Alumni Profile
Muhammad Mu’tasimbillah, better known as ‘Imbi’, is a Project Officer at the NGO Rumah KitaB (“Home of the Book”), in South Jakarta. His work focuses on children’s rights and protection, as well as awareness-raising around interpretations of the Qur’an and Hadith. Imbi has also worked as a Project Officer for BERDAYA (Empowered!) in Cirebon City, which is an organisation responsible for providing training programs to help prevent child marriage in urban communities. His daily responsibilities include teaching at the Al-Istiqomah Islamic Boarding School for girls, and advocacy work in Cirebon City and surrounds. In addition, Imbi works as a lecturer, teaching semiotic and hermeneutics courses at Ma’had Aly Kebon Jambu.
Imbi is passionate about the protection of minorities, and as a former participant of the Australian-Indonesian Muslim Exchange Program (AIMEP), was interested in learning about how Australia seeks to protect and respect diversity in a secular context. Imbi is a member of the Pelita Perdamaian (Light of Peace) interfaith youth group in Cirebon. He has published journal articles about the appreciation of diversity, such as “The Islamic Boarding School Experience” (Fahmina Institute, 2017) and his research articles “The Indonesian Womens Ulama Congress (KUPI)” and “The Role of Female Ulama in Islamic Boarding Schools” were presented at the biannual international conference Seeking the Middle Path’ (al-wasaṭiyya): Articulations of Moderate Islam at Radboud University, the Netherlands, in 2019. Imbi is currently completing a Master’s degree in the field of religion and culture at the University of Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
Imbi is passionate about the protection of minorities, and as a former participant of the Australian-Indonesian Muslim Exchange Program (AIMEP), was interested in learning about how Australia seeks to protect and respect diversity in a secular context. Imbi is a member of the Pelita Perdamaian (Light of Peace) interfaith youth group in Cirebon. He has published journal articles about the appreciation of diversity, such as “The Islamic Boarding School Experience” (Fahmina Institute, 2017) and his research articles “The Indonesian Womens Ulama Congress (KUPI)” and “The Role of Female Ulama in Islamic Boarding Schools” were presented at the biannual international conference Seeking the Middle Path’ (al-wasaṭiyya): Articulations of Moderate Islam at Radboud University, the Netherlands, in 2019. Imbi is currently completing a Master’s degree in the field of religion and culture at the University of Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta.
Program Highlights
The AIMEP program was a life-changing experience and increased my self-perception of my potential. Visiting the Balcombe Grammar School was one of the most memorable experiences of the AIMEP. I was amazed by the school facilities, and also the level of responsibility among students. My AIMEP visit was also my first time entering a synagogue.
I previously had an assumption that Islam in Australia is the same as Islam in Indonesia, embedded in a Muslim society. However, my initial presumptions were not true. Islam in Australia is diverse, and reflects the countries of origin of its adherents.
I previously had an assumption that Islam in Australia is the same as Islam in Indonesia, embedded in a Muslim society. However, my initial presumptions were not true. Islam in Australia is diverse, and reflects the countries of origin of its adherents.
