Anti-Aswaja movements tend to be more systematic

Nahdliyin (NU followers) should stand guard against any movements posing threats to the teachings of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah (Aswaja) in Indonesia. To meet their goal, the movement allegedly financed by foreign donors have increasingly launched their more systematic approaches.

The remark was made by Secretary of Advisory Board of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Muhyidin Arubusman before some 200 ulemas at a meeting of the Ulema Forum of Aswaja in Pesisir Selatan regency, West Sumatra province on Monday (31/3).

"Their movements are conducted systematically including through such political party," Muhyidin said without naming a certain party. NU Online's Bagindo Armaidi Tanjung reported.

Muhyidin then called on ulema and Nahdliyin clrcles to keep preserving tradition and maintaining the line of thoughts of the Aswaja. NU young generation, he added, could be such a target rejecting the Aswaja.

"Many NU cadres studying in certain countries have viewpoints opposing to the Aswaja," he said, adding that the cadres were easily trapped into the viewpoints.

The former secretary general of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) was of view that the anti-Aswaja movements tended to take advantage of mushola or worship places founded by Nahdliyin.
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At the same time Buya Sheikh H Ibnu Abbas Al Yaqieny, the initiator of the ulema forum said, "we won't allow the Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah to again and again be put aside. It's been long enough the Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah put aside."

Buya Ibnu Abbas, who is also the chairman of the PKB Advisory Board of West Sumatra expected ulema and religious figures to both preserve and maintain the Aswaja principles in their own community. All this, he said, was aimed at avoiding NU young generations from negative impacts enable to change their moderate religious thoughts.

The forum was held on the sidelines of the 24th anniversary of Buya Sheikh Abdul Munaf Bakrin being considered as one of prominent and outstanding ulemas in West Sumatra. He died on 31March 1984.

Health minister to dedicate Japanese funded polyclinic in Jombang

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari on Wednesday (April 9) is scheduled to inaugurate a Japanese funded polyclinic of Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School in Jombang, East Java province, a spokesman said.

Arvil Syahadat, information officer at the Japanese Consulate General in Surabaya told Antara here on Tuesday (8/4) that the poly-clinic was funded under a Japanese government`s grant worth US$82,341, the equivalent of Rp 745 million.

The construction of the polyclinic was started in December 2007 and took four months to complete, he said.

The inaugural function will also be attended by Japanese Consul General in Surabaya Shoji Sato, and head of the Tebu Ireng Islamic Boarding School Solahuddin Wahid.

Arvil said the Tebu Ireng polyclinic is only one of several humanitarian projects realized with a Japanese government`s grant under the Grant Assistance for Human Security Projects program.

To date the Japanese government, in this case its Consulate General in Surabaya, has provided 32 grants for small scale projcts in the provinces of East Java, Nusa Tenggara and Kalimantan.

Aswaja should meet its social relevance

Any principles of Islamic teaching on ahlussunnah wal jamaah (Aswaja) adopted by NU followers (Nahdliyin) should experience the process of contextualization and meet its social relevance.

The concept of kulliyatul khoms (five Islamic universal principles), namely the protection of religious freedom, the protection of life, the protection of mind, the protection of property or property rights, the right to enter into marriage and the protection of reproductive rights.

The concept has so far been viewed in mere individual level without searching for its social relevance. Whereas any policies like fuel oil price hike, privatization, liberalization would, directly or indirectly, threaten the realization of the purposeful concept.

The issues was taken up at a workshop on strengthening the role of syuriyah (advisory council), held by Yorgakarta's NU Regional Board (PWNU) and participated by some 60 NU young clerics at the Istana Hotel, Tegalrejo, Yokyakarta on Monday-Tuesday (19-20/5).

The workshop was aimed at strengthening the teachings of Aswaja, social analysis, and mapping any contemporary social problems.

Secretary of the PWNU, Drs HA Zuhdi Muhdlor, M. Hum, said the materials discussed were conflict resolution, social analysis mapping, contemporary Islamic movement and other relevant themes.

"The forum (halaqah) of the NU young clerics has produced some social analysis and recommendation that ought to be followed up by NU board members in all levels," he said.

While Organizing Committee chief, KH Tamyiz Muharram, MA, said the forum raised such favorable expectations for all participants had enthusiastically formulated action plans that would be followed up in each NU branch board and even by involving clerics in villages.

The participants were divided into 8 small groups to deepen and discuss materials on social analysis, conflict resolution, food and energy crisis, human rights, social, economic, and political mapping, the kulliyyatul khoms, mabadi'ul khoirul ummah, fikrah nahdliyyah, and so on.

"This training tries to develop paradigm on thinking and organizing based on real problems in society so that any teachings of Aswaja would experience the process of contextualization and meet its social relevance and intellectual," Tamyiz said.

He further added that the forum was not only focusing merely on religious texts, but it also exploring in-depth and comprehensive social reality. Though the forum, Tamyiz said, the participants were optimistic syuriyah would systematically and organizationally function without basing on religious ritual functions.

In the meantime, one of the training facilitators, Mustafied, handling the topic of social analysis and the kulliyyatul khoms, said the dialectics of participants was very dynamic. The analysis on reality combining social analysis tools and (religious) texts, he added, had raised critical findings.

