Book Title: The Political Reason of NU and Muhammadiyah; Over Crossing Java
Author: Dr. Suaidi Asyari, MA, Ph.D
Publisher: LKiS, Yogyakarta
Edition: I, April 2009
Volume: xxiv + 448 pages
Reviewer: Fikrul Umam MS
NU, Nahdlatul Ulama is the largest religious social organization (jamiyyah diniyyah-ijtimaiyyah) in the country which has apparently focused more on problems of religious social life faced by its followers. During the Old Order era, NU was a political party and took part in coloring the Indonesia political life, because it was disappointed by modernists dominating Masyumi. In its Sitobondo's Congress, NU returned to its khittah (principle) to be a religious social organization and again focused more on social problems.<>
NU has had a very vital and important role in the democratic process in Indonesia, various organizational attitudes, views, and policies adopted by the NU have, in fact, been able to color the political life since the New Order until now. In 1999, NU bridged the establishment of a political party that specifically and expectedly accommodates the political aspirations of Nahdliyin (NU followers). At this point the establishment was facilitated by the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) and was attended by senior NU figures such as KH. Muchit Muzadi, KH. Mustofa Bisri and KH Abdurrahman Wahid. The party was the National Awakening Party.
Following the birth of PKB, NU has been committed to give freedom for its followers instead of forcing them to choose a certain political party. PKB was inseparable from NU so that the number of votes secured by the party was a representation of NU followers across Indonesia. In fact, the loyality of NU followers to their parent organization was not as strong as their loyalty to PKB. As a result, thousands and even millions of Nahdliyin could not help gain significant votes for PKB.
The Internal dynamics within NU as a religious social organization in its connection with the PKB is a special study presented in this book, a fact that NU outside Java has its own different character if compared with NU in Java. Both the loyalty of Nahdliyin to their political party and the 2004 legislative and presidential elections were interesting issues to discuss.
NU founded in 1926 has claimed to be the largest Islamic organization in the world, and more than 40 million Muslims are the followers of NU. Recently Islamic studies have increasingly been dominated by the dichotomy of "radical" versus "moderate", while NU is positioned as as a moderate organization. A claim that requires more re-examination. NU has had an important role in the political arena in Indonesia and been studied from the perspective of democracy and civil society.
According to a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani in 2002, approximately 66% of Indonesian students (santri) were 18% followers of Muhammadiyah, and 48% followers of NU. Thus it is clear that both organizations have played an important role both in mobilizing and in mediating the mass. The relationship between NU and Muhammadiyah is modernist-puritan and traditionalist Muslims based on first; the membership of the groups. Second; how Muslims worship or perform their religious rituals. Regarding the Muhammadiyah relationship with modernist-puritanist Islam there are three things, namely; members, followers and worshipers.
The NU and Muhammadiyah followers based on their religious rituals are most of the NU followers are Muslims who practice rituals based on the Syafi'i schools of thought (d. 204 AH / 820 CE). While most of the Muhammadiyah followers are Muslims practicing rituals mostly based on the Hanbali school of thought (d. 241 AH / 855 CE). In dealing with the 1999 general election, Amien Rais, Muhamnmadiyah leader (1995-2000) founded the PAN (National Mandate Party).
While KH. Abdurrahman Wahid, the NU general chairman (1984- 1998) along with other NU clerics founded PKB (National Awakening Party). Although the platform of PKB and PAN states that they are open and secular political parties, many political observers expect the two parties to take part in parliamentary to address aspirations of the NU and Muhammadiyah followers. Thus Nahdliyin would expectedly choose PKB and Muhammadiyah followers will choose PAN.
Studies on NU and Muhammadiyah by examining their role in the religious social politics in Indonesia through their early strong developments, namely the idea of ijtihad (free interpretation), the rejection of madzhab versus the ijma '(consensus), the recognition of madzhab. NU theoretically advocates consensus and the Muhammadiyah advocates ijtihad. Muhammadiyah, founded in 1912, is the "Puritan Islamic" organization, the religious organization in which its developments are directly related to its followers and is in accordance with the initial characteristics of organization by still keeping up with long-standing social and political changes in Indonesia.
This book presents the facts about the dynamics and the role of NU and Muhammadiyah as the largest Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia in the political life and the process of democratization in the country following the collapse of the New Order regime, a study about NU and Muhammadiyah which is often "ignored" by scientists from within and outside the country.
The reviewer is social researcher, former managing director of the LPM Paradigma, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta.
