The Observatory of Astrology, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (OIF UMSU), held the peak of the eighth-anniversary event at the UMSU Auditorium – Jl. Muchtar Basri No. 3 Medan, Saturday (21/1).
OIF UMSU, founded in 2014, was inaugurated by President Jokowi in 2016 in Yogyakarta. It has been visited by more than 44 thousand visitors and has become a religious education tourism destination in North Sumatra.
According to the Rector of UMSU, Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, the existence of OIF is one of UMSU’s extraordinary advantages and must be maintained. Furthermore, various achievements, including the MURI record obtained, such as observing mass eclipses with eclipse glasses, are integral to making UMSU proud.
“Congratulations OIF, at the age of 8, has made many achievements and supported the name of UMSU and Muhammadiyah in North Sumatra and internationally,” said Agussani.
Following OIF’s progress which is seen as increasingly existing with the various awards and achievements received, UMSU has now received permission to open the Astronomy Study Program from the Ministry of Religion. Agussani hopes that in 2023/2024, the Astronomy Study Program can be implemented immediately.
Head of OIF UMSU Dr. Arwin Juli Rakhmadi Butar-Butar, MA, revealed that the Astronomy Study Program was an effort to prepare human resources. History and Islamic civilization show that many observatories are unable to exist.
The existence of observatories in Islamic history and civilization fluctuated. Some lasted ten years. Some lasted two years, some 50 years, and so on.
“This is inseparable from the problem of human resources because no one is interested in continuing their study of Astronomy anymore. As a result, there is no team working on research that examines celestial observation activities,” he said.
The Astronomy Study Program in a tertiary institution is a conceptual and concrete answer from the science of simultanization, the dynamics of celestial observation activities. Science so that both will run well.
“Hopefully, this will later become a contribution to civilization, not just a curriculum issue, an academic issue, but this is part of the answer to the demands of civilization and will be the answer to the later form of an Islamic calendar that is global in nature,” said Arwin.
Chairman of PP Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. H. Syamsul Anwar, MA, who was present at the anniversary celebration and a guest speaker at the seminar entitled ‘Global Islamic Calendar – Single Post-Congress Solo,’ congratulated OIF on the achievement. Congratulations to OIF on the 8th and second anniversary of UMSU, and the Rector and Mr. Dean are congratulated for passing the decree on the opening of the new Prodi Falak Science Study Program,” he said.
The opening of the Astronomy Study Program should be welcomed because previously, the PP Muhammadiyah Tarjih Council had “foamed” about including astronomy in the education curriculum and had never traveled. “Alhamdulillah, with the reduction of the UMSU Astronomy Study Program SK, which was included in the Faculty of Islamic Religion, it means that the recommendations for the Tarjih Decision seem to be implemented, God willing, and this is very important not only for the youngest but also for Muhammadiyah,” he said.
The celebration of the eighth anniversary of OIF UMSU was lively and attended by UMSU leaders, BPH UMSU, Muhammadiyah, and Aisyiyah Regional Leaders throughout Medan City.
Besides the seminar, OIF’s anniversary also included announcing winners of the video and book chapter competitions.