Mustafied gave an example in analyzing the government's plan to raise fuel oil prices that he viewed as instrument for extensively exploiting oil resources "in which 80 percent of Indonesia's oil companies has been managed by foreign companies."

In the perspective of the kulliyyatul khoms, he said, the fuel oil price hike must be rejected for increasingly impoverishing people and having potential to threaten the principle of khifdhul mal (the protection of property).

Concerning the Cash Assistance Program (BLT), Mustafied said that it would not educate people and have potential to degrade their dignity and self-respect. The program would again threaten the principle of khifdhul irdh (the protection of dignity).

Gus Dur: NU will never establish Islamic state

Former General Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid recently said that the Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) would never establish an Islamic state in the country.

Gus Dur made the statement as meeting with a number of United States senators to convey the national and Islamic missions of the Nahdliyin-based organization.

Gus Dur who is also the chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Awakening Party (PKB) said since ten years before Indonesia's independence NU had again and again decided that Muslims had no such obligation to establish an Islamic state.

"In 1935 or ten years before Indonesia's independence the NU's 9th Congress held in Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) decided that Muslims were not obliged to establish Islamic state. For that reason, we have seen many religions in Indonesia," Gus Dur told reporters in the PKB's headquarters, Jln. Kalibata Timur Jakarta on Wednesday.

He was of view that Indonesia's stand on religion was very clear as affirmed in the nation's ideology, Pancasila.

As reported scores of the US senators meeting with Gus Dur during his US visit were Robert Wexler, Suemyrick, Joe Rockefeller, Christopher Bone, the influential senator in making US foreign policies.

During his visit in the country, Gus Dur also received Medal of Valor for his struggle for world peace and tolerance. The medal was given by Simon Wiesenthal Foundation.

Other figure receiving the same medal is former bishop of Anglican Church of Canterburry, UK.

The Indonesian former president received the medal on Award Night in Los Angeles. In the meantime Gus Dur also held talks and had a dinner with Hollywood's producers like Rocky's Robert Chartoff.

The award night was attended by some 1000 people. Amongst the attendees were Hollywood actors such as, Will Smith, Ron Howard, and Jeffry Katzenberg.

Gus Dur on the sidelines of his US visit had a great time to hold talks with US Vice President Dick Cheney in the White House.

Gus Dur also explained his meeting with Temple University to immortalize his name as center for inter-religious dialogue studies.

The critic of holistic-transformative education

Title : Transformative Islamic Education
Writer: Dr Mahmud Arif
Publisher: LKiS Yogyakarta
Edition I: Februari 2008
Thick: xiv + 310 pages
Reviewer: Abdul Halim Fathani

Education is an important thing that would always be talked about, examined, and debatable. The purpose of education is basically to develop human in the frame of carrying out mandate as representative of Allah on earth. Nowadays there have been many talking more about the format of education that is appropriate with the era of ours. More over we have most of the time found those attaining high education whose no good morality. Instead many attaining poor educational standards have good attitude. Then the raising question is that is there such a mistake dealing with the implemented model of education or the education itself can not respond to any human difficulties? Apart from all this we have actually realized about the importance of education in developing human personality.

In terms of the importance of education, Malik Fadjar (2004) tries to place the education within the frame of human investment. Malik says there are three big challenges facing education in Indonesia. First is defending the results having been obtained; second is anticipating globalization era;and the third is conducting changes and adapting national education system that supports the process of more democratic education; paying more attention to various necessities/circumstances of regions and students; and encouraging the increasing of people's participation.

It is a must that most people have expected the existence of Islamic educational institutions whose quality in any kinds and educational levels. Even education has now been such an urgent necessity especially for those middle-class Muslim circles. While educational institutions having rapidly developed and professionally been managed have most of them belonged to public educational ones whose no religious background.

According to Muhaimin (2006:237) there are three paradigms in developing Islamic education, namely Dycotomic Paradigm, Mechanism Paradigm, and Organism or Systemic Paradigm. In dycotomic paradigm, the aspect of life is viewed very simple. Islamic education tends to merely deal with ritual and spiritual matters while economic, political, cultural, social, and scientific aspects are considered as mere worldly matters. The dycotomic paradigm would lead to dualism in education system.

Mechanism paradigm views that the life consists of many aspects and education is considerably to implant and develop a set of values of life leading to their own rhythm. While organism paradigm suggests that educational activity constitutes a system consisting of components that can work together to reach certain purpose, namely the realization of religious life inspired by religious values and tenets.

The book's writer says so far studies on thoughts and Islamic education have “idealistically” viewed the golden era of Islam. AS for him, culture and and tradition of Islamic thoughts in the golden era were such final reference. It is taboo to review and should be blindly (taklidiyah) followed. So it is not so strange if some standard literatures on Islamic studies have tended to elaborate the excellence of tradition of thought and Islamic education in the golden age of Islam without being followed with critical analysis to emerging weaknesses.

KH TURAICHAN OF KUDUS

”Professor” for Indonesian astrologists

The calendar is a measuring means mostly understood by people to determine events surrounding them. For Indonesian people have just recognized two kinds of calendar, namely Qomariyah (lunar calendar) and Syamsiyah (solar calendar), so it is little bit difficult to synchronize the two calendars.

