NU faces threats posed by transnational movements

Surabaya, NU Online
The emergence of militant Islamic movements that have actively called for the implementation of sharia and jihad even staged violence is a real challenge for the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization.<>

"The new dynamics of Islamic movements in Indonesia shows the increasingly complex intersection between religion and such issues as sociological, political, geo-strategic, economic and others as a consequence of modernization and globalization," said Dr. Noorhaidi Hasan told NU Online here on Saturday (25/5).

The lecturer at the Faculty of Sharia and Law of the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University of Yogyakarta insisted that transnational ideologies and movements such as Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, Laskar Jihad and Jemaah Islamiyah "have marked the new dynamics of emerging Islamic movements in Indonesia."

"They have actively campaigned exclusivity, militancy, radicalism, and even violence in the increasingly open public spaces," he said.

"Even, such movements could also threaten the existence of the mainstream Islamic movements in the country, especially the NU which is familiar with its doctrine so-called Aswaja (Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah)," he continued.

Looking at the real threats posed by transnational Islamic movements against the existence of mainstream Islamic movements in Indonesia for being known friendly and loving peace, then it is time for NU to appear more dominant.

"NU should be capable of consolidating itself and its followers in the effort to evolve the teachings of Islam as a religion of mercy to all the worlds (rahmatan lil'alamin)," he said.

In addition, NU should strengthen its experience of doctrine pillars summarized in the Aswaja as a cultural mechanism and social resilience that are rooted in the community to fight the influence of transnational Islamic movements that are able to endanger the integrity of the Unitary State of Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

"Only in this way NU can protect its followers, especially its young people from possible errors as a result of their contact with the increasingly intense social change and globalization," he concluded.

Reporting by Syaifullah; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq