In the era of globalization and pluralism, religious moderation is an unavoidable necessity. As an Islamic higher education institution, UIN Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten has an important role in promoting religious moderation and creating peace. This paper was delivered at a seminar on religious moderation for students at the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Adab, on Monday, November 10, 2025.
UIN SMH Banten students, as future Muslim intellectuals, must be able to understand and internalize the values of religious moderation. They must become agents of change who can promote peace and tolerance in society.
However, being an intellectual is not the same as being a scientist. An intellectual is someone who has the ability to think critically, analytically and creatively, and is able to apply their knowledge in a social and cultural context. Meanwhile, a scientist is someone who has in-depth knowledge in a particular field, but does not necessarily have the ability to think critically and analytically.
In this context, students of UIN SMH Banten must become intellectuals who are able to understand and apply the values of religious moderation in their daily lives. They must be able to become leaders who can promote peace and tolerance in society.
To achieve this, UIN SMH Banten promotes education based on the values of religious moderation and adab. The curriculum is designed to promote critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills, and facilitate students to apply their knowledge in a social and cultural context.
In the long run, religious moderation and peace can become the intellectual identity of UIN SMH Banten students. They will become agents of change who can promote peace and tolerance in society, as well as leaders who can lead society towards a better direction.
The Case of Israel and Palestine War in Gaza
The Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza is one of the longest and most complex conflicts in the world. Israel's attacks on Gaza have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians, including 13,300 children, and injured more than 97,000 others. Many of these attacks have been both direct and indiscriminate, wiping out generations of a single family. ¹
The conflict has created a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with shortages of food, water, electricity and medicine. Hospitals and health infrastructure have been destroyed, and thousands of people have been displaced.
Amnesty International has found strong evidence that Israel has committed the crime of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Amnesty International's report states that Israel has committed acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.
To promote peace, UIN SMH Banten students rely on Surah al-Anfal verse 61:
“And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and put your trust in Allah. Verily He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” This verse shows that peace is a noble goal and should be pursued. Allah commands us to incline towards peace if our opponents also incline towards it.
In addition, in Surah al-Isra verse 33: “And kill not the soul which Allah has forbidden, except with a just cause. And whoever is killed unjustly, We have indeed given power to his heirs, but let him not exceed the limit in killing. Verily, he is one who has help (from Allah).” This verse shows that killing a soul that Allah has forbidden is a grave sin and can only be justified if there is a valid reason, such as self-defense or punishing an evildoer.
Thus, let us nurture religious moderation as the intellectual identity of UIN SMH Banten students, and promote sustainable peace and tolerance in society.