The difficulty is sometimes based on the fact that the lunar system has two methods of determining, namely hisab (astrological calculation) and rukyat (the sighting of the new moon/hilal). On account of the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar system, so most religious events can be determined based on the lunar system. Whereas the results of the two systems have some of the time been different.

When important events happen in social religious life with differing decision, the ummat (people) have always held firmly on their own decision based on reliable arguments and valid findings.

The dispute has in turn tended to increasingly be unstoppable as each of them holds firmly on their own viewpoints. The dispute would be vulnerable that potentially leads to such difference of creed. The scene has always come into existence in Indonesia as the world most populous Muslim country.

Amid the condition, people are of course in need of a figure whom they can follow, a man responsible for his arguments and leaving no any long dispute. In short the people need to have a figure enable him to protect them and play a mediating role to settle any social conflicts.

In this case Muslims in the archipelago has one of prominent and brilliant experts of astrology from Kudus, Central Java. The figure named KH Turaichan Adjhuri Asy-Syarofi that has even been mandated to be Chairman of Central Java’s Calendar Office.

The ulema born in Kudus on 10 March 1915 is the son of Kiai Adjhuri and Ibu Nyai Sukainah. He has lived in religious family and studied religion under local ulemas and continued his formal education at the Maddrasa Tasywiquth Thullab Salafiyah (TBS) in his town for two years only, namely when he was 13 years old in 1928s. On account of his outstanding intelligence, he was then appointed to involve in learning and teaching process.

When he involved in teaching at the maddrassa, Kiai Turaichan started to take part actively in social activities by, for instance, participating in preaching and any scholarly religious discussion locally and nationally.

Since then, he has actively involved in discussion forums, including NU’s Problems Deliberation (Bahtsul Masail) during its conferences. His intelligence and courage to express his arguments could be traced in the forums. He could convincingly express viewpoints with no doubts even before senior ulemas like KH Bisri Samsuri from Pati, who then established Pesantren Denanyar in Jombang East Java.

We can also trace his roles in national politics. He had some of the time been appointed to be Ad Hoc committee by the central board of NU party. While in his region, he had also been mandated to be Rais Syuriah (law making body) of NU branch board. He had ever served as judge of the government in 1955-1977.
Yet his broad interesting in the field of astrology has made him popular and charismatic due to his stand on his arguments. He has now involved in the Astrology Committee of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU). Though he has ever some of the time had different viewpoints with ulema majority, but he has still held firmly on his viewpoints. Even his views have always been in line with reality. He is the prominent man publicly recognized as both the expert and astrologist whose precise and accurate accounts. Many people have now studied astrology under his supervision.

Mbah Tur has never been absent in any NU conferences, except when he was sick. When NU based its ideology on Pancasila rather than Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah, Mbah Tur tended to isolate himself form the organization of NU.

What is interesting to note here is that, though he isolated himself with the Nahdliyin-based organization, but he has now mandated to be chairman of law making body (Rais Syuriah) of NU Regional Board of Kudus. Kiai Turaichan preferred to campaign “NU Locality” that means he would all of the time struggle for NU as jam’iyyah (organization) in local level, namely Kudus.

KH MUHAMMAD BAQIR ADELAN

Running enterprises to finance pesantren

The north coast (pantura) of East Java is a coastal area which stretches from Tuban’s coastal line that borders on Central Java and ends at Surabaya’s coast. Next coastal line, from Surabaya to south ending at Banywangi’s coast is called as “Tapal Kuda” region. The two regions have similarly been inhabited by most Muslim communities.

Since the coming of Islam in Java island there have been many Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). Inhabitants have become accustomed to religious life and open-minded. The scene could be traced through social and psychological condition in Paciran, Lamongan East Java where his excellencies the caretaker of Pesantren Tarbiyatut Thalabah KH Muhammad Baqir Adelan was born.

Baqir was born in a sleepy village located in the north coast of East Java, exactly in Kranji village, Paciran district, Lamongan regency, East Java province, on 30 August 1934/19 Jumadil Ula 1353. He was the sixth son from twelve of the marriage of KH Adelan bin Abdul Qodir Kranji with Nyai Hj. Sofiyah binti KH Musthofa.

Baqir then grew up and spent his childhood and had intelligence much brighter than his fellow friends. On account of social and psychological condition of the free and independent people living in the north coast, Bagir had such courage and talent for entrepreneurship.

His first educational process was from his beloved mother Hj. Nyai Sofiyah, his grand mather Nyai Aminah Sholeh then his uncle KH Abdul Karim and his grand parent KH Musthofa Abdul Karim to focus more on religious knowledge. Since his seven years old Bagir had continued studying in formal educational institution, namely Madrasah Tarbiyatut Thalabah Kranji led by his own uncle KH Abdul Karim Musthofa for four years. He had then continued his study at Madrasah Muallimin in Tunggul village Paciran district from 1940-1944 under the supervision of an ulema KH Muhammad Amin Musthofa.

Due to his bright educational career so it is reasonable if since his 14-year-old age he was mandated by his teacher to help teach in pesantren and involve in any preaching in his community. Started from the Tunggul’s Madrasah Muallimin Baqir was to take part in sharing his knowledge with local people. He then continued his study in Pesantren Bahrul Ulum Tambak Beras Jombang in 1952 under the supervision of KH Abdul Jalil.

