Hasyim denies mass prayer link with Gus Dur<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) chairman
\nHasyim Muzadi denied on Sunday allegations that mass prayers held
\nby the country's largest Muslim organization recently were aimed
\nat extending support for President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
\"These Istighotsah Kubro prayers are not aimed at maintaining
\nGus Dur's presidency but rather to ask for God's blessing so we
\ncan cope with the country's crises,\" Hasyim said here, referring
\nto Abdurrahman by his nickname.<\/p>\n
Hasyim claimed that such a practice had been common in the
\npast even before Abdurrahman was elected as President.<\/p>\n
\"We used to do it on a somewhat smaller scale in the evening,
\nbut then one of the NU kyai (clerics) told us that the various
\nrecent conflicts and disputes in this country are signs from
\nheaven that the time has come for all people to seek His
\nforgiveness,\" said Hasyim on the sidelines of a mass prayer
\ngathering of 10,000 people at the Benteng field here.<\/p>\n
Hasyim said that since President Abdurrahman shoulders the
\nbiggest responsibility in solving the country's problems, it is
\nessential for him to be spiritually supported.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman chaired NU for 15 years before he won the
\npresidential post last October. He attended Saturday's mass
\nprayer jointly organized by the NU and the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Another NU gathering was held in Semarang on Sunday, when some
\n30,000 people led by dozens of influential Muslim clerics
\nthronged the Purwodadi Square to pray for the nation's safety and
\nan end to disputes among the members of the political elites.<\/p>\n
\"This mass prayer is part of the spiritual struggle to
\novercome the country's political and economic turmoil,\" said
\nMasyhud Choironi, the chairman of the event organizing committee.<\/p>\n
\"People are tired with this 'never ending' conflict.\"<\/p>\n
\"The members of the elite seem to get along well enough at
\nthis kind of ceremony but after the prayer is over, they start
\nfighting each other again,\" Masyhud said.<\/p>\n
Also attending the gathering was Sahal Mahfudz, the chairman
\nof NU's Syuriah law-making body and who is also the newly elected
\nchief of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).<\/p>\n
\"We sincerely wish that all the nation's leaders stick to
\ntheir commitment to building this already-fractured country and
\nstop making political moves that will end up hurting the common
\npeople,\" Sahal said.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, around 2,000 NU followers gathered at the
\nMlangi Islamic boarding school in Sleman regency, 10 kilometers
\nnorth of Yogyakarta. The prayer was led by senior cleric Muchtar
\nDawam.<\/p>\n
\"We pray for national unity and strength for the sake of Gus
\nDur's administration,\" said chairman of the Yogyakarta chapter of
\nthe National Awakening Party (PKB) Ali As'ad, who attended the
\ngathering.<\/p>\n
He added that thousands of members of the NU's civilian guard
\nBanser are ready to defend Abdurrahman if there is any effort to
\nunseat him.<\/p>\n
\"I understand that Gus Dur is not perfect but it is legally
\nunconstitutional to topple him,\" Ali remarked.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is expected to face his toughest test at the
\nupcoming Annual General Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) slated to take place from Aug. 7 to Aug. 18.<\/p>\n
The fall of former president Soeharto in May 1998 has left the
\ncurrent administration with a mountain of problems, such as the
\nlong-running separatist movements in Irian Jaya and Aceh and
\nsectarian conflicts in Maluku and other parts of the country.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's government has also been plagued by serious
\neconomic problems and political disputes which could lead to a
\nno-confidence motion being filed by MPR members against him.
\n(39\/44\/har\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hasyim-denies-mass-prayer-link-with-gus-dur-1447893297",
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