed hope that more works by Muhammadiyah authors would reach international academic institutions in the future.
“Hopefully, these works will be useful in providing information and serving as references for studies on Islam in Indonesia, particularly Muhammadiyah,” said the Secretary-General of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah in a statement received by the editorial team on Thursday afternoon, October 8.
Accelerating Muhammadiyah Internationalization Program
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Fajar Riza Ul Haq, said the presence of Muhammadiyah’s books at Oxford could play a key role in the organization’s internationalization efforts. He also highlighted their potential to foster a culture of tolerance and peace amid the world’s diverse societies.
Azaki Khoirudin, Secretary of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah’s Council for Cadre Development and Human Resources, said the opportunity would bring Muhammadiyah’s ideas and experiences from Indonesia to one of the world’s leading centers of knowledge.
“I hope the presence of these books in Oxford University’s main library will serve as an intellectual bridge and a reference for researchers worldwide seeking to understand a moderate, peaceful, and progressive vision of Islam. From Yogyakarta to Oxford, from Muhammadiyah to world civilization,” Azaki said.
Muhammad Rofiq Muzakkir, Secretary of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah’s Council of Tarjih and Tajdid, emphasized that the inclusion of the council’s intellectual works at the University of Oxford was a strategic step toward disseminating the idea of Islam Berkemajuan (Progressive Islam) globally.
“We appreciate the initiative taken by our colleagues at PCIM UK and Ireland. We also hope our works can serve as enlightening references for global academic discourse,” Rofiq said.
The addition of these four books to the Bodleian Libraries builds on their earlier placement at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. Together, these efforts represent a strategic move to broaden the reach of Muhammadiyah’s intellectual contributions within the international academic community.
By making these works accessible to readers across national borders, Muhammadiyah hopes to introduce its experience in promoting a moderate, tolerant, and progressive understanding of Islam to a wider audience and encourage further research and discussion in global academic circles. (Bhisma)
