The commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) should be used as an opportunity for NU and other social organizations to strengthen cooperation in maintaining diversity.
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RINI KUSTIASIH/ Dian Dewi Purnamasari
·4 minutes read
KOMPAS/ADI SUCIPTO K
Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board KH Said Aqil Siradj during the commemoration of Nahdlatul Ulama 93th Anniversary Day at the Surajaya Lamongan Stadium, East Java Friday (29/3/2019).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) should be used as an opportunity for NU and other social organizations to strengthen cooperation in maintaining diversity. Such a cooperation is increasingly needed at the time when the nation is facing various difficult challenges, especially a series of natural disasters in several regions as well as non-natural disasters in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The celebration of NU\'s anniversary was held virtually in Jakarta on Saturday (30/1/2021) and was joined by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo from the Bogor Palace, West Java. Other activities in celebrating the anniversary also included an istigasah (joint prayer) was held on Sunday. In addition, a number of elements of society, including political parties, also celebrated the event. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), for example, also held a virtual discussion titled, Dialogue of the PDI-P’s Nusantara Home, which was opened by PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
On the occasion, Megawati said that NU’s age showed the maturity of the organization, with its attitude and struggle. The country’s fifth president advised NU to continue to spread rahmatan lil alamin (peaceful Islam) and affirm its national commitment.
I will continue this closeness in action and mandate it to nationalists as well as PDI-P cadres and sympathizers.
So far, nationalists and religious figures in Indonesia can go hand in hand. Their close ties have existed for a long time, starting with former president Sukarno and the founders and activists of NU, such as KH Hasyim Asy\'ari and KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah.
"I will continue this closeness in action and mandate it to nationalists as well as PDI-P cadres and sympathizers. Because I really believe, if the PDI-P can continue to work hand in hand with NU, we can overcome all threats to our nation,” said Megawati.
Previously, NU’s chairman Said Aqil Siroj said in his speech at the 95th NU Anniversary Charity Concert on Saturday that the plurality and multiculturalism in Indonesia could be preserved partly thanks to the role of civil society.
NU as the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, according to Said Aqil, is still considered to be running in the right corridor. The legacy of the founder of NU, KH Hasyim Asy\'ari, namely hubbul wathan minal iman (love of the motherland is part of faith), is still preserved until today. This commitment is able to maintain national unity and integrity beyond ethnic, ethnic and cultural barriers.
Two wings of Garuda
Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University (UIN Syarif Hidayatullah) Jakarta professor Azyumardi Azra said NU should become a solid force with other mainstream mass organizations, such as Muhammadiyah. The first important thing that needs to be done is to carry out internal consolidation within the NU organization. Furthermore, NU is also encouraged to be more accommodating, inclusive and to promote a dialogue with other Islamic organizations.
The conflicts among Islamic organizations are prone to occur, for example, related to religious issues or differences in coping with radical groups
"So far, what has often become a problem is the conflicts among Islamic organizations. As for the problems between religious believers, they are not so strong. The conflicts among Islamic organizations are prone to occur, for example, related to religious issues or differences in coping with radical groups," he said.
Chairperson of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama KH Said Aqil Siroj (center) accompanied by Secretary General Helmy Faishal Zaini (second from left) and other PBNU administrators delivered Reflections on the End of 2019 and the 2020 National Tausiah at the PBNU Building, Jakarta, Thursday (01/01/2020)
Separately, as part of the celebration of NU\'s 95th anniversary, the general secretary of Muhammadiyah, Abdul Mu\'ti, described the relationship between NU and Muhammadiyah as two wings of a Garuda bird, the national emblem of Indonesia. The two wings have to flap together to ensure that Garuda can fly high. According to Mu\'ti, Muhammadiyah and NU need to further strengthen their synergy in matters of religion, nationality, humanity and economic empowerment of the people.
In the religious field, the two organizations need to further promote and spread moderate religious understanding. Meanwhile, in other national issues, the two organizations should also cooperate efforts to strengthen democracy, anticorruption, human rights and law enforcement.
"Such synergy is important because at the grass roots, although it is very rare, sometimes there are still clashes between the members of Muhammadiyah and NU," he said.
The secretary of the commission for the lay apostolates of the Indonesian Bishops\' Conference (KWI), Paulus Christian Siswantoko, said he also shared the happiness of NU in celebrating its 95th anniversary. He hoped NU would remain a mass organization that encouraged people to live in line with Pancasila principles, to be inclusive and continue to spread love and to be open to all religious communities.
"So far, the relationship between the two institutions has been good and in the future, it should be further improved considering that this nation needs religious communities that work together in facing various challenges, such as natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic," said Siswantoko, who is usually called Father Koko.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
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