Andhika Tiara's Thesis Exam, Revealing Habib Salim bin Jindan's Critical Views on Women
Theater Room SPs UIN Jakarta, SPs NEWS: The Graduate School of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta held the 2760th Master's Thesis Exam at the SPs Theater Room of UIN Jakarta, on Thursday, July 10, 2025 with candidate Andhika Tiara.
Andhika Tiara is a student of the Master of Islamic Studies study program with a concentration in Philology. Andhika Tiara wrote a thesis entitled "Daf' al-Turrahāt 'an Wājibāt al-Ummahāt: Habib Salim bin Jindan's Critical View of Women"
This thesis examines the text of Daf' al-Turrahāt 'an Wājibāt al-Ummahāt (MDTWU), a work by Habib Salim bin Jindan which is a response to Qasim Amin's writings entitled Taḥrīr al-Mar'ah.
This qualitative research elaborates a philological approach and intertextual theory to analyze texts. A philological approach is used to produce a text that is ready to be read and understood, while Julia Kristeva's intertextual theory is applied to explore the interrelated relationship between the MDTWU text and other texts, in particular Taḥrīr al-Mar'ah. The combination of these two approaches allows Andhika Tiara to dig deeply into Habib Salim bin Jindan's thoughts on the role and position of women.
Based on the findings of the research, it was revealed that MDTWU is a single manuscript (codex unicus) which is the personal collection of the Al-Fachriyah Foundation Library in Tangerang, Banten. The existence of this manuscript is very significant because it fills the void of writing and reference materials related to Muslim women in the 20th century, even though its dissemination and printing are not massive. These findings highlight the importance of preserving ancient manuscripts as sources of intellectual history.
This research makes a strong argument that Habib Salim bin Jindan, in his MDTWU manuscript, defended the traditional construction of the role and obligations of Muslim women in the family and society. Her response to various social problems shows the characteristics of 20th-century scholars' thinking about Muslim women dominated by patriarchal ideas. This text voices the importance of maintaining traditional values in the midst of modernization, so that women continue to obtain their rights without losing their identity and honor.
This contrasts with Qasim Amin's view that critically rejects traditional meanings that limit women to domestic space and confinement in patriarchal structures in the name of religion. Amin argues that many traditional values that oppress women are not authentic Islamic teachings, but the result of mere cultural constructions. This difference in viewpoints shows the dynamics of thinking about women in the early 20th century.
Andhika Tiara's findings further strengthen the research of Tohari (2021) and Bachtiar (2023). The three concluded that women's freedom must still refer to Islamic values as a source of legitimacy and not frontally reject religion. On the contrary, what is emphasized is the need to reinterpret the sharia to be in harmony with the values of justice and the progress of the times. This study also reminds that the application of women's emancipation sourced from the West needs to be criticized so as not to contradict Islamic ethical values, offering a balanced perspective in understanding the issue of Muslim women.
Andhika Tiara successfully defended her thesis under the guidance of Dr. M. Adib Misbachul Islam, M.Hum, and was tested in front of the examining board consisting of Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA, Dr. M. Adib Misbachul Islam, M.Hum, Dr. Alfida, MLIS and Dr. Rizqi Handayani, MA.
After paying attention to the thesis writing, the comments of the examiner team and the candidate's answers, the examiner team determined that Andhika Tiara graduated with the title of Very Satisfactory. Rina Andhika Tiara is the 2760th master in the field of Islamic Studies, in the master's program of the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. (JA)