Gus Mus calls on religious figures to keep up with technology

Rembang, NU Online

The Advisory Board (Mustasyar) of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Ahmad Mustofa Bisri (Gus Mus) callwd on religious figures, preachers, religious teachers and clerics in the digital era to understand and keep up with information technology Science (IT).

 

"A religious teacher (ustadz/ustadzah) is not only required to master the material, but now he or she must also master the IT. So that it could be enjoyed on various social media," he explained when speaking at the halaqah da'wah and international seminar via the LP3iA Official, Saturday (20/11/2021) .

 

Gus Mus added, if a religious figure or religious teacher and cleric do not master the IT, then it is better for them to have a team that could understand the IT well. In the world of pesantren, it is known as the accompanying santri (student).

 

Gus Mus reasoned that currently many digital or technology experts do not understand the concept of so-called the Sabili Robbika preaching. While those who understand, many of them do not know about digital or technology.

 

"We have two choices in answering this problem. Religious figures understand IT well or have students who understand IT," he said.

 

In the eyes of Gus Mus, someone who wants to call on people to the path of Allah, should be attractive, but the way to invite them is not attractive. Generally, people use social media to entertain themselves. So if the religious teachers are entertaining, then many will like them. The challenge is to create interesting contents.

 

"I sometimes think that it is actually very easy to find true religious teachers or clerics. They are asked or a questionnaire is made "do you agree with the certification of a preaching ustadz" if the answer is no, it could be predicted that they would not fulfill it. Because those who fulfill are certainly brave," he added.

 

The prominent religious figure from Rembang said that he respected scientific studies that discuss the concept of Islamic da'wah and changes in society in the digital era. So that religious figures will know how to deal with the preaching in the current era.

 

For Gus Mus, not many religious figures have deep religious knowledge and decorate digital preaching, mentioning the figures of Prof. Quraisy Sihab and Gus Baha. These two figures, he added, spread the message of rahmatal lil alamin by following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Their talks are the same as their behavior.

 

These two figures could adorn the digital preaching because they have students who are actively spreading positive preaching contents in various social media used by the millennial generation.

 

"We have people who have sufficient vision and mission and knowledge, but if they don't understand IT, they end up losing out to those who just talk. They have no tehso-called sanad (genealogy of knowledge), they don't use knowledge, but they are very good in talking and attracting the attention of the millennial generation on social media," he said.

 

Contributor: Syarif Abdurrahman

Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq