UNAIR NEWS – Sunan  Bonang Shrine in Tuban, Jawa Timur, was the first destination for the pilgrimage of the Ulul Azmi Youth Organization of Universitas Airlangga. Different from the previous pilgrimage, this time, some students Academic Mobility Exchange for Undergraduate at Airlangga (AMERTA) program also took part in the trip, on Saturday, March 25.

The AMERTA students from Malaysia and Thailand made the trip more interesting. During the journey, the foreign students have a discussion with the members of Ulul Azmi organization. There were some aspects of Islam development in Java which was interesting for the foreign students.

“In Malaysia, Sunan is called as Tok Guru,” said Ikmal Hisham, one of the students of AMERTA program from University of Malaya.

“In Thailand there are also pilgrimages like this but they are not very popular,” said Amin Mohamed Musa, a student from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

The person in charge for the activity, Bayu Lukito Nugroho said that AMERTA students participation was a way to strengthen ties and introduce the Islam development history in Java. Bayu also said that in the future, similar event will be held during Ramadhan.

“Insya Allah, we will hold another pilgrimage in the fasting month,” said Wahyu.

After the pilgrimage, Afri Andiarto, S.M., as the leader of the congregation gave a sermon about the advantages of holding the pilgrimage. Afri said that there are a lot of lessons we can take from the journey. Besides learning the history of Islam, it also reminds us to death.

“In accordance with Hadith, an important lesson from this trip is to remember death,” he said. (*)

Author : Nuri Hermawan

Editor    : Binti Q. Masruroh