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Notwithstanding its considerable contribution to
Indonesian politics and cultures, Nahdlatul Ulama (which literally means
the “awakening of religious scholars”), Indonesia’s largest Islamic
organization, has been poorly understood in the West. While most
Western political commentators and policy makers absorb an almost daily
dose of news or intelligence regarding Islamist extremist organizations
or terrorist groups in the predominantly Muslim countries of the Middle
East and Southeast Asia, there is far less information and understanding
of Muslim peacemakers, moderate-progressive groups, and organizations
that advocate for tolerance and pluralism. Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is one
of the world’s foremost Muslim associations devoted to the spread of the
Islamic message of justice, peace, and tolerance.
Established in 1926, NU today has a membership of more than 80 million. Founded as a critical reaction to the growth of Indonesia’s Wahhabi reformist and modernist groups, which were attempting to shrink Indonesian Muslim, practices of locally inspired religious traditions, cultures, and knowledge, NU developed a reputation as the guardian of traditions – both classical Islamic traditions of knowledge, and local traditions and cultures. Accordingly, NU has been dubbed a “traditionalist Islamic organization”—a label that can be easily misconstrued. Indeed, NU serves as one of Indonesia’s leading Muslim institutions dedicated to the protection and attainment not only of traditional values and practices of Islam, but also citizenship, democratic civility, inter-group conciliation, religious tolerance, and the public good. In this regard, NU is traditional and modern, conservative and progressive alike.
Established in 1926, NU today has a membership of more than 80 million. Founded as a critical reaction to the growth of Indonesia’s Wahhabi reformist and modernist groups, which were attempting to shrink Indonesian Muslim, practices of locally inspired religious traditions, cultures, and knowledge, NU developed a reputation as the guardian of traditions – both classical Islamic traditions of knowledge, and local traditions and cultures. Accordingly, NU has been dubbed a “traditionalist Islamic organization”—a label that can be easily misconstrued. Indeed, NU serves as one of Indonesia’s leading Muslim institutions dedicated to the protection and attainment not only of traditional values and practices of Islam, but also citizenship, democratic civility, inter-group conciliation, religious tolerance, and the public good. In this regard, NU is traditional and modern, conservative and progressive alike.
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