Auditorium of Prof. Dr. Suwito, MA SPs UIN Jakarta, SPs NEWS - The Graduate School (SPs) of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta held the 2832nd Thesis Exam at the Auditorium Room of Prof. Dr. Suwito, MA SPs UIN Jakarta on Friday, July 31, 2026 with candidate Ahmad Roni Yahya.

Roni is a student of the Master of Islamic Studies program with a concentration in Anthropology and Sociology of Religion. His thesis is entitled "The Legitimacy of Religious Authority and the Mobilization of Prayer Mafia Groups in the 2024 Election". This research raises an interesting phenomenon about how the massive-scale selawat assembly is converted into a space for articulation and electoral political support.

This research aims to dismantle the mechanism for the formation of the legitimacy of religious authorities as well as the use of resources of the Sholawat Mafia Group (KMS) in the 2024 Election. In particular, this study highlights the central role of Gus Ali Shodiqin as a charismatic figure who directed the support of his congregation to the candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo–Mahfud MD.

In order to skin this phenomenon, the researcher applied a qualitative method based on case studies. Data collection was conducted in depth through interviews with 12 purposively selected key informants, field and online observations, as well as documentation studies with the theoretical framework of Max Weber Authority and McCarthy & Zald Resource Mobilization.

The results of the study revealed that the root of KMS's strength rested on Gus Ali Shodiqin's personal charisma. This leadership is formed in a charismatic-relational manner through the sincere confession of the congregation, hierarchical bonds between teachers and students, close emotional closeness, the allure of the ritual of prayer, and a solid community network.

That solid spiritual authority is then converted into an effective political mobilization machine. The researchers found that this movement utilizes five main resource spectrums, namely moral, symbolic-cultural, human, socio-organizational, and the effectiveness of modern media and communication.

Through a multi-layered conversion process, the spiritual loyalty of the congregation slowly translates into political obedience at the polling station. The selawat assembly was activated as a grassroots mass base, religious symbols were crystallized into electoral preferences, and religious communities were transformed temporarily into effective political networks.

These findings explicitly support and expand the thesis of Fealy and Bush (2014) which states that the political influence of scholars in Indonesia has never faded, but continues to transform in the context of modern democracy. This discovery underscores that the religious space remains a highly dynamic political arena.

However, Ahmad Roni Yahya's thesis provides a new nuance that distinguishes it from the study of Mietzner et al. (2018). If previous studies emphasized religious sentiment and social grievances as the main drivers of mobilization, this study proves that electoral mobilization in the selawat assembly actually gives birth to ambivalence. This charismatic mobilization does not result in homogeneous obedience, because the congregation still has the agency and socio-political autonomy to interpret and negotiate the political direction of the leader.

Roni successfully defended his thesis under the guidance of Prof. Dr. M. Ikhsan Tanggok, M.Si, and was tested in front of a board of examiners consisting of Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA, Prof. Dr. M. Ikhsan Tanggok, M.Si, Prof. Dr. Yusron Razak, MA and Dr. Cucu Nurhayati, M.Si.

After paying attention to the thesis writing, the comments of the examiner team and the candidate's answers, the examiner team determined that Roni graduated with the title of Very Satisfactory. Ahmad Roni Yahya is the 2832nd Master in the field of Islamic Studies, in the Master's program of the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. (Jay A)