Chotijah Fanaqi: Pioneering Interfaith Dialogue from Family to Community

In Garut, talking about differences in belief is often still considered taboo. The community is known for being religious and living in a relatively homogeneous environment. Most residents have never directly interacted with followers of other religions. The six religions they know are usually limited to lessons in Civics Education at school. In daily life, they remain within their own circles of belief, building invisible walls that restrict spaces for dialogue.

However, for Chotijah Fanaqi, a woman born in Madura who now lives in this city, those walls are not meant to be guarded—but opened. She believes that diversity is a reality that must be nurtured, not avoided. “If we don’t start with ourselves, then who will?” she often says to her students.

Chotijah grew up in a conservative Muslim family. Since marrying Hilwan Fanaqi, an activist with Nahdlatul Ulama, she has lived in Samarang District, Garut, and teaches at the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences. Her life went on much like that of other working women: teaching, caring for her family, and being active in the Fatayat NU women’s organization. But everything changed in 2021 when she became involved in the JISRA program—an initiative that promotes freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) at the grassroots level through interfaith dialogue.

Her first activity was the Training of Trainers Daiyah Mahmudah Fatayat NU West Java at Hotel Yello, Bandung. There, she first heard the term “freedom of religion and belief” discussed openly. A topic she once considered sensitive, even “dangerous,” turned out to be something that could be discussed calmly, scientifically, and based on the Islamic values of rahmatan lil ‘alamin (a mercy to all creation). From that moment, her perspective shifted. She felt she had rediscovered her activist spirit, which had faded after becoming a lecturer and mother.

Over five years of assisting the JISRA program in Garut, Chotijah, along with Ai Sadidah, Chairwoman of Fatayat NU Garut, actively participated in various trainings, discussions, and interfaith forums. Through these spaces, she networked with figures from various communities—from the Forum for Religious Harmony (FKUB) to interfaith youth groups. For her, the program was not merely about meetings but about building trust amid differences.

Challenges came from both directions. Within her own community, some voices were skeptical: “Why befriend non-Muslims? Aren’t there enough Muslims already?” From outside, there were suspicions that Fatayat NU’s activities might undermine efforts by certain groups to “discipline” communities deemed deviant. Chotijah faced these reactions calmly. She knew that talking about tolerance in a society that values homogeneity was never going to be easy.

Building an Inclusive Family

At home, Chotijah and Hilwan agreed that social change must start from the closest circle: the family. They decided to send their two children to a Pancasila-based school, not an Islamic school as was customary in their extended family. “At first, many questioned our decision,” recalled Chotijah. “But we wanted our children to grow up with a broad perspective.”

At that school, their children learned about diversity firsthand. They got to know Mrs. Esther, a Christian teacher, and participated in visits to various houses of worship in Garut. Through these simple activities, respect for differences grew naturally.

At a Focus Group Discussion on Outcome Harvesting held at Seputih Coffee and Resto, Chotijah shared her reflection:

“The JISRA program felt like it was calling back my old activist spirit. I used to believe that all humans were created different so they could know one another, but routine made me forget. This program reminded me again.”

The decision to send her children to an inclusive school was more than just an educational choice—it was a symbolic act by a mother who wanted to resist the current of intolerance. She hopes her children will become a generation that sees difference not as a threat, but as a blessing.

Nurturing Inclusive Values on Campus

Chotijah brought this inclusive spirit into her classroom. As a lecturer, she began integrating FoRB values into her teaching methods. She challenged her students to think critically and openly through assignments that encouraged interfaith dialogue.

Three of her students—Azizah (Ahlul Bait Indonesia, Shia), Rahma (NU Female Students Association), and Farhan (Islamic Union Youth)—became part of Youth Interfaith Garut, a cross-faith youth community that emerged from the JISRA ecosystem. Rahma now volunteers for JISRA’s social media team at Fatayat West Java, while Farhan and Azizah often serve as organizers for interfaith activities.

Although some campus administrators still tread carefully when discussing religious freedom, Chotijah remains undaunted. She believes universities should be places where critical thinking and dialogue flourish.

“If it’s not us who start it, then who will?” she said during a faculty reflection session.

Learning from the Process

Chotijah’s journey with JISRA has taught her many lessons. She learned that social change is never instant. Every step encounters resistance, but each rejection offers a chance to better understand her community’s dynamics.

“Challenges make me stronger. I’ve learned to be more patient—to understand that everyone has their own time and way to change.”

Today, among women activists in Garut, the name Chotijah Fanaqi and Fatayat NU are recognized as symbols of perseverance and sincerity. She has built spaces for dialogue that began in her family, grew in her campus, and expanded to the wider community. Her journey reminds us that peace is not born from grand speeches, but from the courage to open one’s heart—day by day, little by little.