Prof. Dr. Nasaruddin Umar: A Distinguished Profile in Religious Leadership

Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) is set to host an esteemed guest, Prof. Dr. K.H. Nasaruddin Umar, MA, the Minister of Religious Affairs of Republic of Indonesia, on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, marking his inaugural official visit to the university. He will deliver a public lecture on “Faith and Environment: Pragmatism, Piety, and Ethics”. The lecture promises to shed light on the intersection of religious values and environmental ethics, exploring how faith can inspire sustainable practices and ecological awareness.

Prof. Dr. K.H. Nasaruddin Umar, MA, is a prominent figure in Indonesia's religious and academic circles. Since 2016, he has served as the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, and since 2021, as the Chairman of the Istiqlal Mosque Management Agency. His experience extends to numerous prominent roles, including:

      ●      Expert Group Member, National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) (since 2024)

      ●      Member, Council for Decorations and Honors of the Republic of Indonesia (since 2024)

      ●      Professor of Quranic Studies, Faculty of Ushuluddin, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta (since 2005)

      ●      Rector, Quranic Studies College (PTIQ), Jakarta (since 2005)

      ●      Chairman, Indonesian Mosque Imams Association (IPIM) (since 2019)

Beyond these roles, Prof. Nasaruddin is an active voice in interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and community development, demonstrating a rare ability to harmonize pragmatism with piety.

Born and educated in South Sulawesi, Prof. Nasaruddin began his early schooling at local institutions before pursuing higher education in Islamic law at UIN Alauddin Makassar and later completing his master’s and doctoral studies at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.His academic pursuits took him across the globe, including visiting scholar programs at McGill University (Canada), Leiden University (Netherlands), Sophia University (Japan), and SOAS University of London (UK). Prof. Nasaruddin also served as a visiting professor at Georgetown University (USA), further cementing his reputation as a scholar of international stature.

Prof. Nasaruddin has received numerous awards, including:

      ●      Best Doctoral Graduate, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta (1999)

      ●      Bintang Karya Satya Medal, from the President of Indonesia (2001 & 2006)

      ●      International Best Leadership Award, by IHRDP (2002)

      ●      MURI International Award (2021), for consistently publishing over 6,000 articles.

The public lecture will highlight Prof. Nasaruddin’s unique approach to integrating religious principles with actionable environmental ethics. His insights are expected to inspire both scholars and policymakers, reinforcing the role of faith as a catalyst for positive change in addressing global environmental challenges.

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