(STIBA.ac.id) Makassar – “The path of knowledge, the path of heaven fighters” were the themes of the STIBA Makassar’s Even Semester Inaugural Lecture for the Academic Year 1444 H/2022-2023 M, held at the Anas bin Malik Mosque. The event was officially opened by the Chairman of the STIBA Makassar Senate, Ustaz Muhammad Yusran Anshar, Lc., M.A., Ph.D.

In his speech, Ustaz Yusran reminded the students about their mabda’ (starting point) and muntaha (finish line).

“We must realize that we are temporary fighters. We have a starting point and a finish line. A person who walks without knowing how to start will be disoriented. And a person who doesn’t know when and where his destination is will keep wandering and getting lost on his journey. We are seekers of knowledge who are fighters of Allah and we walk in the pursuit of thalabul ilm,” said Ustaz Yusran at the Anas bin Malik Mosque on Monday (23/01/2023).

The Chairman of the Wahdah Islamiyah Syariah Council also quoted the words of Ibrahim bin Adham mentioned by Imam al-Baghdadi in his book Ar-Rihlah fi Thalab al-Hadith,

“Indeed, Allah exalts this ummah through the journey of the seekers of hadith (seekers of knowledge).”

“So you are the people, with the permission and taufik (guidance) of Allah, who save this ummah. Therefore, it is a joy when Allah chooses us for this purpose. But remember, our sincerity in seeking knowledge is solely for Allah. A person who struggles but is not sincere will end up in hell, and Allah will even humiliate him by being thrown into hell first,” said Ustaz Yusran.

Furthermore, Ustaz Yusran stated that the finish line for a seeker of knowledge is Allah’s paradise.

“Our finish line is not achieved by obtaining a degree from STIBA, whether it is a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. We will not stop in this struggle until our time of death,” he emphasized.

The Inaugural Lecture at the beginning of this semester was attended by all students, administrators, and male lecturers, while female students watched it through the STIBA TV channel on YouTube.