Students must put the knowledge they acquire into practice. Knowledge is not enough to simply be knowledge; it must also become a foundation for life. This message was delivered by KH Saefudin from the Al Mahfudoh Hasan Anwar Islamic Boarding School in Grobogan during the Wada' Sermon for Wave V of the Sultan Agung Student Islamic Boarding School (Pesanmasa) at Unissula. The event took place at the Abu Bakar Assegaf Mosque on the Unissula campus on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
The Wada' Sermon marked the end of Wave V of Pesanmasa, which had lasted two months. The program was attended by students from the Faculty of Islamic Studies (FAI) and the Faculty of Communication Sciences (Fikom).
During the program, the students received Islamic guidance and were taught to practice worship. They also received character development, particularly in cultivating the spirit of birrul walidain.
The Head of the Institute for Islamic Studies and Development (LKPI) at Unissula, Moh Farhan, SPdI, SHum, MPdI, stated that the Wave V Pesanmasa program was running well. According to him, the program successfully achieved its stated development goals.
"Alhamdulillah, the students' two-month struggle was successfully completed," he said. He explained that Pesanmasa has three main focuses: strengthening Islamic knowledge, fostering worship habits, and strengthening the character of birrul walidain (religious leader).
"Birrul walidain is one of Unissula's flagship programs," he explained. He hopes these values will continue to be practiced by the students after completing the program.
Meanwhile, KH Saefudin emphasized the importance of applying knowledge in daily life. He believes that knowledge should be a path to drawing closer to Allah SWT while also benefiting others.
"The knowledge gained should not just be knowledge, but must be put into practice," he said. He also reminded the students to maintain their religious practices after completing the Pesanmasa program.
KH Saefudin also emphasized the importance of being devoted to one's parents. According to him, the culture of birrul walidain (respect for parents) must be maintained because parental approval is an important part of achieving blessings and success.
"By implementing the culture of birrul walidain in our practices, we hope to gain Allah's approval," he said. He added that Allah's approval and that of our parents are the path to success in this world and the hereafter.
"When Allah is pleased and our parents are also pleased, God willing, it will be a path for us to achieve success, both in this world and the hereafter," he explained. This message was one of the main emphases in the sermon delivered to the students.
In his sermon, KH Saefudin also discussed the number 17-8-45, known as the date of Indonesian independence. He linked this number to Islamic values as once conveyed by KH Maimoen Zubair, also known as Mbah Moen.
The number 17 is associated with the 17 rak'ah of obligatory prayer per day. The number 8 is associated with the eight gates of heaven, while the number 45 is associated with the number of shahada recited during the five daily prayers.
This interpretation serves as a way to view the momentum of Indonesian independence from the perspective of Islamic values. It also serves as a reflection for the students to continue maintaining their relationship with Allah SWT and their fellow human beings.
KH Saefudin advised the students to maintain three things after completing the program: knowledge, worship, and birrul walidain. "Continue to maintain worship and the culture of birrul walidain," he advised. He hoped these values would remain a part of the students' lives after returning to their respective communities. "By being devoted to our parents, we strive to earn their approval. Through our parents' approval, God willing, this is the path to gaining Allah's approval," he concluded.
The Wada' Sermon was also attended by the Vice Dean II of the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Dr. H. Samsudin SAg MAg. Also in attendance were the Secretary of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Fikri Shofin Mubarok, SE, MIKom.
Also in attendance were the Secretary of the Indonesian Communication Studies Institute (LKPI), Dr. Lela Zumala Rofiqoh, SM, MM, and the Head of the Culture and Informatics Division, Mustain, SPdI, MPdI. Also in attendance were the Head of the Qur'an Learning Center, Dr. Sugeng Hariyadi, Lc, MA; the Head of the Ali Mustofa Mosque Prosperity Division; the Head of the Marketing and Public Relations Unit, Dr. Setiawan Widiyoko, ST, SH, MSi, MKn; and the Head of Student Affairs, Ady Fajar Putranto, SE.
