By, Ali Aminulloh
On Thursday, August 27, 2026, Al-Zaytun commemorated its 27th anniversary. A host of figures—including academics, professors, religious leaders, and guests from various regions—joined in the festivities. Amidst the celebration, Haji Yoyon Sujana delivered a simple yet vital message: counter hoaxes with social connection (*silaturahmi*), noble character, and concrete facts.
The former member of the Banten Provincial Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) for the 2014–2024 term began his remarks by paying his respects to Syaykh Abdussalam Rasyidi Panji Gumilang, the extended Al-Zaytun family, educators, students (both *santri* and university students), parents, and all invited guests.
He also greeted policymakers, interfaith figures, retired military and police officers, civil servants, and various other members of the community in attendance. He noted that the diversity of the guests aligned with Al-Zaytun’s spirit of fostering a life filled with tolerance.
For Yoyon, an anniversary celebration is not merely an opportunity to reflect on the past; it is also a moment that brings together people from diverse backgrounds.
Hailing from Menes, Pandeglang, Banten, he likened the bond between Banten and West Java to that of inseparable siblings. He remarked that administrative changes and the passage of time should not sever friendships or bonds of brotherhood.
“May we remain together as friends, kin, and siblings who cannot be separated,” he said.
This message resonates deeply in an Indonesia built upon diversity. Differences in region, ethnicity, religion, and belief should not create distance; rather, diversity must be nurtured as a strength for building a shared future.
Yoyon concluded by offering his congratulations on Al-Zaytun reaching its 27th year. He likened this age to the Sundanese expression *petai kapalang*—a state of being neither young nor yet old.
Yet, it is precisely at this stage that an institution possesses both the accumulated experience and the energy to achieve even greater milestones. Twenty-seven years marks not the end of the journey, but a springboard for advancing further.
According to Yoyon, the journey into the future must begin with the most fundamental investment: noble character (*akhlakul karimah*). Good character shapes individuals capable of upholding brotherhood, respecting differences, and resisting the influence of unverified information.
He highlighted the rampant spread of hoaxes in the digital age, noting how minor errors are often blown out of proportion while acts of goodness go unnoticed.
“A single mistake is magnified a million-fold, while a million truths are erased,” he remarked.
He therefore urged the public not to judge Al-Zaytun solely based on online rumors. Direct interaction and firsthand experience, he argued, are the best ways to see reality clearly.
The gathering at Al-Zaytun that day offered one such opportunity. Guests could visit, observe, engage in dialogue, and witness the educational life within the institution firsthand.
“This kind of direct engagement is a potent antidote to hoaxes,” he asserted.
Amidst the flood of information, people need the courage to verify facts. Truth is not merely a matter of belief; it must be demonstrated through tangible actions, conduct, and real-world benefits.
For this reason, Yoyon encouraged the extended Al-Zaytun community to continue creating positive realities. This is achieved not merely through words, but by strengthening education, setting an example, upholding tolerance, and nurturing a generation of noble character.
He hoped that the visiting guests would share their experiences with their families, friends, and communities back home—not to spread baseless praise, but to convey what they had genuinely seen and felt.
That is where social investment begins: a single encounter giving rise to understanding. Understanding fosters trust. Trust, in turn, paves the way for collaboration.
Yoyon also links Al-Zaytun’s journey to the vision of welcoming the centennial of Indonesia’s independence. In his view, this grand aspiration can be realized if the Indonesian nation has the courage to significantly increase investment in education.
Investing in education is not merely a matter of constructing buildings or providing facilities. More importantly, such investment entails shaping individuals who are knowledgeable, possess strong character, remain open to diversity, and bear responsibility for their nation’s future.
Al-Zaytun’s 27th-anniversary commemoration ultimately became more than just a celebration of the institution’s age. The occasion served as a call to strengthen brotherhood, cultivate moral character, dispel hoaxes, and uphold the truth through tangible actions.
Thus, the message conveyed by Haji Yoyon Sujana finds its true meaning: Indonesia’s future is not built upon prejudice, but rather through education, the fostering of bonds, and and the courage to uphold the facts. It is from these steps that the light of truth grows, and the journey toward a more advanced Indonesia finds its path.**
Indonesia, August 31, 2026
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