Makkah, NU Online
Deputy General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Slamet Effendy Yusuf called on all NU special branch boards (PCINU) to disseminate the NU religious teachings around the world.
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"You are the NU ambassadors abroad to spread the NU lines of thought by introducing the so-called Islam Nusantara to the world in the context of how to harmonize Islam and the state. Our Islamic values are inseparable from (our) nationality," he said at a meeting at the Rubat Jawa an-Nawawy, Misfalah District, Makkah al-Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia.

The man born in Purwokerto admitted that he was proud of the NU movements in various parts of the world. He was was also optimistic that the NU lines of thought could be used as a means of propagating the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization in the future.

"What are you doing in various countries is such an extension of NU in foreign countries. NU is considered a religious organization that is large and has a positive movement in the eyes of the world. Alhamdulillah, the presence of PCINU in various countries is evidence of the existence of NU in foreign countries," he said.

The scholarly forum was attended by among others representatives of such PCINU as the Netherlands, Hongkong, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen, and Algeria.

The forum held by the PCINU Saudi Arabia was also attended by a number of NU senior figures such as Chairman of Lawmaking Council (Rais Syuriah) of NU KH Masdar Farid Mas'udi, and Abdul Wahid Maktub (Expert Staff of the Research, Technology and Higher Education Menister and former Ambassador to Qatar).

Deputy Rais Syuriah of PCINU Saudi Arabia Arsyad Hidayat said, "the Hajj pigrimage is an 'international conference' where Muslims from around the world come together and this is a strategic moment to cultivate relationships." (masdar)