BSB Foundation Indonesia
Bersama Samudra Baraka Foundation
بِسْمِ ٱللّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Before establishing the foundation Bersama Samudra Baraka, the Sophia Citra Institute (SCI) PhiloSufi Centre for Interfaith & Intercultural Dialogue was launched on November 4, 2003, at the East & West Sufism Community in Jakarta.
It was founded at a time when the world was still wounded by the tragedy of September 11, 2001 in New York, and when Indonesia was experiencing numerous communal conflicts triggered by clashes of religion and ethnicity across the country, including in major cities.
Although Indonesia had entered the democratization era in 1998, the continuing emergence of violence in various forms demonstrated that the philosophy of democracy had not yet taken root in society. Among the many contributing factors, religion—particularly Islam, as the majority faith in the country—and ethnicity played a crucial role in shaping the culture of the people. Meanwhile, the global community was living under fear caused by violence, terrorism, and the many counter-movements against them.
Our Foundation
Bersama Samudra Baraka was established with the dedication to realize an intellectual commitment: advancing the development of Indonesia as the most populous Islamic society, improving the welfare of marginalized communities, strengthening democracy and fundamental justice, and promoting peace and non-violence across the world.
At the regional, national, and global levels, Bersama Samudra Baraka and Sophia Citra Institute facilitate dialogue and mutual understanding between Muslims and other religions and cultures, including between the Islamic world, the West, and the East. In Indonesia, we nurture the emergence of young thinkers and activists committed to the vision of Rahmatan Lil ‘Alamin (a blessing for the universe).
Our programs include non-formal education for youth, capacity-building for Muslim clerics to foster interreligious, intercultural, and interethnic dialogue, and initiatives to support active participation in building economic welfare, justice, and good governance.
Beyond our core programs, Bersama Samudra Baraka also provides:
Consulting and Training on interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding, and governance.
Interreligious Marriage Guidance, helping couples and families navigate cultural and spiritual harmony.
Donation Programs, where individuals and organizations can contribute to sustain and expand our educational, cultural, and social initiatives.
Our Vision
After nearly two decades of dedication, the Sophia Citra Institute was officially transformed into the Bersama Samudra Baraka Foundation on May 6, 2021.
Bersama Samudra Baraka is committed to realizing the intellectual vision of Indonesia’s founding fathers: advancing national development, ensuring the welfare of the people, and promoting social justice for all humanity. Guided by universal spiritual values, the foundation upholds pluralism, multiculturalism, democracy, and human rights.
We strive for a just and peaceful world by fostering moderation, tolerance, and welfare for all.
Our Mission
To cultivate, preserve, and promote the values of Rahmatan Lil ‘Alamin—a blessing for the universe—through peace and tolerance.
To foster dialogue between local and international cultures, creating harmony between Indonesia’s ancient traditions and the diverse cultures and religions of the world.
To strengthen civil society and good governance in Indonesia as a foundation for deepening democracy.
To encourage active participation of diverse religious communities in cultural and peace dialogues.
To develop initiatives that enhance welfare and social justice, with a special focus on education.
Our Founder
Yusuf Daud Risin is a Sufi practitioner and an internationally certified trainer in interreligious and intercultural dialogue as well as peacebuilding studies. He earned his first Master of Science degree in International Relations (Middle East and Islamic Studies) from the University of Indonesia in 2005, followed by a Master of Philosophy in Islamic Mysticism from ICAS London in 2006.
He has authored four books on religion, including Unveiling the Taste of Hidden Things (on the meeting point of Islam and Christianity), Membenahi Sikap Beragama Kita (A Bridge Across Spirituality and Religion), Menembus 7 Lapis Langit, and Secret of Secrets of Ayat Al-Qur’an.
Yusuf has served as a visiting lecturer at universities and Catholic seminaries across Indonesia—including Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang, Solo, Batam, Yogyakarta, and IAIN Tulungagung—teaching subjects such as Islamic Mysticism, interreligious dialogue, peacebuilding, multiculturalism, spiritual and emotional marketing, and business ethics.
In 2008, he became the first Muslim scholar from Asia to receive the Nostra Aetate Pontifical Council of Interfaith Dialogue Scholarship from the Vatican, where he studied world religious traditions at three prestigious institutions in Rome: the Pontifical Gregorian University, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), and the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI).
Yusuf is also an alumnus of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP)—participating in the 2016 “Society in Muslim Communities” program and the 2019 “Let Leaders Lead – Alumni Advance Interfaith Relations” program.
A leading expert in Islamic Mysticism, Islamic thought, interfaith and intercultural dialogue, peacebuilding, spiritual parenting, business ethics, and comparative mysticism, he is professionally affiliated with the Ibn Arabi Society, ICRP (Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace), and the Paramadina Foundation. He is also the founder of Bersama Samudra Baraka and the Sophia Citra Institute (PhiloSufi Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue) in Surabaya.
Internationally, Yusuf serves as an ambassador of peace and intercultural understanding through KAICIID (King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue) in Lisbon, Portugal, where he is also Chairman of the KAICIID Fellow Network Indonesia.
He has delivered training workshops on interreligious and intercultural dialogue, peacebuilding, and multiculturalism—always framed through the light of the Sufi tradition—across Asia, Europe, and the United States. His programs have been hosted in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Japan, Austria, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, Greece, Sweden, China, and more than a dozen U.S. states, including New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and Washington D.C.
Yusuf Daud’s popular workshops uniquely combine his expertise in interfaith understanding with his grounding in Sufi practice and spiritual parenting. Based in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, he remains deeply committed to advancing interfaith and intercultural dialogue, believing that in today’s diverse world it is essential to understand and work respectfully across religious and cultural boundaries.
Writings & Articles
In addition to his books and lectures, Yusuf Daud is an active writer who continues to share his insights on spirituality, interfaith dialogue, and peacebuilding. He contributes regularly to euroislam.eu, where his articles explore themes of religion, culture, and the challenges of pluralism in today’s world.
Beyond formal publications, Yusuf is also active on social media, where he frequently writes short reflections and essays on Islamic mysticism, intercultural understanding, and contemporary issues of faith. His writings aim to make complex ideas accessible, inspiring wider audiences to embrace tolerance, moderation, and the values of Rahmatan Lil ‘Alamin.
https://www.euroislam.eu/en/euro-islam-articles/
Our Project
The Spirit of Wholeness and Holiness
“Dialogue is the bridge we build when the world feels divided.”
In a world often separated by differences, true peace is not found in sameness, but in understanding. For the sons and daughters of Abraham—Jews, Christians, and Muslims—our shared journey is about listening deeply to one another’s sacred stories and rediscovering the common ground of our humanity.
From this spirit of dialogue, Sophia Citra Institute and Bersama Samudra Baraka Foundation are taking a new step forward with the creation of the Wellness Centre for Wholeness and Holiness, located at Jl. Gambiran 9, Pandaan, East Java.
Near the site of the future Wellness Centre for Wholeness and Holiness lies Jawi Temple, a 13th-century Hindu-Buddhist syncretic temple built under the reign of King Kertanegara, the last ruler of the Singhasari Kingdom.
Originally serving as both a place of worship and a mortuary temple dedicated to the King, Jawi Temple stands as a symbol of spiritual unity—honoring the balance between Shivaite and Buddhist traditions. It is also believed that the ashes of King Kertanegara were enshrined in this temple, as well as in the Singhasari and Jago temples.
The Centre will be a sanctuary for reflection, healing, and learning—a space where spirituality meets wellness, and where people of all faiths can nurture both the wholeness of body and the holiness of spirit. Rooted in the Sufi tradition of compassion and balance, it will host programs on mindfulness, interfaith dialogue, spiritual education, and holistic well-being.
This initiative marks a new chapter in our mission—to build bridges where there are walls, to cultivate peace where there is pain, and to let the light of the Divine shine through our shared humanity.
As we lay the foundation for this sacred space, we warmly welcome your support and cooperation. Every donation and partnership will be a meaningful contribution toward building a haven that promotes peace, healing, and unity for all.
#InterfaithDialogue #CommonGround #AbrahamicFaiths #Peace #Hope #Understanding #WellnessCentre #WholenessAndHoliness
Art for Wholeness:
Charity Auction for the Wellness Centre.
In the spirit of compassion and creativity, Bersama Samudra Baraka Foundation proudly presents a Public Art Auction — where art becomes a bridge toward healing and hope.
Each painting offered in this auction is not only a work of beauty but also a contribution to something greater: the establishment of the Wellness Centre for Wholeness and Holiness in Pandaan, East Java.
Through this initiative, we invite art lovers, collectors, and supporters from around the world to take part in a journey of meaning — where every bid becomes an act of giving. All proceeds from the auction will be dedicated to the early phase of building the Centre, a sanctuary for dialogue, reflection, and spiritual wellness for all.
Your participation is more than support — it is a gesture of unity and generosity, helping us create a space where body, mind, and spirit can find harmony.
Bid with your heart — help us build a place of wholeness and holiness.
Collections of Yusuf Daud:
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Sang Maha Damai Sejahtera Dalam nama As-Salam terkandung makna Dia adalah Sumber Kedamaian Sejati. The Source of Peace. Damai sejak dalam pikiran. Pikiran yang tenang. Membadankan As Salam dapat dianalogikan bagai meminum air. Air segar yang menyejukkan. Yang setiap saat Dia sediakan. Belajar menjalankan As-Salam adalah belajar konsisten meRASAkan kesegaran, kesejukan, kedamaian & kesejahteraan dari-Nya setiap saat & setiap langkah.
When you are guided to this pathway, take the opportunity to meditate on the beginnings of the Universe and the potential present before creation, and to remember the source of the deepest peace. Source of Peace and Author of Safety. The roots of Salaam point to an unfolding reality of potential (SA), which continually creates possibility, health, and wholeness (Lam). From the same root comes the Word Islam, which means the way of Peace, to resign oneself to the greater reality of unity.
