
Searching for the Fruit of Immortality, Interesting Speech by the Rector of UIN Antasari at Graduation August 2022
The Rector of UIN Antasari Prof. Dr. H. Mujiburrahman, MA when giving his speech in the new building (Photo:Humas/Yulida Rifani)
BANJARBURU – There is a story full of wisdom from the Rector of the Antasari State Islamic University, Prof. Dr. H. Mujiburrahman, MA, when giving a speech at the 73rd Graduation and 43rd Postgraduate Graduation, at the Campus 2 Religious Laboratory, Wednesday (24/08).
This story was listened to carefully by 1,260 alumni, regarding the search for the fruit of immortality, by the Persian Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi.
In the story, there is a king in the Middle East, who orders his ministers to India to seek the fruit of immortality.
But when he got there, and asked a lot of people, the minister was laughed at, and had not been seen before old age.
When the heart had given up, and wanted to just go home and report to the king, it turned out that in the middle of the road he found the meaning of the fruit from a wise person.
“He said: O minister, actually there is a fruit of immortality, but what is called a fruit/tree is actually just a symbol, just a sign, just a verse, not the essence of the fruit itself,” explained the Rector.
The wise man also emphasized that the fruit of immortality is knowledge!
“Knowledge as a lamp for your life, knowledge as a guide for your life, is one that can lead you to an eternal happiness, even that is the main requirement to be able to achieve happiness in this world and the hereafter,” said the Rector.
In front of the graduates, the Rector also invited all of them to absorb this, so that all their hard work during lectures could bear fruit, not just a diploma sheet that was taken home, but must bring along useful knowledge.
“Science that brings goodness to life, goodness for ourselves, our families, our society, and even goodness for all mankind,” explained the Rector.
The Rector who graduated from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, also emphasized that he had provided a lot of knowledge to students, according to the university’s vision of “Excellence and Morals”.
With the various skills gained, the Rector encourages the alumni to be more active and creative, in order to survive successfully in facing the challenges of the times.
“Not only waiting for fate, whether waiting for the Civil Servant Candidate test or waiting to be applied for, you have to be creative and move,” said the Rector.
Moreover, UIN Antasari has provided innovative services in the Career Development and Entrepreneurship Unit, which can be a means for alumni to find work, or to open businesses independently.
This graduation ceremony was the first to be held in Banjarbaru, as well as the first full face-to-face meeting, after being held limited due to the pandemic.
