Mahrus eL-Mawa is a philologist and Islamic scholar specializing in the study of ancient manuscripts and the Islamic traditions of the Indonesian Archipelago. Born in Cirebon in 1974, he earned his Ph.D. in Philology from the University of Indonesia after completing his studies in Qur’anic Exegesis, Hadith, and Islamic Philosophy at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Yogyakarta. With a background in traditional Islamic boarding school (pesantren salaf) education, Mahrus currently serves as the Head of the Subdirectorate for Ma’had Aly Education at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and as Deputy Chair of RMI PBNU (the Association of Islamic Boarding Schools under Nahdlatul Ulama). He actively researches and writes on topics related to Islam Nusantara, Sufi orders (tarekat), and pesantren traditions. His notable works include Ensiklopedi Budaya Islam Nusantara (Ministry of Religious Affairs, 2018) and Kajian Filologis dalam Berbagai Aspek (Diktis, 2012). His publications in journals such as Jumantara and Islam Indonesia explore the intellectual heritage of Cirebon, including philological studies of Syattariyah manuscripts and the spiritual legacy of Syarif Hidayatullah within the broader context of Islam and Javanese culture.
