“NU and Contemporary Indonesian Islam”

Open Forum with

Dr. President, Nahdlatul

February 8, 2008

Indonesian Islam is, in essence, described as a victim of moderate, and NU is actively terrorism, especially since 9/11. taking steps to confront the virulent strains of Islam now being During this period, there have been seen in the country, according to increasing calls for Indonesia to Dr. Hasyim Muzadi, President of become an Islamic state, but Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), Muzadi emphasized that NU and Indonesia’s largest Islamic want Indonesia to organization. be an Islamic society, not an Islamic state. Muzadi described how Indonesian Islam, combined with Indonesian In response, NU has undertaken culture, rejects violence. He several steps to combat religious pinpointed the entrance of violent violence. Firstly, NU itself has and radical elements to 1998 and consolidated internally to ward off the fall of the regime. outside influences; it has invited Describing the Constitution under other Islamic organizations to join Suharto as a bulwark against NU in combating violence; NU has radical global influences, Muzadi worked with organizations of other blamed the weakening of the religions to combat radicalism in Constitution during the Reformasi all religions; NU offices have period for the entrance of global made themselves into centers of and Middle Eastern radical religious discussion and influences into Indonesia. Muzadi interaction; it has sponsored international efforts in terrorist

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“origin” countries, including former PKS supporters returning sponsoring an international to NU and Muhammadiyah. organization of clerics; and NU has cooperated with Indonesian Muzadi agreed with a questioner police and intelligence that there is foreign money flowing organizations. to radical groups in Indonesia, but that liberal groups are also Muzadi went on to describe how receiving added funds. In fact, NU is actively trying to correct there has been growth in liberal “wayward” groups, and to bring groups precisely because of the them back into the fold of growth of radical groups in mainstream Islam. NU also Indonesia. He made clear that NU presses the government to ensure does not receive any foreign funds that any terrorists get due process, because it would undermine its as a security crackdown will only neutrality. NU is more content, he engender “revenge” and a lack of said, to build its own network of useful intelligence on their enterprises in such sectors as activities. agriculture and mining.

Partially as a result of this activity, In response to a question about Indonesia has not experienced a sharia law in Indonesia, Muzadi terrorist attack in over a year. emphasized that all Muslims have Muzadi said that in the future, a duty to abide by sharia edicts. Indonesia can overcome the The question really is whether it problem of terror by gradually needs to be done at the individual taking away the “space” within level or in a state context. Muzadi society for terrorists to operate. said that he believed that sharia was appropriate for civil society, In response to a question regarding but not for the state, especially radical elements in the 2009 since this would shut out groups elections, Muzadi said that radical from other religions. He went on groups and individuals would to say that he does not believe that likely not be able to enter the party 70% of Indonesians are in favor of process, and thus the elections. sharia, as some polls claim, and in any case, the state should not be Muzadi also said that he expects enforcing Islamic law. support for the PKS will continue to decline in the 2009 election, and Talking about the Indonesian that he has seen many young election system, Muzadi expressed his opinion that there is a real

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burden on political parties with the expensive burden for political number of national-level elections parties. He thought a return to the that are held. He said that every old system with only direct five years, six national-level elections for President and the elections are held, creating an Parliament was appropriate.

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