Nahdliyin told to 'be brilliant in dealing with the nation's situation'

Blitar, NU Online
The Jihad resolution issued by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization, on October 22, 1945, was a significant contribution of NU Muslim scholars (ulema) in dealing with the nation's situation in the time. The NU's success should inspire all of the NU followers (Nahdliyin) to be capable of reading the current situation.<>

According to Ach. Dofir Zuhri that all NU cadres must restore their critical reasoning in reading the nation's situation, since challenges faced by NU and the nation are highly complex such as economic, cultural, political, and so forth.

"For that reason, restoring the critical reasoning is essential in today's conditions, namely the cold war or a war of ideology," he said at a meeting held by Lakpesdam NU of Blitar here on Saturday (26/10).

Meanwhile, Syaiful Maarif speaking at the forum said that now NU had not had ulema whose charisma and sufi attributes such as wara' (scrupulous abstinence) are the same as such NU ulema as KH Hasyim Asyari, KH Wahab Hasbullah and KH Wahid Hasyim.

"That's why, NU cadres, especially today's clerics must reflect and imitate the ulema personalities," he explained.

The Secretary Lakpesdam NU of Blitar Gigih Wardana said the commemoration of the NU jihad resolution should be annual agenda. 

"The commemoration is a reflection momentum for NU cadres to continue the ulema and pesantren struggle in fighting for the Indonesian independence," he said.

As we know, the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), KH Hasyim Asy'ari  issued the jihad resolution for supporting and encouraging Muslims to join the battle and fight against the reoccupation of Indonesia by foreign troops.

The fatwa followed a meeting of ulema from Java and Madura in Surabaya to respond to the proclamation of Indonesia’s independence by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta in Jakarta on Aug. 17, 1945. 

The fatwa was written in pegon, an Arabic script but in Indonesian or Javanese (Amiq, 1998; 88). It says, among other things, that there is an obligation (fardlu ain) for Muslims to fight against infidels (the Dutch) in order to defend Indonesian independence, that those who died during the fight against NICA (Netherland Indies Civil Administration) would be considered martyrs and the killing of those who undermine the movement and break national unity is legitimate. This fatwa later on became well-known as the Jihad Resolution.

Naturally, the issuance of the fatwa stimulated fighters to stream into Surabaya and fight the Allied troops. The fighters included followers of the Hizbullah and Sabilillah groups from Surabaya and the surrounding cities such as Sidoarjo, Gresik, Mojokerto, Jombang and others.


Reporting by Imam Kusnin; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq