JAKARTA – The Corps of Preachers of Dompet Dhuafa (Cordofa) held a General Stadium event titled “Reaffirming Dompet Dhuafa’s Transformative Da’wah” on Monday (23/10/2023). This event, which took place at the Ibis Styles Simatupang Hotel, is one of Dompet Dhuafa’s initiatives to develop strategic religious outreach.
The General Stadium is an effort to enhance the capacity of Preachers at Convert Boarding Schools and also serves as the National Conference for Empowering Preachers of Dompet Dhuafa. The Empowering Preachers program is a national da’wah initiative of Cordofa, involving the deployment of committed preachers to various underprivileged and remote areas (3T) in Indonesia.
These preachers are tasked with engaging local communities to spread Islam in accordance with local cultural wisdom. Additionally, they aim to help strengthen the economic capabilities of these communities. Currently, Cordofa involves 40 preachers spread across various regions, from Sabang to Merauke. The Empowering Preachers program is operational in 20 provinces, while the Convert Preacher branches are established in 13 provinces in Indonesia.
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The Empowering Preachers program focuses on community empowerment through local wisdom in designated intervention areas. The empowering preachers and heads of convert boarding schools are at the forefront of Dompet Dhuafa’s efforts in spreading goodwill and addressing community issues.
In his address, Herman Budianto, GM of Environment, Da’wah, and Culture at Dompet Dhuafa, expressed that this movement aims to transform Indonesia into a ‘baldatun toyyibatun warobbun ghofur’ nation, one that combines the goodness of nature with the virtuous behavior of its people.
“Empowering preachers should optimize their respective areas, thereby creating larger collective movements. Be outstanding individuals and extraordinary role models, innovators in your areas, demonstrating your greatness there, including the convert preachers here. God willing, with this continuous concept, we will be able to make a change,” Herman stated.
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In today’s digital era, the role of preachers is strategically significant in conveying da’wah messages. Ahmad Shonhaji, Director of Social Services for Da’wah and Culture at Dompet Dhuafa, noted that da’wah must also adapt to the realm of digital outreach.
“Friends… the preachers, like those at Dompet Dhuafa, are transitioning to the digital era. This includes transforming our da’wah methods to fit the digital era,” he said.
Furthermore, Ahmad Shonhaji added that the power of digitalization can be harnessed to enhance the personal branding of preachers. Digital approaches and social media optimization can reach millennial groups. Additionally, da’wah content should be tailored to the capacities and needs of the community, given the flexibility of preachers.
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Joining Dai Cordofa of Dompet Dhuafa means following the patterns Dompet Dhuafa employs to address communal issues. Here, a preacher becomes a central figure, providing services to the community, empowering the less fortunate, and helping to articulate the community’s needs and aspirations.
Aligned with this, Rahmad Riyadi, the Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Republika Foundation, delivered a keynote speech. In his speech, Rahmad stated that preachers need to be well-equipped, not just with da’wah skills but also with other relevant knowledge.
“Therefore, we want our work, especially that of the empowering preachers and convert preachers, to align with the vision and mission of Dompet Dhuafa. There are several points we need to emphasize: we are liberators. Today, how can we carry our da’wah mission as a mercy to all and enlighten the ummah, so that we can collectively address the phenomena in society, whether they be challenges or movements,” Rahmad added.
He hopes that the preachers will share the same vision, mission, and culture, eventually building a new civilization.
“Our role, no matter how small in our region, should be the foundation for our institutional transformation,” Rahmad concluded.
The event was officially opened by Rahmad Riyadi, followed by a cultural performance by the Kampung Silat Jampang Team. It continued with a presentation on the Logical Framework Approach (LFA) by Syamsul Ardiansyah. (Dompet Dhuafa/Anndini)