One of his achievements during his study in the pesantren was his talent for entrepreneurship. For being admitted in fifth class he could finish his two years of study in secondary (ibtidaiyah) level. Because of his willingness to be independent following his graduation from the ibtidaiyah he then moved from the pesantren’s dormitory to live in Bulak village while at the same time he also taught at the pesantren.

In the village he started fueling his entrepreneurship talent by running such small enterprises by both selling and purchasing agricultural products of local people. And even from his enterprises he could help his parents to finance his brothers’ education. A year later, he continued his study under the supervision of his excellencies KH Bisri Sansuri in Pesantren Mamba’ul Ma’arif Denanyar Jombang for four years. Similarly Baqir was also mandated to help teach in the pesantren.

Developing Family’s Pesantren

For Pesantren Tarbiyatut Thalabah that belongs to his family is in need of new teachers, Baqir then returned to his hometown. Following the death of his grand father KH Musthofa the leadership of pesantren was then taken over by his son in-law, KH Adelan Abdul Qodir (the father of Baqir) till he died in 1976. So KH Baqir Adelan continued the leadership of the Pesantren Tarbiyatut Thalabah.

Next KH Baqir started to devote himself to his society through religious educational channels, namely pesantren. Though he had responsibility to control the pesantren but in fact he could no longer ignore his initial purposeful talent for entrepreneurship. As a caretaker of pesantren, his personal independence could be seen through his all daily activities. It was said that KH Baqir was used to wash his clothes. His care of his santris’ (students) daily activities was for example by waking his santris up before dawn and paying more attention to each of his santris’ development and constantly visiting his offices. He did all this for the sake of his santris’ learning process.

He then tried to enhance his enterprises to bear and finance his pesantren by initiating the establishment of such a social gathering whose members contributing to and taking turns at winning an aggregate sum of money that is called as arisan. The gathering could also be aimed at cultivation the relationship between pesantren and social surroundings. The gathering was used to be participated by all fishermen living in the north coastal area of Lamongan. As for KH Baqir the gather had two functions; as the medium of preaching and the medium of enhancing business linkages between the fishermen and pesantren circles.

On account of his experience in running private enterprises, following his return to Paciran, he then stretched his enterprises by opening such an order service of books for religious schools (madrassa) affiliated with of Ma’arif educational institutions of Paciran in 1958-1975.

His talent for entrepreneurship could successfully be seen while he conducted trade expansion on hardwood trees. Formerly the trees were used only to make benches and many other school equipments. But his business tended to increasingly meet its expected target that leads to the establishment of a furniture workshop called as UD. Barokah Sejati. It was such a supplier of hardwood trees as raw materials for making boats.

Several years later he was so popular as an entrepreneur besides his capacity as the caretaker of pesantren especially following a controversial idea initiated by his father in law, H Mas’ud. As said H Mas’ud wanted KH Baqir Adelan to develop new kind of boat for local fishermen. A model of semi modern boats as new products of his running business.

The purposeful idea triggered disputes in his society for considering that so far the local fishermen had accustomed to traditional boats in earning their life necessities. His people regarded that the new model of boats would be useless. However the people’s opinion could no longer change his mind dealing with the making of the new boats. He still held firmly on continuing his ideal to come true. Most of fishermen in the north coast have now used the boats. The UD. Barokah Sejati that he initiated has increasingly been developing and of course its profit can be used to finance his pesantren. (to be continued)

SYEIKH ARSYAD AL-BANJARI

Ulama constructing irrigation channel

Syekh Muhammad Arsyad al-Banjari (1710-1812) is a fiqh cleric basing his line of thoughts on Imam Syafi’ie. He coming from Martapura, Tanah Banjar (Banjar Soultanate) is the author of Sabilul Muhtadin. His masterpiece has so far been a refference of Fiqh in Southeast Asia.

He was born in Lok Gabang village on Thursday, 15 Safar 1122 H/19 March 1710 as the first son of Abdullah and Siti Aminah. His full name is Shekh Muhammad Arsyad bin Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman al-Banjari bin Saiyid Abdullah al-Aidrus bin Saiyid Abu Bakar as-Sakran bin Saiyid Abdur Rahman as-Saqaf bin Saiyid Muhammad Maula ad-Dawilah al-Aidrus till to Saidina Ali bin Abi Thalib and Saiyidatina Fatimah binti Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The grandfather of Arsyad named Abu Bakar had successfully established Mindanao Kingdom in the Philipines and was a soultane of Mindanao. His father, Abdullah had ever led a troop from Mindanao in fighting against Portugese and Dutch. He with his beloved wife then moved to Banjar, Martapura, Kalimantan.

Sheikh Arsyad at glance
In one day when the Soultane of Banjar Kingdom, Soultane Tahmidullah paid a visit to villages including Lok Gabang. In Lok Gabang the soultane saw a beautiful painting that makes him impressed. The soultane then asked who was its painter. He then got the answer that its painter was Muhammad Arsyad. Knowing his talent and intelligence the soultane expressed his willingness to look after and educate Arsyad in his palace. Arsyad was 7 years old at that time.

The soultane then expressed his willingness to Arsyad’s parents. His parents fulfilled the soultane’s willingness to look after and educate their beloved son on account of his future to devote himself to religion, nation and state. Due to Arsyad’s good characters all people living in the palace respected him even the soultane himself treated his as his own son.

He was then married with a pious girl named Siti Aminah (Tuan “Bajut”). She was a pious woman respecting her husband. When his wife was pregnant, Arsyad told his with that he would like to go studying to Mecca. Siti Aminah supported her husband to go studying in the holy city. After the sultane gave approval to Arsyad to go to Mecca, he left for Mecca to study.

In the holy city, Muhammad Arsyad studied to prominent ulema like Syekh 'Athoillah bin Ahmad al Mishry, al Faqih Syekh Muhammad bin Sulaiman al Kurdi and al-'Arif Billah Syekh Muhammad bin Abdul Karim al-Samman al-Hasani al-Madani who was the tasawwuf teacher of Muhammad Arsyad. Under his supervision, Muhammad Arsyad conducted both suluk and khalwat. He was then mandated to be what called as khalifah.

As narrated by Khalifah al-Sayyid Muhammad al-Samman, at that time Indonesia only had four khalifahs namely Syekh Muhammad Arsyad al-Banjari (kalimantan), Syekh Abdulk Shomad al-Palembani (Palembang, Sumatera), Syekh Abdul Wahab Bugis (Sulawesi) and Syekh Abdul Rahman Mesri (Betawi Jawa). The four was well-known as the “Four connected from the Land of Java” who studied in al-Haramain al-Syarifain.

Muhammad Arsyad had studied in Mecca for 30 years and in Madinah for 5. Researchers and writers most of the time mentioned his most important friends like Syeikh `Abdus Shamad al-Falimbani, Syeikh Abdur Rahman al-Mashri al-Batawi dan Syeikh Abdul Wahhab Bugis who was also his son in law. (to be continued)

Executive Council

GENERAL CHAIRMAN
• Drs. KH. Achmad Hasyim Muzadi

CHAIRMEN
• Drs. H. Masdar F. Mas'udi, M.A
• H. M. Rozy Munir, SE., MSc.
• Ir. H. Musthafa Zuhad Mughni
• Prof. Dr. H. Said Agil Siradj, M.A.
• H. Muhammad Fajrul Falakh, SH.,MA.,MSc.
• Drs. H. Ahmad Bagdja
• Prof. Dr. H.M Ridwan Lubis
• Dr. H. Andi Jamaro Dulung, MSi.
• Drs. H. Abbas Mu'in, MA
• Prof. Dr.H. Masykuri Abdillah,M.A
• Drs. H. Abdul Aziz Ahmad, M.A.
• Drs. KH. Abdul Wahid Aziz Bisri, Lc

SECRETARY GENERAL
• Dr. Endang Turmudzi, MA

VICE SECRETARY GENERAL
• Drs. H. Taufiq R. Abdullah
• Drs. Saiful Bahri Ansori
• Ing. H.M. Iqbal Sullam
• Drs. H. Anas Thahir

TREASURE
• H. Abdullah Machrus

VICE TREASURE
• Drs. Ronin Hidayat
• Drs. H. Sirodjul Munir, MSc
• H. Bambang Adyaksa
• H. Asmui Suhaimi, SE, MBA

Supreme Council

RAIS 'AAM
• Dr. KH. Muhammad Ahmad Sahal Mahfudh

VICE RAIS 'AAM
• Dr. K.H. Moch. Tholchah Hasan

RAIS
• KH. Ahmad Idris Marzuqi
• KH. A. Hafidz Utsman
• KH. Ma'ruf Amin
• Dr. K.H. Maghfur Usman
• Dr. K.H. Muhammad Masyhuri Naim, M.A
• Prof.Dr. KH. Said Agil Husin Al-Munawar, M.A.
• Drs. KH. Adib Rofi'uddin Izza
• Habib Muhammad Abdillah Al-Jufri
• Dr. KH. Artani Hasbi, M.A.
• Drs.KH. Saifuddin Amsir
• Prof. KH. Abd. Mu’iz Kabri
• Prof. Dr. KH. Chatibul Umam

KATIB 'AAM
• Prof. Dr. H. Nasaruddin Umar, M.A.

VICE KATIB
• Drs. K.H. Malik Madany, M.A.
• Dr. K.H. Anwar Ibrahim
• K.H. Sadid Jauhari
• Drs. H. Masrur Ainun Najih

A'WAN
• KH. Habib Hamid bin Alwi Alatas
• KH. Habib Luthfy bin Yahya
• Dr. KH. Habib Abdul Kadir Al-Habsy
• Dr. KH. Mansur Nasution
• KH. Habib Abdullah Assegaf, MA
• KH. Abd. Rahman Chudlori
• KH. Ahmad Warsun Munawwir, SH
• KH. M. Syukri Unus
• KH. Zakky Ubaid
• KH. Arifin Khan
• KH. Ibnu Ubaidillah Syathari
• Drs. KH. Abd. Warist Ilyas
• Drs. KH. Chasbullah Badawi
• KH. Ubaidillah Isa
• KH. Dimyati Rois
• Prof. Dr.KH. Yumni Thohir
• KH. Luthfy Hakim
• KH. Siddiq Fauzi
• Prof. Dr. Hj. Chuzaimah Tahido Yanggo, MA.
• Drs. Hj. Mursyidah Thohir, MA

Advisory Council

1. KH. Muhammad Ilyas Ruchiat
2. KH. Endin Fachruddin Masturo
3. KH. A. Musthofa Bisri
4. KH. M. Syafi’i Hadzami
5. KH. A. Sanusi Baco
6. KH. Mujtaba Ismail
7. KH. Abdul Muchid Muzadi
8. KH. Zainal Abidin Munawir
9. KH. Syech Muchtar Muda Nasution
10. KH. M. Zen Syukri

Autonomous Bodies

Autonomous bodies are the conductors of NU's policies related to a certain group of society. They are:

1. Nahdlatul Ulama Sufism Practitioners Organaation .

Main programs:
1. Study on religious and sufism.
2. Dissemination of admitted sufis teachings among NU's members.
3. Guiding Sufis practices among Nahdliyin (NU followers).

