EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, JAKARTA – The Muhammadiyah Central Board and Qatar’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs are exploring cooperation in Arabic language education, Islamic literature publishing, imam and muezzin training, and other strategic areas.
The initiative was discussed on Tuesday (27/10) during a meeting between Muhammadiyah Central Board and a delegation from Qatar’s Ministry at the Muhammadiyah Central Board office in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
The meeting was attended by Muhammadiyah President Haedar Nashir, Chairperson Anwar Abbas and Agung Danarto, General Treasurer Hilman Latief, and Secretary Izzul Muslimin.
The Qatari delegation was led by Sultan Saad Hassan Al-Badr, assistant director of the Shaikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center.
He explained that the visit was conducted at the direction of Qatar’s Ministry to introduce its programs and explore partnerships with Islamic organizations in Indonesia.
Strengthening Ties Between Muhammadiyah and Qatar
Haedar welcomed the visit, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen ties between Muhammadiyah and Islamic institutions in Qatar, as well as relations between the two countries.
“Today, we welcomed a Qatari delegation representing the Ministry of Endowments. We discussed potential cooperation in education and intensive Arabic language courses for university students and others. The Qatari government is very open to these programs,” Haedar said.
He added that the visit also aimed to foster closer ties between Islamic institutions in Qatar and Muhammadiyah, as well as between Qatar and Indonesia.
They are also here to strengthen ties between representatives of Islamic institutions in Qatar and Muhammadiyah. The cooperation could also strengthen the cooperation between Qatar as a country and Indonesia as a nation,” he continued.
Haedar said the two sides had also discussed follow-up programs both in education and economic development.
“Finally, we have also agreed to plan further programs, both in education and potentially in the economic sector,” he said.
Arabic Language Education and Imam Training
One opportunity discussed was Arabic language training for Muhammadiyah students, university students, teachers, lecturers, and preachers. Qatar has offered Muhammadiyah the opportunity to propose participants in coordination with the Qatari Embassy.
The two sides also discussed imam and muezzin training. Qatar had a program for training imams and muezzin that could be developed in collaboration with Muhammadiyah.
Regarding Islamic literature, Muhammadiyah expressed its gratitude for Qatar’s assistance in providing copies of the Qur’an. Some of the copies have been distributed in Jakarta and Yogyakarta. The two sides also explored opportunities for joint publication of Islamic books.
Muhammadiyah Central Board Chairperson Anwar Abbas expressed hope that cooperation could be expanded to include healthcare and economic development. He also opened the possibility of partnerships with Qatari businesspeople, including for the development of Muhammadiyah hospitals.
Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah General Treasurer Hilman Latief is scheduled to visit Qatar in early November. The visit is expected to include meetings with several charitable, educational, and humanitarian organizations. (taufik)
