Zuhud Abdillah, Hafidz Al-Qur’an UNISA Yogyakarta Scholarship Recipient: Achieving Dreams with the Qur’an and Technology

‘Aisyiyah University (Unisa) Yogyakarta has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting outstanding students in both academic and non-academic fields through the Hafidz Scholarship program. One of the scholarship recipients is Zuhud Abdillah, a new student in the Information Technology Study Program who comes from Dumai City, Riau Province.

Zuhud officially began his studies in September 2025 after participating in the orientation period (Mataf) on September 10 and attending his first lecture on September 22. For him, becoming an Information Technology student at Unisa Yogyakarta is a second opportunity to delve deeper into his interest in technology, particularly computer programming.

“I enjoy coding and feel challenged to resolve errors in the code,” Zuhud shared on Tuesday (September 30, 2025).

Since junior high school, Zuhud has been familiar with memorizing the Qur’an, although initially he was not consistent. A major change occurred when he was in vocational school. He took part in tahsin and successfully memorized 2.5 juz. After graduating, his determination grew stronger, leading him to enroll in a two-year tahfidz program at Rumah Qur’an Al Yusra in Pekanbaru and continue for another year at Pondok Qur’an Boyolali in Central Java.

“My motivation is the peace I feel when reciting the Qur’an, as well as the encouragement from the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad SAW about the virtue of a hafiz who can elevate the status of his parents,” he said.

Zuhud expressed deep gratitude upon being selected as a recipient of the Unisa Yogyakarta Hafiz Scholarship. This scholarship not only covers his tuition fees but also provides him with the opportunity to reside in the vicinity of Masjid Walidah and be entrusted as a substitute imam.

“This scholarship is a gift from Allah to help me achieve my dreams. For me, it is a trust: to continue memorizing the Qur’an while focusing on achieving academic excellence,” he explained.

In addition to easing his financial burden, this scholarship allows him to focus more on his studies without having to worry about tuition fees. He even wrote down his aspirations long ago in his little notebook.

In his daily life, Zuhud consistently maintains his memorization by reviewing at least two juz every day. He usually does this after dawn prayer, or divides it between his obligatory prayers. Even though he is busy with his Information Technology assignments and practicums, he tries to balance both.

His biggest challenge, says Zuhud, is maintaining a social environment that does not distance him from the values of the Qur’an. He is also inspired by Muslim figures such as Ibn Sina, Imam Al-Ghazali, and Al-Khawarizmi, who proved that worldly knowledge can be studied without abandoning religion.

As a student and hafiz, Zuhud advised his friends not to be easily swayed by trends that may not necessarily bring about good. He hopes to continue his master’s studies abroad, either in Europe or Asia, while actively participating in the Muslim youth da’wah community. “Unisa Yogyakarta is a place to dream, grow, and realize aspirations with Islamic values,” he said.

Closing his story, Zuhud expressed gratitude and thanks to his family, professors, and Unisa Yogyakarta. “I can only pray that Unisa Yogyakarta continues to grow and serve as an example for other universities. I will also strive to learn as much as possible here and contribute to others,” he concluded.