In the Hebrew tradition, shalom points to the Seventh day (or illuminated period) of creation, during which the Holy One remembers and restores to itself the Awareness of all that went before. Allah asks Adam to greet the angels using the words salaam alaykum - peace to you. The angels respond, "Peace to you", Adam, and also the radiant compassion (rahman) and creative blessings (baraka) of the One to you! Allah then asks Adam to pass along this greeting to all the human beings after him.
Jesus enjoined his followers to offer a similar Aramaic greeting (shalama bayta) to every household they visited.
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Sang Maha Pembuka Pembuka kebenaran dari segala macam pintu. Sang Maha Pembuka Mata Qolbu sehingga hamba-Nya yang tertutup sulit menerima Cahaya Ilahi menjadi terbuka selebar-lebarnya menerima kebenaran. Dia yang membukakan akal dan qolbu manusia agar bisa menyingkap tabir misteri alam semesta. Seni kehidupan menjadi motivasi dan sumber insipirasi. Yakin bahwa Allah pasti selalu membukakan jalan.
When you are guided to this pathway, take the opportunity the experience the Sacred Unity, opening you to your destiny. Al-Fattah, " the Opener of Truth" and Judge. The roots show us the mouth or face of something opening ( FT) to give and receive breath (-AH). Al Fattah is probably one of the oldest sacred sounds in the Middle East. Fattah carries resonances at least back to the name of the ancient Egyptian God Ptah, who created the Universe through space. Old Hebrew also contains a form of the same word. In addition, the Gospel of Mark, even in the Greek version, records Jesus using the Aramaic equivalent in healing a deaf man: Eth - Phatah = Be opened!
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Sang Maha Lembut Dari kata lam, tha' dan fa' yang mengandung makna lembut, halus, kecil. Tersembunyi dan teliti. Sangat dalam kecerdasannya. Sangat cermat dalam menemukan sesuatu. Kelembutan pada makhluk terbatas. Kelembutan pada Allah tanpa batas. Sangat halus. Kehalusan pada penciptaan-Nya, kehalusan pada kebaikan-Nya, kehalusan pada kekuasaan-Nya. Allah selalu memberikan jalan kemaslahatan pada makhluk-Nya, tetapi untuk memahaminya perlu kecerdasan dan perenungan mendalam. Al-Lathif menginspirasi kita untuk tidak perlu mengeluh dan gelisah, karena ada rahasia tersembunyi dari halusnya makna kehendak Allah yang pasti baik di kemudian hari.
When you are guided to this pathway, take the opportunity to contact the part of your being that reflects, and can reflect upon, mystery and subtlety. The Subtle and gracious. The roots of Latif show something that gets our attention (The sound LA), within which lies a mystery (Th) of great charm and beauty ('If). The subtle centers of the body, heart, throat, third eye, crown, solar plexus, sexual centre, and root are called by a related word, LATA'IF, in the sufi tradition.
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Sang Maha Raja berkekuatan Mutlak Kata Malik terdiri dari 3 huruf, mim, lam & kaf. Yang rangkaiannya berarti ikatan dan penguatan. Kata ini terulang lima kali dalam Al-Qur'an. Malik maknanya Dzat yang tidak membutuhkan. Dia kuat dan valid. Sebaliknya, semua yang ada butuh kepada-Nya. Dia Maha Raja Mutlak yang sebenar-benarnya. Dengan Kesadaran Malik al Mulk , setiap kita berserah sungguh kepada Sang Maha Menguasai, agar kita mampu menguasai hawa nafsunya.
When you are guided to this pathway, take the opportunity to open your heart to a passionate vision that would compel you to live your life in service to Unity. This quality include "possessor of sovereignty" and "lord of power and rule." Derived from the earlier pathway Al-Malik, this pathway shows us not only the ruling vision and empowerment behind the cosmos, but also the next "power" of it, the "I Can" squared, so to speak. We could call this literally the visioning within all visions, the essence of passion within all passion. This name also reminds us that Reality is not a definition, it is what is doing the defining. It is the maliki yaumiddin, mentioned in Sura Al-Fateha: the voice that continually affirms creation and power.
Donation & Cooperation
Bersama Samudra Baraka Foundation and Sophia Citra Institute are dedicated to advancing interfaith and intercultural dialogue, fostering peace, promoting education, and strengthening social justice in Indonesia and beyond. These meaningful initiatives are made possible through the generous support of individuals and institutions who share our vision.
We warmly welcome cooperation with organizations, academic institutions, faith-based communities, and civil society groups to collaborate on programs that cultivate tolerance, multicultural harmony, and welfare for all.
Donations
To support the ongoing activities of Sophia Citra Institute, contributions may be made via bank transfer to:
Bank Mandiri
Account Number: 1410024112021
Account Name: Yayasan Bersama Samudera Baraka
Bank BCA
Account Number: 6120353509
Account Name: Yusuf Daud
After making a transfer, kindly text us to confirm your donation so we can acknowledge receipt. Every contribution is a blessing (berkah) that ensures the sustainability of our meaningful mission and activities.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe.