Auditorium Prof. Dr. Suwito, MA SPs UIN Jakarta, BERITA SEKOLAH: The Graduate School of State Islamic University (SPs UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta held the 1606th Doctoral Promotion Exam at the Prof. Dr. Suwito Auditorium, MA on Friday, 21 February 2025 with promovendus Ahmad Hifni.

Ahmad Hifni, a student of the Doctoral Programme in Islamic Studies with a concentration in Arabic Language and Literature, wrote a dissertation entitled ‘Sufistic Literary Transformation: A Comparative Study of Islamic Esotericism in the Works of Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī and Abdul Hadi W.M.’. His dissertation examines the transformation of Sufistic literature in the discourse of Islamic esotericism through a comparative study of the thoughts of two great figures, namely Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī and Abdul Hadi WM.

This research is focused on examining how the tradition of pure esotericism developed by Ibn ‘Arabī is transformed in modern Indonesian Sufistic literature (neo-sufistic), as reflected in Abdul Hadi W.M.’s works. Using the approaches of Islamic hermeneutic, semiotics, and intertextual analysis, Ahmad Hifni argues that Abdul Hadi not only adopted and adapted Ibn ʿArabī's classical esoteric doctrine, but also transformed it by incorporating a prophetic dimension that carries a vision of transformation and engagement in social reality.

The research method used is descriptive qualitative analysis with library research. To see the Islamic esotericism in the literary works of both, this study took Ibn ʿArabī's poems in Diwan Tarjuman al-Ashwaq and Abdul Hadi W.M.'s Sufistic poems from various collections of his poems, including “The Sea is Not Yet Tidal”, “Long Portrait of a Visitor to Sanur Beach”, “Mirror”, “Meditation”, “Depending on the Wind”, and “Carrier of the Sun”.

The results of this study reinforce the studies of Anjum (2017), Rohmana (2019), and Fuad (2021) which state that Sufistic literature represents Islamic spiritualism. In this case, the Sufistic works of Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī and Abdul Hadi W.M. reflect the complex esotericism of Islam, which is articulated through the medium of literature. This dissertation concludes that contemporary Sufistic literature is a new form and continuity of the classical Islamic Sufi literary movement that is transmitted from time to time to modern Indonesia.

The transformation is not only in terms of theme, form, and meaning, but also from the orientation of the mysticism of love and union to the mysticism of prophetic spirituality. From personalised and individualised Sufistic contemplation, to a prophetic vision with social responsibility, human values and moral improvement. Thus, this dissertation offers integration and interconnection of literary studies and Islamic esotericism as well as opening wider horizons of understanding regarding the interaction between spirituality in literary expression.

Ahmad Hifni successfully defended his dissertation under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, MA and Prof. Dr. R. Yani'ah Wardani, M.Ag and in front of examiners consisting of Prof. Dr. Zulkifli, MA; Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, MA; Prof. Dr. R. Yani'ah Wardani, M.Ag; Prof. Dr. Rd. Mulyadhi Kartanegara; Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA; Prof. Dr. Asep Usman Ismail, M.Ag.

After paying attention to the writing of the dissertation, the comments of the examiners and the promovendus' answers, the examiners determined that Ahmad Hifni passed with a Very Satisfactory predicate and was designated as the 1606th doctor in the field of Islamic Studies at the Postgraduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.(JA)