National

Thousands of pilgrims commemorate Subang NU founders' death

Senin, 8 Juli 2013 | 07:09 WIB

Subang, NU Online
Thousands of pilgrims from different regions performed a tahlil ceremony to pray for the deceased and the dead-elders of Pungangan, Rancabango village, Kalijati sub-district, Subang, West Java on Sunday (7/6).<>

According to Dedi Setiawan, one of the organizing committees, the majority of the pilgrims are the alumni of such Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) as Pesantren Al Huda, Al-Karimiyyah, Al-Huda Islamic Elementary School (MI), Islamic Junior High School (MTs) and Islamic Senior High School (MA).

"Those who are present are alumni coming from various regions, central and northern Subang, Karawang, Jakarta, Bandung, Cirebon, and Purwakarta," Dedi said.

Dedi continued, the alumni were religious leaders, community leaders, pesantren and religious "majelis taklim" gathering leaders, calling on their students to commemorate the death of their leaders popularly known as the Subang's NU founders such as KH Syamsuddin and KH Abdul Karim.

Kiai Thala'al Badar Karim, one of the descendants of two NU figures explained more about their involvement in the NU organization and pesantren in Pungangan.

"Thank God, due to the struggle of both KH. Syamsudin and KH. Abdul Karim, now in Pungangan there have already been five pesantren," the Deputy Chairman of the Patokbesi chapter of NU said.

Reporting by Aiz Luthfi; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq