For generations, Indonesian Muslims have looked to the Middle East as the highest destination for Islamic learning. A degree from Cairo, Medina or Riyadh has never been simply an academic qualification. It has represented years of mastering Arabic, studying under respected scholars and earning recognition from institutions whose reputations were built over centuries.

That reputation has become a commodity.

A recent interview on the Indonesian podcast TimTeng with a teacher at the Indonesian School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a master’s graduate of King Saud University, offers a revealing window into this emerging phenomenon. Across Indonesia, a growing number of religious figures have begun displaying honorary doctorates and professorships supposedly issued by institutions bearing Middle Eastern names. Some claim affiliations with Egypt, Tunisia or Pakistan. Others present certificates written in Arabic or invoke prominent Arab scholars. Yet many of these institutions cannot be independently verified. Some reportedly have no identifiable campus, no official website, no accreditation records and no physical address.

Who is behind this growing market remains unclear.

The networks may involve actors operating in Indonesia, overseas, or across several countries. Some individuals present themselves as representatives of Middle Eastern institutions, while Indonesian intermediaries also appear to play an active role in recruiting recipients. What is already clear, however, is that the prestige associated with Middle Eastern scholarship has become the product being marketed.

The business model is remarkably simple.

Applicants submit photographs of their preaching activities, community service, books they have written or links to YouTube lectures. They pay anywhere between US$300 and US$1,000, depending on whether they communicate directly with the purported institution or through facilitators in Indonesia. Within about seven days, many reportedly receive certificates awarding honorary doctorates. Some are later encouraged to obtain honorary professorships as well.

There is no dissertation. No comprehensive examination. No research supervision. No years spent producing original scholarship. Instead, prestige itself appears to have become the commodity.

There is no dissertation. No comprehensive examination. No research........

© Middle East Monitor