Indologo.jpg (11801 bytes)

Day One: Saturday 6 December, 1997
The ISCA delegation arrived at Jakarta’s Cengkareng Airport at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday 6 December 1997. The group was met by host Pak Firdaus Wadjdi - an amiable Jakarta businessman - and his charming socialite wife Ibu Kartini and well wishers.
B1-p1-#2.jpe (14177 bytes) Shaykh Kabbani and the ISCA delegation were whisked away from the airport in six limousines, arriving at Pak Firdaus’s home in the prestigious suburban area of Jakarta Selatan, just in time for Maghrib prayers.

After some refreshments followed by Isha` prayers, a group of about 50 prominent Jakarta scholars, intellectuals, professionals and business leaders met with the delegation for a dialogue session. The audience consisted of Muslims who received their education from secular universities in Europe, America and Indonesia and were generally skeptical of traditional `ulama.

They had come to meet the delegation only when

They had come to meet the delegation only when informed the delegation consisted of Western-trained scholar and professionals also deeply imbued with knowledge in Islam.   Discussion focussed on the need for today’s `ulama relating to twentieth century Muslims. The delegation struck a chord with them in stressing the need to master science, mathematics and information technology in order for Muslims to progress. 

Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six | Newspaper Article