'Never choose a leader that hates NU traditions'

Subang, NU Online
Ahead of the 2014 general elections and direct elections for local leaders (Pemilukada), KH Manarul Hidayat asked NU followers (Nahdliyin) not elect a leader who 'hates' religious traditions having so far been maintained and preserved by the Nahdliyin.<>

"Never choose a leader who hates maulidan, rajaban, tahlilan, and other NU traditions!" Kiai Manarul made the statements at a religious "halal bihalal" gathering in Subang district, West Java, recently.

In the event held by the Subang's Branch Board of NU, the leader of the Jakarta's Al Mahbubiyyah Islamic boarding school (pesantren) called on the Nahdliyin to be selective in choosing a leader, and not to be fooled by any lure.

He said that choosing a leader that hates the NU long-standing traditions was the same as letting the NU belief systems gradually vanished from this archipelago.

"I got the information from a friend of mine that some people have dared to rob and seize money (collected by Muslims gathering for the recitation of Yasin (yasinan), the money is seized because yasinan is considered an innovation (bid`ah), whereas Imam Shafi'i already explained that the bid`ah consists of two, namely bid'ah hasanah (good invvovation) and bid'ah sayyiah (bad innovation)," he said.

If those who become ordinary people have dared to seize the money for considering yasinan and other NU traditions bad innovations, what will happen in coming 5, 10 or 30 years if the people are elected as leaders,"the chairman of NU Hajj & Umrah Development Association said.

According to Kiai Manarul, NU is not a political institution, but the NU political stance is always fighting for the values ​​and ideals of Ahlussunah Waljamaah and independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

At this point, he again called for the importance of the Nahliyin to take into account of prospective leaders being capable of care about the NU ideals and struggles.

"Whoever cares about NU, the Nahdliyin need to support him instead of supporing parties that are precisely contrary to the ideals of NU," he told the Nahdliyin ahead of the Pemilukada in Subang that will be held on September 8, 2013.

Reporting by Aiz Luthfi; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq