{"id":752,"date":"2025-08-11T10:55:32","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T03:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/?page_id=752"},"modified":"2025-08-11T11:14:01","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T04:14:01","slug":"profil","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/profil\/","title":{"rendered":"Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

ASAI: The History and Strategic Position of the Institution<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Indonesian Religious Studies Association (ASAI) is an institution that focuses on developing religious studies in Indonesia, both scientifically and institutionally. The emergence of ASAI is motivated by the socio-cultural context of the scientific study that exists in Indonesia. This context encourages parties directly involved in the discipline of Religious Studies in Indonesia to respond to the developments in it. The response can be in the form of a passion to enrich epistemology, criticize aspects that have not been discussed in detail, add something that is incomplete, strengthen the role of institutions in dealing with complex developments, communication and coordination with policy makers, and other forms of response. The complexity of the context faced is a factor in ASAI's appearance on the stage of religious science in Indonesia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

History<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a scientific and institutional discipline in Indonesia, Religious Studies was born in August 1960. In its history, scientific roots have existed in the archipelago (the initial name of Indonesia) in the 16th century AD, which gave birth to the figures of Hamzah Fansuri and Nuruddin ar-Raniri, who were then followed by the next generation of scholars such as Abdurrauf al-Singkili. In the modern era, the scientific passion for Religious Studies is echoed by Abdul Mukti Ali, a modern Indonesian scholar, who focuses on the development of Multidisciplinary Islamic Studies and Religious Studies in Indonesia and Ahmad Rasjidi, a modern scholar who is an alumnus of the Sorbone University. This discipline was later developed by Mukti Ali's students, such as Burhanuddin Daja, Syamsuddin Abdullah, Harith Abdoussalam, Romdlon, Alef Theria Wasim, Djam'annuri, and Amin Abdullah.<\/p>\n

After returning from McGill University Canada, in 1960 Mukti Ali opened the Comparative Religion (PA) study program at the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Yogyakarta, which focused on studying religions scientifically. The main reason for the opening of this program is the very complex religious, social, and cultural diversity in Indonesia; and the need for a new perspective in studying religion, especially Islam in Islamic higher education institutions. He developed a new methodology in studying religion, namely scientific doctriner \u2013 combining modern scientific perspectives and religious teachings. In the realm of scientific axiology, Mukti Ali initiated a model of interreligious relations known as agree in disagreement . The Comparative Religion Study Program is a revolutionary learning place within IAIN, because it applies modern scientific methodologies in studying religions\/religions. This approach is contrary to the Islamic scientific tradition that has been running, namely by studying doctrinally and theologically only.<\/p>\n

Burhanuddin Daja and Alef Theria Wasim are members of the International Association for the Study of Religion (IAHR), and as academics of religious studies at IAIN Yogya, they both establish close scientific relations with American and European universities in the development of religious studies in Indonesia. Through the IAHR network, prominent figures in religious studies were presented in Yogya to give lectures, such as Peter Antes (Marburg University, Germany) and Morny Joy (Calgary University, Canada), Victor Sogen Hori (McGill University, Canada), as well as scholars from the Netherlands, such as Karel A. Steenbrink, Martin van Bruinessen, Nico Kaptein, Johan Hendrik Mauleman, and others. Together with universities in the Netherlands, PA IAIN Yogyakarta is involved in the INIS (Indonesia-Netherlands Cooperation in Islamic Studies) program. This program produced many scholarly works in the study of religions.<\/p>\n

Then in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and McGill University, it also organizes academic activities that support the development of religious studies. There are many more collaborations with European and American institutions in order to establish academic relations to strengthen the scientific and institutional study of religions in Indonesia.<\/p>\n

Comparative Religion IAIN Yogyakarta is a rapidly growing discipline so that many students from all over Indonesia study here. These PA alumni then developed PA in their respective institutions. Until now, in 2025, there are twenty-three PA Study Programs throughout Indonesia. This study program develops with its own social and cultural context, so there are no standard scientific and institutional standards.<\/p>\n

In 2014, the PA Study Program of the State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga initiated the formation of an institution that can shelter religious studies study programs as well as scholars who are interested in religious studies throughout Indonesia. ASAI was officially established on November 16, 2014. The Symposium on Religious Studies I was held in Yogyakarta in 2014 which gave a mandate to the PA Study Program of UIN Yogyakarta the establishment of the Indonesian Religious Studies Association (ASAI) to form management and legality. Furthermore, every year ASAI holds National Symposiums in various cities in Indonesia to discuss the development of scientific epistemology, the latest methodologies, and institutional capacity building. As an ASAI institution, it is legally registered in the institutional register of the Republic of Indonesia with number: 11 dated February 22, 2016 through the Notary Deed of Muchammad Agus Hanafi, SH.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Institutional Strategic Position<\/strong><\/p>\n

The formation of ASAI has become a big umbrella for the study of religions in Indonesia. Institutionally, ASAI is a medium of communication and scientific coordination in developing the study of religions, both in terms of quality (scientific substance and methodology, as well as institutional quality), or quantity aspects (increasing interest in conducting religious studies, assisting in the establishment of new study programs). In full, ASAI plays a strategic role in the development of religious studies in Indonesia which is explained as follows,<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. 1.\tTo be the parent of the development of religious studies in Indonesia<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As an institution that oversees institutions that are concerned with religious studies in Indonesia, ASAI plays a role as a parent of development, both scientific and institutional. Among the forms of ASAI's work related to this role are:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. 1. Review and certify the curriculum of SAA Study Programs throughout Indonesia as required by the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT)<\/li>\n
    2. 2. Coordinating the determination of the characteristic courses of each SAA study program<\/li>\n
    3. 3. Becoming a journal-hub for journals in SAA study programs<\/li>\n
    4. 4. To be a catalyst for improving the quality assurance of SAA study programs according to BAN-PT standards<\/li>\n
    5. 5. Disseminate research results through scientific publications and other academic forums.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

        \n
      1. 2.\tBecome a facilitator of communication with policy makers<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        In addition to playing an internal role in the institution, ASAI is also a facilitator in establishing communication with external institutions in the context of institutional development. Among the details of ASAI's strategic role in this regard are:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. 1. Facilitating communication with the Ministry of Religious Affairs related to the bargaining position of SAA Study Program alumni in civil servant recruitment<\/li>\n
        2. 2. Facilitate communication about rules related to the implementation of academic processes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          ASAI: Sejarah dan Posisi Strategis Kelembagaan   Asosiasi Studi Agama Indonesia (ASAI) merupakan lembaga yang fokus bergerak untuk mengembangkan studi agama di Indonesia, baik secara keilmuan maupun kelembagaan. Kemunculan ASAI dilatarbelakangi oleh konteks sosial budaya keilmuan Studi Agama yang eksis di Indonesia. Konteks ini mendorong pihak-pihak yang terlibat secara langsung di dalam disiplin Studi Agama … Continue reading Profile<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-752","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=752"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/752\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":758,"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/752\/revisions\/758"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/studiagama.or.id\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}