Jakarta, NU Online
The Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama Student Association (IPNU) Jakarta held a meeting so-called Latihan Kader Muda (Young Cadres Training) at As-Tsaqafah Islamic boarding school (pesantren), Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on Friday-Sunday (9-11/10) 2015.
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General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama KH Said Aqil Siroj, popularly know as Kang Said, called on the importance of IPNU cadres to keep defending and preserving the long-standing spirit of pesantren.

"The IPNU cadres must have the soul of a santri that is smart, polite, and patient to continue to learn and struggle and still is based on faith. The struggle of IPNU cadres is to forge themselves to be ready to become the leaders of the nation and NU in the future," he said.

Kang Said, who was accompanied by the chairman of the IPNU Jakarta Muhamad Said and former chairman of the IPNU Central Java Hasan Chabibie also expressed full support for the enactment of the National Santri Day by President Jokowi.

According to him, the National Santri Day will be established on October 22 as the day is the momentum of santri in maintaining the Indonesia's independence from the Dutch colonial aggression.

On that date, said Kang Said, Hadratussyaikh Hasyim Asy'ari had gathered clerics (pesantren leaders) in the archipelago to issue the "Jihad Resolution" that defending the homeland is obliged for every individual (fardlu ain). The Resolution Jihad is such a holy war to crush the invaders who wanted to seize the Indonesia's independence.

KH Hasyim Asy’ari, a respected Muslim cleric and the founder of NU, decided to issue the Jihad Resolution, calling Muslims in the country to fight against allied forces to uphold the country’s independence, which was declared months earlier on Aug. 17, 1945.

Thousands of santri at that time answered the call and partook in a series of battles that culminated in the Battle of Surabaya on Nov. 10, 1945, a day later observed as Heroes’ Day.

Meanwhile, Chairman of IPNU Jakarta Mohamad Said supported the NU step in encouraging President Jokowi to immediately establish the National Santri Day.

"We strongly support the National Santri Day on October 22 and we will enliven with various programs and activities in order to commemorate the struggle of santri and clerics (kiai) in defending the Indonesia's independence," he said. (masdar)