Auditorium of Prof. Dr. Suwito, MA SPs UIN Jakarta, SP NEWS – The Graduate School (SPs) of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta held the 1696th Doctoral Promotion Exam in the Auditorium Room of Prof. Dr. Suwito, MA on Thursday, July 23, 2026 with promovendus Sayid Ridho.

Sayid is a student of the Doctoral program in Islamic Studies with a concentration in Religion and Medicine. His dissertation is entitled "Study of the Concept of Cryopreservation as a Scientific Signal of the Qur'an on the Age of Ashabulkahfi: Perspectives of Regenerative Medicine and Internal Medicine".

The story of the young Ashabulkahfi who fell asleep in the cave for hundreds of years always manages to spark curiosity. How could the human body survive across hundreds of years without aging or being damaged in the slightest? This big question was finally answered in the 1696th doctoral promotion exam session at the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Thursday (23/7/2026).

Through this research, Sayid offers a fresh perspective that bridges the story of miracles in the holy book with the advancement of modern medical science.

So far, various theories have tried to explain the phenomenon of Ashabulkahfi's long sleep. Starting from acupuncture approaches, hibernation, time relativity, to just ordinary physiological sleep. However, Sayid considers that these classical theories are no longer adequate and have run out of scientific allure.

Previous theories have proven to have great limitations. In addition to the lack of empirical evidence and the fact that it is increasingly lagging behind by the advances of contemporary science, the old theory fails to explain the most crucial point: how the young men remain physically fit and fresh as if they had just fallen asleep last night, even though the period has been running for 309 years.

In order to solve this puzzle, Sayid uses a qualitative method through interdisciplinary literature studies. Sayid combines regenerative medicine and internal medicine with a thematic interpretation strategy with  a scientific interpretation pattern. Every theory that ever existed was rigorously tested and juxtaposed directly with the parameters of the key utterances in Surah Al-Kahf verses 9-26.

The results were both surprising and alluring. Of all the options tested, only the theory of cryopreservation was able to answer all the criteria. Cryopreservation, a technique of freezing cells or tissues at very low temperatures, has been proven to be able to stop the body's metabolic processes for a very long period of time without damaging the living cells in it.

An in-depth analysis shows that the concept of cryopreservation is perfectly in harmony with the four main indicators in Surah Al-Kahf. These indicators include the moment of being put to sleep (verse 11), being reawakened (verse 12), physical condition that does not age (verses 19 and 25), to very specific cave environmental settings such as light exposure, cave micro conditions, to body repositioning movements (verses 17–18).

The relevance of these findings does not stop at mere academic papers, but has a direct impact on today's biomedical world. This concept is considered very much in line with modern medical research, especially in stem cell development, organ transplant techniques, and the management of biological tissue banks (biobanks).

In the end, this finding is a beautiful proof that contemporary science and the holy verses of the Qur'an are never opposite, but rather illuminate each other. Sayid Ridho's dissertation successfully proves that the story of Ashabulkahfi is not just a story of past miracles, but a foothold for the integration of Islamic science that is innovative, open, and ready to welcome the future.

Sayid successfully defended his dissertation under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA, Prof. Dr. Arif Sumantri, M.Kes, drg. Laifa Annisa Hendarmin, Ph.D, and tested in front of a board of examiners consisting of Prof. Dr. Zulkifli, MA, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Rahman, MA, Prof. Dr. Arif Sumantri, M.Kes, drg. Laifa Annisa Hendarmin, Ph.D, Prof. dr. Hari Hendarto, MARS, Ph.D, Sp.PD-KEMD, Prof. dr. Flori Ratna Sari, Ph.D, Prof. Dr. Lilik Ummi Kaltsum, MA.

After paying attention to the writing of the dissertation, the comments of the examiner team and the answers of the promovendus, the examiner team determined that Sayid Ridho graduated with the title of Very Satisfactory. Sayid Ridho is the 1696th Doctor in the field of Islamic Studies, a doctoral program at the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. (Jay A)