Nahdhatul Ulama: from traditionalist to modernist Anzar Abdullah, Muhammad Hasbi & Harifuddin Halim Universitas Islam Makassar Universitas Bosowa (UNIBOS) Makassar [email protected] Abstract This article is aimed to discuss the change shades of thought in Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) organization, from traditionalist to modernist. This is a literature study on thought that develop within related to NU bodies with Islamic cosmopolitanism discourse for interact and absorb of various element manifestation cultural and insight scientist as a part from discourse of modernism. This study put any number figures of NU as subject. The results of the study show that elements thought from figure of NU, like Gusdur which includes effort eliminate ethnicity, strength plurality culture, inclusive, liberal, heterogeneity politics, and life eclectic religion, has been trigger for the birth of the modernism of thought in the body of NU. It caused change of religious thought from textual to contextual, born in freedom of thinking atmosphere. Keywords: Nahdhatul Ulama, traditionalist, modernist, thought, organization Introduction The dynamic of Islamic thought that continues to develop within the NU organization in the present context, it is difficult to say that NU is still traditional, especially in the area of religious thought. This can be seen in the concept of inclusivism, cosmopolitanism, and even liberalism developed by NU figures such as Abdurrahman Wahid, Achmad Siddiq, and some young NU figures, such as Ulil Absar Abdalla. This shows a manifestation of modern thought. Critical thinking as a feature of modernism seems to have become the consumption of NU activists today. Therefore, a new term emerged among those called "re- interpretation of ahlussunah-waljamaah" and the re-interpretation of the concept of "bermazhab" or sect. It means that for contemporary NU leaders, their religious practices and thoughts that have been going on, need to be questioned again, even sued. Indeed, when the birth of the NU organization in 1926, perhaps a traditional Islamic label deserves to be held until the late 1970s. But if looking at the dynamics that exist, especially nowadays, there needs to be a review to question "is the discourse of traditionalist and modernist dichotomy still relevance in the context of Islamic thought movement in Indonesia?" The reason is simple, that the polarization of traditionalist and modernist thought cannot be retained again. Especially the traditional label is given to NU, is unacceptable. Because since returning to Khittah 1926 at NU 27th congress in 1984 in Situbondo, NU under the leadership of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gusdur), NU made many changes, ranging from vision, orientation, and strategy. Evidence of intellectual development and Islamic thought in the body of NU, many sponsored by young NU figures. They have progressive religious ideas in response to modernity by using their own tradition base. They focus not only on modernity but also revitalize their own traditions. It International Conference on Islam and Muslim Societies (ICONIS) 2018 200 is this factor that distinguishes the Muhammadiyah organization, which cleverly corrects others, while never wanting to correct itself. These small groups are revitalizing and transforming. In the process of revitalization and transformation, they criticize tradition, not just the traditions of others, but also their own traditions. The implication is that when there is contact with compounds with new knowledge, the reading of the vision of modernism and cosmopolitanism is growing in the body of NU. Historically the emergence of the flow of modernism in the minds of the NU began when a number of ideas emerged from NU younger activists who were less populist. Their presence emerged from a group of scientific studies incorporated in Lakpesdam (Institute for Human Resource Research and Development) NU. The institute gave birth to a scientific journal called Tashwirul Afkar, where it published the writings and research results of young NU figures. Likewise, there is The Asia Foundation, The Wahid Institute which publishes a book that speaks of the intellectual development of thought among NU figures. Those who actively gave birth to writings and scientific papers, generally are educated in traditional rural pesantren who then moved to big cities. It called a few young NU figures, such as Ahmad Baso, Ulil Absar Abdalla, Khamami Zada, Marzuki Wahid, Yenni Wahid, and Zuhairi Misrawi, are the figures of renewal of modernist thought. In Yogyakarta, the Institute for Islamic and Social Studies (LKiS) provides information on the labels of Islamic modernism, when publishing translations of several world-class Islamic articles such as al-Jabiri and Mohammad Ar-Koun. Historical studies show that the emergence of the idea of modernism within the body of NU began from the thinking that is developed in the organization of Indonesian Islamic Student Movement (PMII). This movement of young intellectualism of NU, since the 1980s experienced a progressive