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).