Theater Room SPs UIN Jakarta, SPs NEWS - The Graduate School (SPs) of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta held the 2800th Thesis Exam at the SPs Theater Room of UIN Jakarta on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 with candidate Muhammad Ericson Ziad.

Ikhsan is a student of the Master of Islamic Studies program with a concentration in Islamic History and Civilization. His thesis is entitled "Reformist Ulama in the Land of Betawi: Socio-Religious Thought of Mualim Md. Ali Alhamidy Matraman (1909-1985)". Ericson managed to maintain his research dissecting an influential Betawi intellectual, Mualim Md. Ali Alhamidy Matraman.

This research is entitled "Reformist Ulama in the Land of Betawi: Socio-Religious Thought of Mualim Md. Ali Alhamidy Matraman (1909-1985)". Through his work, Ericson seeks to thoroughly explore how Md. Ali Alhamidy's great ideas in response to the social dynamics and religious traditions that developed in the heart of the capital city in the mid-20th century.

Using a qualitative-historical method, the study focuses the aim on two crucial aspects: Alhamidy's views on local religious rituals and his response to national social issues. Ericson succeeded in photographing the figure of Alhamidy not only as a religious leader, but as an intellectual who was able to navigate the currents of modernity in the midst of Jakarta's heterogeneous urban society.

One of the most interesting points in this thesis is Ericson's courage in challenging old stereotypes about reformist groups. If all this time reformist Muslims have been synonymous with a rigid attitude towards heresy and local traditions, the figure of Alhamidy actually shows a refreshing anomaly. He proved that being a reformist does not mean being hostile to culture.

For Alhamidy, religious traditions and rituals are not always bad or deviant. This research reveals a strong argument that these rituals actually provide significant benefits for social cohesion, as long as their substance is filled with positive and constructive values. This attitude places Alhamidy as an adaptive-accommodating figure.

Through an intellectual history approach, Ericson found that Alhamidy's social networks and career in various modern institutions greatly influenced his moderation of thought. His involvement in the world of education and modern organizations formed a more open mindset, making him a bridge between the spirit of religious purification and local wisdom.

This finding directly provides a correction to the classic thesis of historians such as Howard M. Federspiel (1970) and Deliar Noer (1980). Both figures have previously stated that the main characteristic of reformist-modernist Muslims is anti-tradition. However, the historical facts on the figure of Alhamidy actually show a moderate attitude that goes beyond this theory.

Furthermore, this research strengthens the theory that was carried out by the late Prof. Azyumardi Azra (1994) and Jajat Burhanudin (2012). Ericson asserts that intellectual networks and social associations have a much more dominant influence in shaping a person's character than mere primordial cultural ties or tribal origins.

The presence of this thesis provides a new dimension in looking at the map of Islamic thought in Indonesia, especially in the land of Betawi. The figure of Mualim Md. Ali Alhamidy Matraman is no longer underestimated, but as a representation of the face of Islam that is inclusive, intelligent, and able to embrace the times without losing his identity.

This thesis exam ended with appreciation from the examiners who assessed that Muhammad Ericson Ziad's work succeeded in enriching the treasure of the study of Islamic figures in the archipelago. The results of this research are expected to be an important reference for the younger generation in understanding a moderate and harmonious way of religion in the midst of the plurality of the nation.

Ericson successfully defended his thesis under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Jajat Burhanudin, MA, and was tested in front of a board of examiners consisting of Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA, Prof. Dr. Didin Saepudin, MA, Dr. Fuad Jabali, MA.

After paying attention to the thesis writing, the comments of the examiner team and the candidate's answers, the examiner team determined that Muhammad Ericson Ziad graduated with the predicate of Very Satisfactory. Muhammad Ericson Ziad is the 2800th Master in the field of Islamic Studies, in the Master's program of the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. (JA)