Head of Hadith Interpretation Department, Faculty of Tarbiyah, University of Ahmad Dahlan Waharjani became the 21st Doctor at Graduate Program, Faculty of Psychology and Islamic Education of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). His dissertation entitled “Pendidikan Iman Anak Dalam Keluarga Perkawinan Campuran Beda Agama” (Children’s Faith Education in a Family of Interfaith Marriage). In his dissertation defense, he achieved grade ‘A’.
The dissertation defense was conducted on Wednesday (17/6) at Meeting Room of Postgraduate Building of UMY, Floor 4. Attending the defense were Dr. Ahmad Nurmandi, M.Sc., Prof. Dr. H. Yunahar Ilyas, Lc., M.Ag., and Dr. Khoiruddin Bashori, M.Si. as the promoters. Besides, the examiners were Prof. Drs. Sarbiran, M.Ed., Ph.D., Khaeruddin Hasmin, Lc., LLM., Ph.D., and Dr. Muhammad Anis, M.A.
Waharjani stated that his dissertation aimed at finding out how parents raise children’s faith in interfaith marriage family. It also pointed at revealing the way how the children decide their religion. “My dissertation, indeed, is to know barriers of educating children in interfaith family,” he told.
Moreover, he mentioned the findings of his research dealing with obstacles confronted in the interfaith family. First, it was regarding time. It was difficult to fit the schedule of children and parents in educating process because of different activities between children and parents. Second, it is about religion knowledge. The parents did not possess adequate religion knowledge to educate the children. Third, it is dealing with the different faith between the parents.
“In Islam written on Al-Qur’an, Al-Baqarah verse 221 and in Catholic written on canon law, it has been explained that interfaith marriage break the rules of their religion and they ought to prepare for the risk since the behavior was forbidden by each religion,” he added.
Achmad Nurmandi, the chief of the dissertation defense, conveyed that the degree was the 21st doctoral degree of Postgraduate of UMY. “I expected that, by getting the doctoral degree, Warjani will be responsible for implementing his knowledge as a scientist, particularly in 3 fields namely Islam, Education, and Psychology,” he wished.
