In Arabic literature, Indonesian students discover gateway to Middle East

JAKARTA: As soon as she realized how much her mother tongue had been influenced by Arabic, Zakiyatul Fikriyah found herself drawn to it even more.  

A student of one of Indonesia’s best universities, Universitas Padjajaran in Bandung, the 18-year-old has only recently joined the Arabic literature program at her campus to explore through language a deep connection between her country and the Middle East.

“What I find interesting is learning about that process of influence, and how it may be connected by the spread of Islam in Indonesia,” she told Arab News.

“I think the meeting point between Indonesia and the Arab world is through languages, how the Indonesian language has absorbed words from Arabic.”

Fikriyah is a member of HIMASA, the Arabic Literature Student Council at her campus, which serves as a place for discussions on everything related to the Middle East.

“We are all here in this community because of our interest in Arab culture,” said Mohammed Hafiz, 21, who handles the council’s external affairs.

His colleague, Camila Syabina, 19, who handles the group’s internal matters, told Arab News she was proud of her studies. Like other members of HIMASA, she is also on a mission to bridge Indonesia with the region of her studies.

“Whenever we meet others who are unfamiliar with the Arab world, we try as much as we can to show that Arab edge,” she said.

Eighty-eight members of the student group meet regularly to discuss all things related to Arab nations, help each other with Arabic classes, and organize public events introducing the Middle East to the wider community in Bandung.

The nearest such event, a festival of Arab cultures, is going to take place in October, and most of the group’s members have their eyes now set on its organization. But some, like Mohammed Thohari, 20, are already planning their engagement with the Arab world many years ahead.

“With my ambition of becoming Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs…I have been working to gain a deeper understanding of the Arab world,” he said.

“We’re not only learning about the Qur’an or hadiths, but we’re also learning about the cultures, the literature, and the thinkers from the Arab world.”

Foreign affairs were also a focal point of interest for 21-year-old Albighani Alana, who has been keeping tabs on developments in the Middle East and relations between Arab countries.

“The world of diplomacy in the Arab world has been such a point of interest, especially when it comes to conflicts between Arab nations…and that has piqued my interest in the Arab world so that I can learn better about what is really happening,” he told Arab News.

“By being a part of this Arabic literature program, I think my curiosity will find its answers.”