The Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor is an advanced academic platform designed to develop students’ intellectual and scholarly competencies in the fields of Islamic theology, philosophical thought, classical and contemporary Islamic discourse, and theological issues using a rational, critical, and value-based Islamic and pesantren-oriented approach.
This program emphasizes deep analytical mastery of issues related to faith, classical and modern Islamic thought, and Islamic philosophy, integrating the rich Islamic intellectual tradition with contemporary academic methodologies. It aims to cultivate strong argumentative, reflective, and applicative capabilities in addressing intellectual challenges in the global era.
This Master’s program is oriented toward producing graduates who excel in Islamic creed and philosophy, possess intellectual depth, spiritual maturity, global insight, and strong Islamic character grounded in pesantren values and the integration of Islamic knowledge.
The spirit of scholarly development in the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor is realized through the implementation of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, which includes education and teaching, research, and community service in an integrated Islamic framework. All academic activities are directed toward strengthening systematic studies in Islamic creed and philosophy, with an orientation toward the Islamization of Contemporary Knowledge. Thus, the learning process emphasizes not only theoretical understanding but also mastery of philosophical analysis, theological argumentation, and the application of Islamic thought in addressing contemporary issues.
The distinctiveness of this program lies in the in-depth study of Islamic creed, classical and modern Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, and critical engagement with issues of faith and civilization. Students are equipped with analytical and reflective skills to examine, critique, and formulate intellectual solutions to modern thought challenges, including secularism, relativism, and contemporary philosophical developments, while remaining grounded in authentic Islamic sources.
Through this approach, students are directed to formulate comprehensive, contextual, and sustainable philosophical and theological ideas, producing intellectual contributions that strengthen the understanding of aqidah, enrich the heritage of Islamic philosophy, and support the intellectual advancement of the Muslim community, all firmly rooted in Islamic values and the pesantren tradition.
Students of the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor have the opportunity to develop multidisciplinary competencies in Islamic thought, particularly in the fields of creed, philosophy, and Islamic theology as the core focus of academic strengthening. In the learning process, students are equipped with foundational and advanced courses such as Islamic epistemology, philosophy of theology, classical and modern Islamic thought, and critical analysis of contemporary issues in faith and intellectual discourse. In addition, students participate in various academic discussions, textual studies, and philosophical research activities designed to enhance analytical ability, argumentation skills, and intellectual depth in understanding Islamic thought systems.
This learning approach is systematically designed within an integrated framework of Islamic creed and philosophy, enabling students to comprehensively understand the structure of Islamic thought, ranging from theological foundations and philosophical rationality to responses to modern intellectual challenges. Students are also encouraged to apply critical thinking principles, scientific research methodologies, and the Islamization of knowledge approach in developing innovative, contextual, and sustainable ideas.
Through this approach, graduates are expected to possess the ability to formulate, analyze, and develop systems of Islamic creed and philosophy in a profound and systematic manner, as well as contribute to strengthening Islamic discourse, advancing Muslim intellectualism, and addressing global intellectual challenges based on Islamic values.
In addition to lecture activities, students of the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor have the opportunity to develop their competencies through various academic and non-academic activities that are analytical, reflective, and grounded in the strengthening of Islamic thought. These activities include participation in lecturers’ research in the fields of aqidah, Islamic philosophy, and contemporary Islamic thought, community service programs focused on enhancing Islamic literacy and intellectual awareness, involvement in academic student organizations, as well as the development of research-based projects and intellectual innovation aimed at strengthening rationality, analytical sharpness, and scholarly contribution to modern Islamic issues.
Students also gain practical academic experience through activities such as scholarly discussions, bahtsul masail (juridical-intellectual deliberations), classical text studies (turath), and community engagement in strengthening understanding of aqidah and Islamic values in social life. This approach enables students to directly understand the implementation of Islamic thought in real contexts while sharpening their problem-solving abilities within an Islamic epistemological and philosophical framework.
The pesantren-based academic environment plays a significant role in shaping students with moral integrity, academic discipline, intellectual ethos, and strong academic leadership. Thus, graduates are expected to serve as agents of change in the development of Islamic thought that is critical, moderate, sustainable, and firmly rooted in Islamic values.
As part of a globally oriented institution, the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor encourages students to develop international perspectives through various collaborative academic activities, such as research cooperation in Islamic creed, Islamic philosophy, and contemporary thought, exchange of scholarly ideas, and participation in academic forums at both national and international levels. The focus of study is directed toward strategic issues such as global intellectual challenges, inter-civilizational dialogue, secularism and relativism, and strengthening Islamic epistemology in responding to developments in modern thought.
This approach aligns with the program’s vision of producing graduates with globally competitive capacity, adaptability to dynamic social and intellectual changes, and the ability to respond to evolving contemporary intellectual challenges. Graduates are expected to contribute to the sustainable development of Islamic creed and philosophy through scientific, critical, and systematic approaches, while maintaining Islamic values and the pesantren tradition as the foundation of ethics, intellectualism, and professionalism.
The Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor is supported by various learning facilities designed to enhance students’ intellectual, analytical, and methodological competencies in Islamic creed and philosophy. These facilities include libraries of classical and contemporary Islamic thought (turath), academic discussion and seminar rooms, centers for manuscript and Islamic text studies, and access to digital scholarly resources that support research, critical study, and the development of philosophical and theological ideas.
These facilities enable students to conduct text-based analysis, conceptual research, verification of Islamic arguments, and exploration of intellectual thought through philosophical and scientific approaches. Through critical and methodological engagement, students are able to sharpen their analytical skills while deepening their intellectual capacity in formulating, examining, and developing ideas in Islamic creed, Islamic philosophy, and contemporary thought in a systematic, rational, and sustainable manner.
Through the integration of academic studies in Islamic creed and philosophy, the strengthening of Islamic values, and the development of applicable intellectual competencies, the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor is oriented toward shaping the graduate profile of an Islamic Philosophical and Theological Scholar, namely a professional academic and intellectual in Islamic creed and philosophy who possesses competencies in systematic thought analysis, theological argument reconstruction, and the development of Islamic philosophical discourse grounded in Islamic values.
In addition, this program also aims to develop the profile of an Islamic Intellectual and Thought Leader, namely graduates who possess intellectual leadership capacity in advancing Islamic thought, are able to formulate innovative, critical, and contextual philosophical and theological ideas, and contribute to strengthening Islamic discourse at both academic and societal levels while remaining firmly rooted in Islamic principles and the pesantren tradition.
With a systems-based educational approach that integrates Islamic creed and philosophy, Islamic values, and the pesantren tradition, the Master’s Program in Islamic Creed (Aqidah) and Islamic Philosophy at Universitas Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor is committed to producing professional Muslim graduates who possess competencies in Islamic thought system analysis, theological argument reconstruction, and the development of Islamic philosophical and contemporary intellectual discourse.
Graduates are expected to innovate in formulating and developing sustainable philosophical and theological ideas, emphasizing depth of analysis, intellectual critical sharpness, and the strengthening of rationality within Islamic studies. In addition, they are expected to make meaningful contributions to society and the Muslim community through strengthening aqidah literacy, developing moderate and contextual Islamic thought, and applying Islamic values in addressing global intellectual challenges, while remaining firmly grounded in Islamic principles.
