Yogyakarta, 29 September 2026 — The Master’s Program in Aqidah and Islamic Philosophy, Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, held a public lecture as part of Rumi Day Festival 2026 under the theme “Reason and Love in Rumi’s Philosophy and Their Relevance to Crises in Indonesia’s Public Sphere.” The event took place at the Faculty’s Theatrical Hall and featured three speakers: Prof. Syafa’atun Almirzanah, Dr. Nurlaila Effendy, and Muhammad Nur Jabir, with Muhammad Aska Irfani serving as moderator.

The lecture was inspired by Jalaluddin Rumi’s understanding of reason and love not as opposing forces, but as two complementary dimensions in the human search for truth. This perspective becomes particularly relevant when brought into conversation with contemporary challenges in Indonesia’s public sphere, including identity polarization, declining empathy, and various forms of social tension.

In her presentation, entitled “Healing the Sacred Divide: Utilizing Rumi’s Philosophy of Love and Reason in Contemporary Interfaith Frameworks,” Prof. Syafa’atun Almirzanah discussed Rumi’s thought in relation to interreligious engagement and dialogue across spiritual traditions. Prof. Syafa’atun is a Professor at UIN Sunan Kalijaga and also teaches Sufism in the Master’s Program in Aqidah and Islamic Philosophy. Her presentation highlighted how Rumi’s concepts of love and reason may serve as ethical and spiritual resources for responding to division and tension in the public sphere.

From the perspective of psychology, Dr. Nurlaila Effendy delivered a presentation entitled “Beyond Harmony: Flourish & Spirit Centric.” She invited participants to understand the human person more holistically by connecting intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions with the idea of flourishing. Nurlaila is a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya, and Chair of the Indonesian Positive Psychology Association.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Nur Jabir brought participants closer to Rumi’s texts through a discussion of reason and love in the Matsnawi. He explained the distinction between partial reason (aql juz’i) and universal reason (aql kulli), emphasizing that Rumi’s critique is not a rejection of reason itself, but rather of reason when it remains confined by ego and sensory experience.

For the Master’s Program in Aqidah and Islamic Philosophy, the event provided an important space for bringing Islamic philosophy, Sufism, psychology, and interreligious studies into dialogue with contemporary issues. The program concluded with a performance by musician and poet Panji Sakti, who performed two songs, adding a reflective closing that brought together intellectual inquiry, spirituality, and artistic expression within the broader Rumi Day Festival 2026.