Organization networks:
15 Regions
200 Branches

2. Nahdlatul Ulama Women Organization

Main programs:
1. Cadre and organization development.
2. Study on social and women issues.
3. Women resource development.
4. Development of vocational education.
5. Development of social services and women advocacy.

Organization networks:
31 Regions
339 Branches
2.650 Sub-branches

Service networks:
49 hospitals/polyclinics
8.522 kindergartens
247 cooperation (An-Nisa cooperation)
Tens of orphan and children houses, woman dormitories, and Vocational Training Halls throughout the country.

3. Ansor Youth Movement

Main programs:
1. Cadre and organization development.
2. Development of nationalism.
3. Human resource development.
4. Advancement of cooperation networks with national and international organizations.

Organization networks:
30 Regions
337 Branches

Service networks: .
INKOWINA (National Entrepreneurship Central Cooperation)

4. Nahdlatul Ulama Young Women Organization

Main programs:
1. Cadre and organization development.
2. Social and youth studies.
3. Training and counseling of public healthy.
4. Social crisis resolution.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
334 Branches

5. Nahdlatul Ulama Students Association

Programs:
1. Cadre and organization development.
2. Study on social issues.
3. Development of student's creativity related to scientific quality and social sensibility improvement.
4. Scholarship fund raising for disadvantaged and drop-out students.
5. Education and advocacy development for teenagers with social problems.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
265 Branches

Service networks:
KOPUTRA (Motherland's Son Coopera¬tion)

6. Nahdlatul Ulama Girl Students Association

Programs:
1. Cadre and organization development.
2. Socio-religious, teenagers, and student affairs study.
3. Health education and services for teenagers.
4. Education services for drop out student.

Organization networks:
26 Regions
316 Branches

7. Nahdlatul Ulama Scholars Association

Programs:
1. Mapping and developing NU educated cadres potency.
2. Maximizing role and social mobility of NU members.
3. Studying national issues.
4. Developing intellectual networks, in national and international scale.

Organization networks:
5 Regions
17 Branches

8. Indonesian Muslim Trade Union (SARBUMUSI)

Programs:
1. Organizational development.
2. Study on labor affairs.
3. Training of laborer.
4. Laborer advocacy and protection.
5. Improvement of the prosperity of laborers and their family.

Organization networks:
14 Regions
342 Branches
135 GBLP (Work Labor Movement)

In addition to 13 institutes, 5 committees, and 5 autonomous bodies, the Central Board of NU has an institution called as Center for Strategic Policy Studies (CSPS) whose duty to study issues which are related to government's strategic policy.

Committees

Committees are special bodies dealing with special NU programs. They are;

1. Committee of Astrology

Main programs:
1. Religious studies related to astrology.
2. Training and services for information of astrology.
3. NU calendar publication.

Organization networks:
5 Regions

2. Committee of Authorship and Publication

Main programs:
1. Studies on NU and social issues.
2. Writing and publishing books about NU.
3. Mass-media publication.

Organization networks:
16 Regions

Service networks:
2 News Tabloids (WARTA and TABLOID MASA)
1 Daily Newspaper (DUTA MASYARAKAT)
NU Online*

3. Committee of Waqaf

Main programs:
1. Study on waqaf issues.
2. Improvement of management quality of NU's waqaf properties.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
More than 100 Branches

4. Committee of Zakat, Infaq, and Shadaqah

Main programs:
1. Study on zakat, infaq, and shadaqah issues.
2. Improvement of effective management for zakat, infaq, and shadaqah.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
More than 150 Branches

5. Committee of Islamic Religious Problems Solving

Main programs:
1. Study on actual social issues.
2. Formulation and dissemination of Islamic judicial sentence.
3. Improvement of standardization of Islamic judicial reference books.

Organization networks:
31 Regions
339 Branches

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*NU Online portal is an inseparable part of NU INFORS grand design programmed by central, district, branch level and community of NU. The grand design has a number of strategic functions in strengthening NU organization internally and externally as well as simultaneously. First, as a public relation media. Second, as a religious social organization having center-district systemic structure, NU is potential to build strong com­munication and information network. Thirdly, the grand design reinforces organizational information network internally and externally. Fourth, as a database centre ofNU document prop­erly some potential treasury, pesantren and citizen amount, scientific writing, NU decision, ulema (Muslim leaders) research results, and others. Data capacity of the server up to 500 G B and double layer firewall will be able to support those functions.

Main program of NU Online
1. Stimulating TI implementation
2. Strengthening information network
3. Facilitating thought development
4. Developing data base
5. Developing interrelation institution
6. Consolidating organization

Organization network:
- 31 districts
- 339 branches - 12 special branch boards

There have been many special branch board of NU throughout the world like Britain, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, India, Malaysia, USA. While the other has continually been developed.

