Surabaya, NU Online
The general chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), KH Said Aqil Siroj, said that "Islam Nusantara" had now received world acceptance.<>

"Clerics from Afghanistan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and a number of Middle Eastern countries have started sending their children to Indonesia to study Islam a la 'ahlussunnah wal Jamaah'," he said in his speech at the launch of "Successful NU 33rd Congress" at the East Java NU headquarters here on Saturday.

KH Aqil Siroj said he just recently received an honor from the US as number 17 world leader striving to realize world peace.

"Pak (Mr) Imam Aziz (one of the NU executive board members who is now organizing the 33rd NU congress) also will soon go to Pattani, Thailand to receive an honor from that country for his achievement in developing reconciliation with several former living communist party (PKI) families," he said.

Before the East Java governor Soekarwo, Brawijaya 5th military commander Major General Eko Wiratmoko, East Java police chief Inspector General Anas Yusuf, clerics and board members of NU East Java chapter Aqil Siroj said Islam Nusantara (Aswaja) developed by NU clerics is a middle way to save people from conflicts that have happened from one era to another.

"Mu'tazilah-Khawarij political conflict begets Aswaja (Imam Hasan Al-Basri). Conflict between rationality and spirituality begets theology (Imam Abu Hanifah) and conflict over interpretation of Qur'an and Hadith begets Fiqih between Ijmak and Qiyas (Imam Syafii) and conflict between essence and shariah begets sects (Imam Ghazali)," he said.

The latest development is conflict between state and religion. The state-religion conflict is formulated by Hasyim Asyari (NU founder) with concepts like Ukhuwah Islamiyah (Islamic brotherhood), Ukhuwah Basyariah (nation brotherhood) and Ukhuwah Wathoniah (brotherhood within a state)," he said.

He said Ukhuwah Wathoniyah perhaps was more important than others. "It is because we were born, work and conduct activities including religious activities in the country. It is impossible for us to be able to conduct religious activities unless we have a country and therefore NU clerics state that loving a country is part of the faith," he said.

In view of that Islamic teachings that are developed by clerics through NU mass organization are ahlussunnah wal jamaah (Aswaja) which has now drawn world attention and that is why the 33rd NU congress in Jombang on August 1-5 this year has adopted the theme of "Islam Nusantara", he said.

"Foreign diplomats visiting NU headquarters especially those from Europe often ask about Islam Nusantara," he said.

East Java governor Soekarwo on the occasion expressed thanks to NU for its appreciation to the diversity in Indonesia that has allowed a meeting between the state and religion to make the life of the people peaceful and comfortable.

Around 4,000 participants and 5,000 supporters are expected to attend the 33rd congress in which Said Aqil Siroj would seek for NU leadership again.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq