Rektor UIN

For the sake of personal benefit, people will usually take advantage of others’ lack. This statement applies to the relation between the colonizer and the colonized. During my chat with a friend of mine, I was told that he once went to the Netherlands. It was the first time for him to visit the country. After days of traveling, he gave a short comment that the country once colonizing the archipelago is quite small. This comment sparked an interesting response from a Dutchman escorting him during the trip. He said, even though his country is small, but it managed to colonize a much bigger country, i.e. Indonesia, for almost three centuries.

On Friday morning this week, I was on my way to the airport after a hearing about Islamic higher education with members of House of Representative. I had a chat with the taxi driver. He has been driving a taxi for 40 year. I initiated a conversation. When a passenger starts the conversation, usually the taxi driver would happily converse with the passenger about anything, including a private one. The driver was very happy to tell me that he had four children and six grandchildren. All of his son and daughter completed their education and had a decent job. Despite his age, he keeps on driving a taxi. He prefers earning himself some money to begging it from his sons. Keeping oneself busy is a key of one’s health, he said. He was happy of being a taxi driver. In regard to a house, he told me he had a small one. What is important for him is not the width of the house, but that a house should be clean, well-maintained, and located in a good neighborhood.

A big shady three with a strong branches and healthy green leaves is a sight for sore eyes. Not only pest-free, a well maintained tree will also grow fruits. In order to grow well, like any other plants, the “knowledge tree” needs to be taken care. A big trunk, strong branches and healthy leaves are the result of unceasing effort of taking care the plant, and to grow a pest-free tree requires a certain amount of fertilizer and water. The “knowledge tree” of UIN Maliki Malang needs a good care to grow well and fruitful.

“Did the Prophet Muhammad build a prison?” I do not know for sure what prompted someone to ask this question. History shows us that the Prophet built the mosque Quba, but no historians tell us that he built a prison. Whoever happens to visit Medina will never get information regarding the ruin of prison of the Prophet era.