Institution

Institutions are the executor of NU's policies related to particular field. They are:

1. Islamic Preaching Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama (LDNU)

Main programs:
1. Organization and human resource development in the field of Islamic preaching.
2. Inter-religious harmony development.
3. Dissemination of Islamic teachings suitable with the spirit of Ahlussunnah waljama'ah.
4. Mobilization for social activities.

Organization networks:
28 Regions
328 Branches

2. Ma'arif Educational Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama (LP Ma'arif NU)

Main programs:
1. Human Resource development and educational study.
2. School management development conducive for people-based education.
3. Educational curriculum development that can integrate mixture of high science and good conduct.
4. Social network development related to world of education.

Organization networks:
20 Regions
117 Branches

Service networks:
3.885 Kindergartens
197 Elementary Schools and 3.861 Islamic Elementary Schools
378 Junior High Schools and 733 Islamic Junior High Schools
211 Senior High Schools and 212 Islamic Senior High Schools
44 Universities and 23 Academies/ Colleges

3. Mabarrot Social Charity Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama

Main programs:
1. Social issues studies.
2. Social service development.
3. Fund raising and distribution for catastrophe victims and social objectives. 4. Development of social crisis resolution institutions.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
More then 100 Branches

4. Economic Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama

Main programs:
1. Economics studies.
2. Mapping of economics potency of NU members.
3. People economics empowerment.
4. Entrepreneurship training.

Organization networks:
24 Regions
207 Branches

5. Agriculture Development Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama

Main programs:
1. Agricultural studies.
2. Living resource development.
3. Agricultural development and advocacy.
4. Development of agribusiness.

Organization networks:
19 Regions
140 Branches

6. Pesantren Association

Main programs:
1. Religious and pesantren studies.
2. Educational quality development of pesantren.
3. Pesantren empowerment on social affairs.
4. Empowerment of pesantren economics institution.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
323 Branches

Service networks:
6.830 pesantrens

7. Nahdlatul Ulama Welfare Family Institution

Main programs:
1. Socio-religious studies.
2. Family planning services.
3. Services for social hygiene.
4. Population and environment advocacy.

Organization networks:
22 Regions
More than 50 Branches

8. Indonesian Mosques Management Association

Main programs:
1. Mosque management development
2. Development of religious ritual activities.
3. Mosque social function development.

Organization networks:
- 16 Regions

9. Institute for Human Resource Study and Development

Main programs:
1. Socio-religious, cultural, and economics studies.
2. People creativity and productivity improvement
3. Training of strategic planning.
4. Program development of special sector.

Organization networks:
16 Regions
More than 60 Branches

10. Labor Force Development Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama

Main programs:
1. Labor force studies.
2. Preparing skilled workers.
3. Labor force training and advocacy.
4. Improvement of workers prosperity.

Organization networks:
20 Regions
53 Branches

11. Legal Advice and Aid Institution of Nahdlatul Ulama

Main programs:
1. Legal issues studies.
2. Lawyer education.
3. Legal advocacy.
4. Law and human rights enforcement campaign.

Organization networks:
1 Regions
7 Branches

12. Pagar Nusa Martial Art Institution

Main programs:
1. Pencak silat training.
2. NU security guard development and training.
3. Humanitarian and social works development.

Organization networks:
15 Regions
110 Branches

13. Quran Readers and Reciters Association

Main programs:
1. Study and development of the art of reading the Quran.
2. Education of reading the Quran.
3. Human resource development in the field of the Quran recitation.
4. Holding the Quran festival.

Organization networks:
27 Regions
339 Branches

Networks

Until the end of 2004, NU's organization networks include:
1. 30 Regions
2. 339 Branches
3. 12 Special Branches
4. 2.630 Branch Representative Councils
5. 37.125 Sub Branch Representative Councils

Structure of Organization

1. Central Board (national level)
2. Regional Board (provincial level)
3. Branch Board (district/municipality level) and Special Branch Board (abroad)
4. Branch Representative Council Board (subdistrict level)
5. Sub Branch Representative Council Board (village level)

For National, Provincial, District/Municipal/ abroad, and sub-district levels, each board within NU's organization structure consists of:

1. Mustasyar (Advisory Council)
2. Syuriyah (Supreme Council)
3. Tanfidziyah (Executive Council)

Meanwhile, for village level, each board in NU's organization structure consists of:

1. Syuriyah (Supreme Council)
2. Tanfidziyah (Executive Council)

Aims and Services of Organization

Aims
To promulgate Islamic teachings according to the Ahlussunnah Waljama'ah doctrines in people's life, within the frame of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

Services

1. In religious field, preaching Islam and increasing brotherhood feeling underpinned by the spirit of unity in diversity.
2. In educational field, conducting education which fits with Islamic values for the sake of forming Muslim men/women who are of piety, good-conduct, broader knowledge, and of use for religion, nation, and state.
3. In socio-cultural field, attempting to increase people's prosperity and cultivating culture, which is not against Islamic teachings.
4. In economic field, attempting to distribute opportunities in enjoying development results, by focusing more on the growth of people's economy.
5. Developing other services useful for broader society.