development of discourse, even touching urgent issues in the body of NU, including questioning the tradition of Aswaja which is a genre of the NU community. It can even be said that this young NU figure has modernist and liberal ideas, concepts, and ideas compared to those who had already declared themselves modernists. NU Intellectual Network: Evidence of Rejection of Traditionalism Labels It cannot be denied that the intellectual discourse within NU's body is developing very dynamically. Its roots can be traced backward since the 17th and 18th centuries.1 This study shows that at that time, the archipelago of the archipelago has shown an impressive intellectual dynamics. The dynamics are, among others, visible from the involvement of the archipelago of ulama or theologian on the network of scholars based in Mecca and Medina. The pioneers are those Jawi clerics represented by Nur al-Din ar-Raniri, Abdul Rauf-al- Singkili, Muhammad Yusuf al-Maqassari, and Muhammad Arsyad al-Banjari. 2 The intellectual network continued to develop until the 19th and 20th centuries when this intellectual genealogy of the NU began to manifest itself. In the long span of time, before the early NU established a relationship with Mecca and Medina, the Jawi cleric has absorbed the Middle Eastern tradition, as well as developing a Sunni-based religious 1 A full discussion of this issue can be seen in Azyumardi Azra‘s work, Jaringan Ulama Timur Tengah dan Kepulauan Nusantara Abad XVII dan XVIII, Melacak Akar-Akar Pembaruan Islam di Indonesia, Bandung: Mizan, 2007, xvii-xxiv. 2 Rumadi, dkk, ―Post-Tradisionalisme Islam: Wacana Intelektualisme dalam Komunitas NU,‖ ISTIQRO, Volume 2, Nomor 1 (2003), 203-205. International Conference on Islam and Muslim Societies (ICONIS) 2018 201 discourse on both theological, fiqh and tasawuf aspects which became the Islamic scholar standard of Nusantara. In the middle of 19th century, religious discourse in the archipelago is characterized by the increasingly advanced position of the archipelago of the archipelago in Mecca and Medina. If previously scholars Jawi more a student of scholars in Haramain, then in the 19th century, began to born international-class archipelago clergy who became professors in Mecca and Medinah. These teachers gave birth to a new network called Southeast Asia Connection. The most prominent names are Nawawi al-Bantani, Ahmad Khatib al-Sambasi, Abdul Karim al-Bantani, Ahmad Rifa'i Kalisasak, Ismail al-Khalidi al- Minangkabawi, Daud Ibn Abdullah al-Fatani, Junaid al- Batawi, Ahmad Khatib al- Minangkabawi, Shaykh Ahmad Nahrawi al-Banyumasi, Muhammad Mahfuz al-Tirm, Hasan Musthafa al-Garuti, Sayyed Muhsin al-Palimbani, Muhammad Yasin al-Padani, Abdul Kadir al-Banjari, Ahmad Damanhuri al-Bantani etc3. The intellectual network of NU in the early period was inseparable from the characters. If Hasyim Asy'ari (W.1945), made a central figure of NU intellectualism, then there are some scholars who can be referred to as the intellectual network of ulama NU scholars, namely Mahfuz al-Tirm, Nawawi al-Bantani, Ahmad Khatib al-Minangkabawi, Kiyai Khalil Bangkalan. The first generation of NU's contemporary Hashim Asy'ari, such as Bisri Syamsuri (1886-1990) and Wahab Hasbullah (1888-1971) whose intellectual network is inseparable from the names. In addition to the domestic network, the intellectual genealogy of the NU scholars, as previous scholars, also made Mecca and Medina as a center of intellectual orientation. All NU scholars in this early period studied in Mecca.4 Hasyim Asy'ari as NU locomotive, for 8 years living in Mecca since the age of 20 years and studied at Akhmad Khatib al- Minangkabawi, Mahfuz al-Tirm and Nawawi al-Bantani. They are scholars with international reputations, have a great influence on the discourse of Islamic intellectualism in the archipelago. For example, Nawawi al-Bantani who received praise from Snouck Hurgronye as the most pious Indonesian of his time, as well as very humble, is a very productive scholar writing various books in various disciplines studied in pesantren. Nawawi al-Bantani can be regarded as a scholar who opens the horizon of NU intellectualism.5 The assertion of the intellectual tradition of the NU, cannot be separated from the archipelago's network of scholars with the clerics in Mecca and Medina. With the philosophy of al-muhafadzah-ala-al-qadim al-shalih wa al-akhdzu bi al-jadid al-ashlah (maintaining something old and good, and taking something new better). With this principle, NU's intellectual property stretched from the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW, the classical, mid-to-modern era today.6 The above description shows that the dynamics of Islamic thought that developed in Indonesia was not only based on local but has roots far from their home country that is in Mecca and Medina (Saudi Arabia). Its appearance is also not abrupt, but through a long historical process, there is continuity and change. This shows the importance of using a historical perspective in view of the various thoughts that develop because after all, it is a historical phenomenon.