Author: Dr. Suaidi Asyari, MA, Ph.D
Publisher: LKiS, Yogyakarta
Edition: I, April 2009
Volume: xxiv + 448 pages
Reviewer: Fikrul Umam MS
NU, Nahdlatul Ulama is the largest religious social organization (jamiyyah diniyyah-ijtimaiyyah) in the country which has apparently focused more on problems of religious social life faced by its followers. During the Old Order era, NU was a political party and took part in coloring the Indonesia political life, because it was disappointed by modernists dominating Masyumi. In its Sitobondo's Congress, NU returned to its khittah (principle) to be a religious social organization and again focused more on social problems.<>
NU has had a very vital and important role in the democratic process in Indonesia, various organizational attitudes, views, and policies adopted by the NU have, in fact, been able to color the political life since the New Order until now. In 1999, NU bridged the establishment of a political party that specifically and expectedly accommodates the political aspirations of Nahdliyin (NU followers). At this point the establishment was facilitated by the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) and was attended by senior NU figures such as KH. Muchit Muzadi, KH. Mustofa Bisri and KH Abdurrahman Wahid. The party was the National Awakening Party.
Following the birth of PKB, NU has been committed to give freedom for its followers instead of forcing them to choose a certain political party. PKB was inseparable from NU so that the number of votes secured by the party was a representation of NU followers across Indonesia. In fact, the loyality of NU followers to their parent organization was not as strong as their loyalty to PKB. As a result, thousands and even millions of Nahdliyin could not help gain significant votes for PKB.
The Internal dynamics within NU as a religious social organization in its connection with the PKB is a special study presented in this book, a fact that NU outside Java has its own different character if compared with NU in Java. Both the loyalty of Nahdliyin to their political party and the 2004 legislative and presidential elections were interesting issues to discuss.
NU founded in 1926 has claimed to be the largest Islamic organization in the world, and more than 40 million Muslims are the followers of NU. Recently Islamic studies have increasingly been dominated by the dichotomy of "radical" versus "moderate", while NU is positioned as as a moderate organization. A claim that requires more re-examination. NU has had an important role in the political arena in Indonesia and been studied from the perspective of democracy and civil society.
According to a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani in 2002, approximately 66% of Indonesian students (santri) were 18% followers of Muhammadiyah, and 48% followers of NU. Thus it is clear that both organizations have played an important role both in mobilizing and in mediating the mass. The relationship between NU and Muhammadiyah is modernist-puritan and traditionalist Muslims based on first; the membership of the groups. Second; how Muslims worship or perform their religious rituals. Regarding the Muhammadiyah relationship with modernist-puritanist Islam there are three things, namely; members, followers and worshipers.
The NU and Muhammadiyah followers based on their religious rituals are most of the NU followers are Muslims who practice rituals based on the Syafi'i schools of thought (d. 204 AH / 820 CE). While most of the Muhammadiyah followers are Muslims practicing rituals mostly based on the Hanbali school of thought (d. 241 AH / 855 CE). In dealing with the 1999 general election, Amien Rais, Muhamnmadiyah leader (1995-2000) founded the PAN (National Mandate Party).
While KH. Abdurrahman Wahid, the NU general chairman (1984- 1998) along with other NU clerics founded PKB (National Awakening Party). Although the platform of PKB and PAN states that they are open and secular political parties, many political observers expect the two parties to take part in parliamentary to address aspirations of the NU and Muhammadiyah followers. Thus Nahdliyin would expectedly choose PKB and Muhammadiyah followers will choose PAN.
Studies on NU and Muhammadiyah by examining their role in the religious social politics in Indonesia through their early strong developments, namely the idea of ijtihad (free interpretation), the rejection of madzhab versus the ijma '(consensus), the recognition of madzhab. NU theoretically advocates consensus and the Muhammadiyah advocates ijtihad. Muhammadiyah, founded in 1912, is the "Puritan Islamic" organization, the religious organization in which its developments are directly related to its followers and is in accordance with the initial characteristics of organization by still keeping up with long-standing social and political changes in Indonesia.
This book presents the facts about the dynamics and the role of NU and Muhammadiyah as the largest Islamic mass organizations in Indonesia in the political life and the process of democratization in the country following the collapse of the New Order regime, a study about NU and Muhammadiyah which is often "ignored" by scientists from within and outside the country.
The reviewer is social researcher, former managing director of the LPM Paradigma, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta.