Dynamics

In its 82 years of age, NU has played many important roles in various historical episodes of the Republic of Indonesia, which show the organization dynamics, among others;

1. Initiating the Indonesian establishment of MIAI (Majelis Islam A'la Indonesia or Indonesia's Highest Council of Islam) in 1937, which then together with GAPI (Gabungan Politik Indonesia or Indonesian Politics Association) demanded the administration of Dutch-Indie to form Indonesian parliament.
2. Mobilizing physical resistance against imperialist force through Jihad (holy war) Resolution issued on October 22, 1945.
3. Changing into political party, which in general election 1955 took the third in national vote gathering.
4. Acquiring, at least, 32 ministerial offices during Republic government 1945-1965.
5. Taking initiative in Islamic Conference for Asia-Africa, joined by representatives of 37 countries in 1965.
6. Coming back to Khittah (earliest orientation) in 1984, which affirmed NU's identity as socio-religious organization.
7. Originating cultural Islam movement and civil society empowerment during 1990s decade.

Followers

NU followers are predicted to reach more than 60 million persons, with various professional background, mostly are village dwellers, and commonly owning strong emotional tie with pesantren (Islamic Boarding Schools) as the center of NU's cultural preservation.

The Attidute of Society

1. Tawasuth, moderate attitude, which is based on principles of justice and endeavors to avoid any kind of approach, which is extreme in nature.
2. Tasamuh, tolerant attitude, which contains appreciation to views difference and plurality of people's socio-cultural background.
3. Tawazun, that is balancing attitude in serving for harmonious relationship among fellow human beings and between human and God Almighty.

Religious Doctrine

NU adopts Ahlussunnah waljama'ah "Aswaja" school which refers to the holy Koran, the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and that of his rightly-guided Successors (four Muslim caliphs s as well as his friends), and is theoretically and factually oft-linked to the theological concepts of Abu Hasan al-Asy'ari and Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, four schools in fikih (Islamic jurisprudence), namely Hanafi, Maliki, Syafi'i, and Hanbali, as well as sufism traditions of Al-Ghazali and Junaid Al-Baghdadi.

Legal Basis and Background

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia. It was established on January 31, 1926, (Rajab 16, 1344 of Islamic Calendar) in Surabaya. This Organization was legalized on February 6, 1930 as registered in Besluit Rechtsperson No. IX year 1930, then renewed by the Decree of Minister for Justice of Republic of Indonesia No. C2-7028. HT.01.05.TH.89. in 1989.

The born of NU were derived mainly from a long struggle of a number of ulemas who run pesantren* The ulemas organized a concerted effort and endeavored to conserve and preserve Islamic religious culture in addition to maintain and promote the spirit of nationalism in response to the excessive pressure of the prevailing colonial power.

Initially, it was in 1916 when KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah and KH. Mas Mansyur (then became Muhammadiyah figure) established Nahdlatul Wathon (the Awakening of Homeland) in Surabaya. Two years later, with KH. Dahlan Ahyad, they established what called as Tashwirul Afkar in the same city. Both institutions constituted educational vehicle in the field of religion, organization, and national struggle. In the same year, KH. Wahab again took an initiative to establish Nahdlatut Tujjar (the Awakening of Merchants), an economic institution aimed at improving the prosperity of Muslim population through developing business of common people. This institution was then chaired by KH. Muhammad Hasyim Asy'ari.

As time passing by, the need of establishing a new organization had been increasingly urgent when the Fourth AI-Islam Congress at Yogyakarta in 1925 revealed that the new ruler of Hijaz land, King Ibnu Sa'ud, intended to organize Muktamar 'Alam Islami (Islamic World Conference) in July 1926. Congress disagreement to ask Ibnu Sa'ud for freedom and tolerance of traditional religious practices appreciation in his land had disappointed KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah and his fellows. So they endeavored to look for alternative solution. As a result, Komite Hijaz (Hijaz Committee) was formed to prepare separate delegates who would be charged to meet King Ibnu Sa'ud and propose their aspiration. Then, on January 26, 1926, the Committee's meeting gave birth to a new organization called as Nahdlatul Ulama (the Awakening of Ulemas) with KH. Muhammad Hasyim Asy'ari as Rais Akbar (the great leader).

Nahdlatul Ulama

Nahdlatul Ulama (also Nahdatul Ulama or NU) is a conservative Sunni Islam group in Indonesia. Its traditionalist nature is evident in the name Ulama, referring to the scholar-preachers of Islam, trained in Qur'anic studies, including the interpretation of the religious laws contained therein.

NU was established on January 31, 1926, around the same time that the reformist Muhammadiyah was established. Its first president was the Ulama Hasyim Asy'ari. In 1965, the group took sides with the General Suharto-led army and was heavily involved in the mass killings of Indonesian communists. However, the NU later began to oppose Suharto's regime. In 1984, Abdurrahman Wahid, the grandson of NU founder Hasyim Asy'ari, inherited the leadership from his father, and was later elected President of Indonesia in 1999.

NU is also one of the largest independent Islamic organizations in the world. Some estimations of their membership range as high as 30 million, although it is hard to account for this number. NU acts as a large charitable body helping to fill in many of the shortcomings of the Indonesian government in society; it funds schools, hospitals, and organizes communities or "kampungs" into more coherent groups in order to help combat poverty.