Padang, NU Online

The General Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Said Aqil Siroj (Kiai Said) emphasized that the Minangkabau traditional philosophy, 'Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah', West Sumatra was littered fully with so-called Islam Nusantara values. That means, local wisdom by accepting a blend of customs and religion, that is the hallmark of Islam Nusantara.

 

Kiai Said made the remarks in front of the West Sumatra Nahdlatul Ulama Regional Board (PWNU) and West Sumatra Nahdlatul Ulama Branch Boards (PCNU), in the Rector's hall of Padang State University, Saturday (27/11/2021).

 

"NU and its Islam Nusantara want to develop noble and civilized Islam. Culture will strengthen religious life in the community. The challenges of the archipelago's culture today are indeed very heavy. Because the influence of social media is very extraordinary in today's life. Therefore, take care of our own culture never be influenced and follow the foreign cultures, even if you are studying abroad," said Kiai Said.

 

Islam Nusantara propagated by Nahdlatul Ulama, he explained, was not a new religion, a new belief, a new religious sect or a new religious teaching. However, Islam Nusantara is the hallmark of Islam in Indonesia. Islam Nusantara is a tolerant Islam with cultural values ​​that have grown and developed in society before Islam entered Indonesia.

 

"For NU, seeing cultures as a religious infrastructure so that religious people carry out their religious obligations according to the existing cultures. We meet Mauludan events, wearing sarongs, black skullcaps on their heads, using drums (bedug) in mosques as a sign of entering prayer times, all of that not from Arab. All of these are cultures that are associated with religious values. Since then, all this has become part of religious activities," he said.

 

Kiai Said gave an example of himself who studied for 13 years in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Likewise, the previous Muslim scholars studied in Mecca, they did not return with their culture, but brought knowledge to be developed. Therefore, studying for many years in the Middle East as well as in Europe and America is good, but still in the culture of the archipelago.

 

"Don't be cultured and act like the cultures where they have studied for years," said the leader of the Al-Tsaqafah Islamic Boarding School (pesantren), Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

 

The event was moderated by the PWNU Secretary, Suleman anjung. Also giving a speech was the Chairman of the West Sumatra PWNU Prof Ganefri. Present also at the occasion were the PWNU Musytasar Prof Asasriwarni, A'wan PBNU Buya Tuanku Bagindo M Leter, and a number of PWNU and PCNU administrators in West Sumatra.

 

Contributor: Armaidi Tanjung

Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq