Muhammadiyah was established in 1912. Through a long journey, Muhammadiyah always adheres to its principle to be the greatest movement in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah has had many influential figures. As one of the superior Muhammadiyah universities, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) refuses to take aside the figures as historical heroes. UMY sees the importance to introduce those figures to new cadres, especially UMY students.

At a seminar on Serials of Muhammadiyah Figures for Nation on Tuesday (26/2) at Building of Kasman Singodimejo of UMY, Rector of UMY Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, M.P. stated, “This seminar aims to raise awareness of youth to see future without overlooking history. History cannot silence engagements of Muhammadiyah in Indonesian history.”

Gunawan added that Muhammadiyah figures are rarely exposed in public so that Doctoral Program of Islamic Politics will conduct the seminar once two months. In the first serial, UMY introduced K.H. Djarnawi with a theme of “Muhammadiyah, Islam, and Nationality”.

“Roles of Muhammadiyah’s central figures in national contexts need to be balanced with a dialogue among national figures. Thus, the chain of dialogue should not be disconnected. The chain of dialogue from historical fact and character’s reasoning has to be spread among Muhammadiyah cadres,” continued Gunawan.

Subsequently, through the first serial, UMY presented few Muhammadiyah figures, who were directly connected to Djarnawi Hadikusmo in the past. One of the figures was Ahmad Syafi’i Ma’arif, a former student of Djarnawi Hadikusumo in Mu’alimin. He was formerly a Chairman of Muhammadiyah in period of 1998-2005. Another one was Chamamah Suratno, Chairman of Aisyiyah in period of 2005-2010. The other was Busyro Muqoddas, a former Chairman of Muhammadiyah.

As a student, Syafi’i Ma’arif expressed that Djarnawi was known as a smart and brilliant teacher, also as a competent politician who deserves to be introduced to Muhammadiyah cadres. Syafi’i extended, “People knew Djarnawi as a person who was close to all circles and a nationalist who was very independent in mind. Djarnawi once officiated as chairman of Indonesia Muslim Party.”

Continuing on what had been delivered by Syafi’i Ma’arif, Gunawan hoped that the event will make the cadres, who are students and lecturers of UMY, strengthen and ameliorate Indonesia in the future. He maintained, “I believe that Muhammadiyah will restore a structure of this country with its clear democratic pillars.”