NU Movement Enters Its Second Century

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

The highlight of the Nahdlatul Ulama One Century reception at the Gelora Delta Stadium, Sidoarjo, Tuesday (7/2/2022). The activity was attended by President Joko Widodo.

SIDOARJO, KOMPAS — Entering the second century since its founding, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) sees the occasion as an opportunity to continue to strengthen Islam, nationalism, improve the welfare of the people and contribute to building an advanced and dignified Indonesia in the future.

"Entering the second century, God willing, NU will grow stronger, serve as a role model of moderate Islam, set an example of good Islamic etiquette, uphold akhlakul karimah (commendable morals) and eastern cultures, good manners, unggah ungguh (respect for seniors), good ethics and civilized behavior," President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said at the opening of the NU Centennial Anniversary gathering at the Gelora Delta Stadium in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Tuesday (7/2/2023).

Entering the second century, God willing, NU will grow stronger, serve as a role model of moderate Islam.

NU was founded on 16 Rajab 1344 Hijri in the Islamic calendar, which coincided with 31 Jan., 1926, on the Gregorian calendar. Tuesday, 7 Feb., 2023, coincides with 16 Rajab 1444 Hijri, which marks NU’s 100^th anniversary.

Marking NU’s official entrance into its second century, the President hit the digital beduk (leather drum), accompanied by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, NU advisory board chairman KH Miftachul Akhyar and executive board chairman KH Yahya Cholil Staquf.

Also attending the event were Indonesia’s fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri, former vice president Jusuf Kalla, several ministers from the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, political parties’ leaders and regional administrative heads.

Fostering tolerance

In his speech, the President expressed hope that NU would continue to foster tolerance, unity and mutual cooperation and keep pace with the world. Being the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia and the world, NU was hailed as having helped build a better and noble world civilization and told to keep contributing to the international community.

The President said NU had proven capable of bringing social resilience in the face of various challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and radical movements, while refraining from identity politics and extremism. In the first century of its movement, NU was seen as having added in an overwhelmingly positive way to Indonesia’s dynamics.

"Islam and ‘Indonesianness’, Islam and nationalism, unity and unitarity and harmony in diversity," the President said.

Referring to the sweeping global changes, the President reminded NU to come to the forefront of the navigation of technological developments and economic transformation and help create a just and civilized social order. Therefore, he said, NU would need to pay serious attention to the younger generation and embrace them so that they would remain firmly rooted in tradition and social ethics.

KH Yahya Cholil Staquf referred the first century as NU’s centennial period of riyadhah (self-training) and a century of tirakat (endeavoring with self-restraint) by wali (Muslim saints), scholars and NU’s loyal proponents. He said under no circumstances did they stop believing that NU's dedicated work would produce fruits for a more glorious future for all.

"A century-long tirakat turned into an immense blessing that has empowered NU. Today we are crossing into the threshold of NU's second century. There is nothing more appropriate for us to do on an occasion like this than to thank God for His grace," he said.

KH Miftachul Akhyar hoped the second century would see NU building itself further to become a better-established and united organization, with the nahdliyin (NU members) being able to grow stronger mentally and not be easily carried away by potentially damaging outside influences. He said NU adherents had to be able to uphold organizational principles, have God-aware personalities and mentalities and have the spirit of doing good.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

General Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) Yahya Cholil Staquf (third from right) with Chairman of the Steering Committee for the One Century Nahdlatul Ulama Summit Erick Thohir and other officials and several artists holding a press conference for the One Century Nahdlatul Ulama Peak Reception at the PBNU Headquarters, Jakarta , Friday (27/1/2023).

Meanwhile, NU Centennial Anniversary organizing committee chairman Erick Thohir said that as the country’s largest Muslim organization, NU had proven its resilience against the nation’s ever-changing dynamics throughout time, from the colonial period and independence to the reform and digital eras. With people still showing affection, NU, he said, remained relevant, thanks to the organization’s past figures’ efforts to create a solid foundation. He hoped NU would maintain the values ​​and traditions of Nusantara Islam (teachings practices with adherence to local values) for generations to come.

With reference to a Kompas survey, Erick said 71.8 percent of the respondents felt NU had helped strengthen Indonesia’s national values, while 81 percent showed convictions and confidence that NU would contribute more to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

"This means that NU's positive energy must be maintained," he said.

The NU Centennial Anniversary gathering began with a series of religious rituals starting at midnight, with committee members having already packed the area inside and outside the stadium since evening. The crowd built up in numbers as more and more people, including those from out of town, arrived at the venue. Some gathered as far away as some 2 kilometers from the stadium.

NU Charter

As part of the anniversary rundowns, KH Mustofa Bisri, or Gus Mus, who is former NU advisory board chairman, and Yenny Wahid, read out a charter drawn up during the International Conference on Civilization Jurisprudence the day before. Gus Mus read out the charter in Arabic, before Yenny read it in Indonesian.

Titled "Tekad Satu Abad Nahdlatul Ulama” (Nahdlatul Ulama’s Centennial Pledge), the charter stated that NU saw that the old view, which was rooted in the tradition of classical jurisprudence, namely the vision to unite Muslims under a single worldwide authority or caliphate state, must be replaced with a new vision for the benefit of the people. This was because the vision of reestablishing a caliphate state, which would put Muslims in face-to-face relations against non-Muslims, did not deserve to be an aspiration, as recently shown by the movement to establish an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Yenny said a move to reestablish a caliphate state would inevitably end up in chaos, with it being in affront to the main goals of religion, or maqashidu sharia, manifesting in five principles: protecting life, religion, intellectuals, family and property.

She said if such a vision were enforced, the efforts would lead to the collapse of the nation-state system and spark violent conflicts that would threaten most regions of the world. She said history showed that war always brought widespread destructions of houses of worship, loss of human life, moral degradation and severe impacts on families and property.

"In Nahdlatul Ulama's view, the most appropriate and effective way to bring about the benefit to Muslims around the world is to strengthen the cooperation for welfare and benefit of all mankind, both Muslims and non-Muslims, and acknowledge the brotherhood of all humankind, as the progeny of Adam," she said.

The United Nations Charter, apart from its imperfections and flaws in evading problems, said Yenny, had been intended from the very beginning as an attempt to put an end to the deeply destructive wars and barbaric practices that had marred international relations throughout human history. Therefore, the UN Charter and the UN itself, she added, could serve as the most solid and available basis to develop a new jurisprudence in order to create a peaceful and harmonious future of human civilization.

(NIK/WKM/DIA/SYA/WER)

This article was translated by Musthofid.