Ciputat — The increasing number of professors within the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta again presents an interesting note. After the Minister of Religion submitted the Decree of the Minister of Religion (KMA) on Professors on July 13, 2026, one fact emerged that caught the attention of the public, namely the increase in the number of married couples of UIN Jakarta lecturers who both hold the highest academic positions as professors.

When met at the UIN Jakarta Campus, Ciputat, Friday (17/7/2026), the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Tholabi Kharlie, explained that this phenomenon is not the first to occur on the campus, which is known as one of the centers for Islamic scientific development in Indonesia.

According to him, UIN Jakarta has a strong academic tradition so that it is able to produce many academics with the highest achievements in lecturer careers.

"Alhamdulillah, this is not the first time a married couple of UIN Jakarta lecturers have succeeded in winning the position of professor. In the history of UIN Jakarta, there have been several pairs of professors who have become part of the academic tradition of this campus," said Prof. Tholabi.

When asked about the pair of professors who have been recorded in UIN Jakarta, Prof. Tholabi mentioned a number of names that have made a great contribution to the development of Islamic higher education.

Among them are the late Prof. Dr. Hj. Huzaemah Tahido Yanggo, M.A. and Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Wahab Abdul Muhaimin, Lc., M.A. who once served as lecturers at the Faculty of Sharia and Law. In addition, there is Prof. Dr. H. Ahmad Thib Raya, M.A. from the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training with Prof. Dr. Hj. Musdah Mulia, M.A. who teaches at the UIN Jakarta Graduate School.

The other couple is Prof. Nur Hidayah, S.Ag., S.E., M.A., M.A., Ph.D., lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, together with Prof. Dr. Agus Salim, S.Ag., M.Si., lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Then, who is the latest pair of professors at UIN Jakarta?

Answering this question, Prof. Tholabi said that the list of professor pairs is now increasing with the achievement of the professorship by Prof. Dr. H. Suwendi, M.Ag. in the field of Islamic Education Thought at the Graduate School of UIN Jakarta.

"With the issuance of the KMA Professors which was handed over last week, the number of husband and wife pairs of professors at UIN Jakarta has increased again. Prof. Suwendi is now following his wife, Prof. Dr. Hj. Mesraini, S.Ag., S.H., M.Ag., who was inaugurated as a Professor of Munakahat Fiqh Science in 2023," he explained.

Currently, Prof. Mesraini also carries out the mandate as Vice Dean for Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Sharia and Law UIN Jakarta.

Furthermore, Prof. Tholabi revealed that Prof. Suwendi's achievements were not obtained instantly. His academic career has been built through a long process since he was appointed as a lecturer at UIN Jakarta in 2006. Five years later, he succeeded in winning the academic position of Head Lecturer.

In the period 2012 to 2023, Prof. Suwendi was mandated to occupy various structural positions within the Directorate General of Islamic Education of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia. Because he occupies a structural position, the functional position of the lecturer is temporarily suspended in accordance with applicable regulations.

After returning to duty at UIN Jakarta in 2023, he reactivated his academic functional position and focused on carrying out the tridharma of higher education.

"He is very productive in conducting research, writing articles in reputable international journals, publishing scientific papers, being involved in various academic forums, and fulfilling the workload of lecturers consistently. All of this is important capital in fulfilling the requirements to achieve the position of professor," said Prof. Tholabi.

According to him, the success of the husband and wife couple to achieve the position of professor is not only a family pride, but also an inspiration for the academic community of UIN Jakarta.

"As university leaders, we are certainly very proud. This achievement shows that a strong academic culture can grow and develop in an academic family environment. This is an example that dedication, hard work, and scientific productivity will yield proud results," he said.

Prof. Tholabi hopes that this achievement can motivate lecturers, especially within UIN Jakarta and Islamic Religious Universities (PTKI), to continue to improve the quality of research, scientific publications, and community service.

"The more professors are born, the stronger the contribution of universities in the development of science, Islamic education, and nation building. Therefore, we continue to encourage lecturers to increase their academic productivity and achieve the highest career level as professors," he concluded.