Awaiting the New Captain of NU in the Modern Era

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is not merely the largest Islamic social organisation in Indonesia. Behind its great name, NU is a home for millions of hopes, a sanctuary for the scholarly traditions of Indonesian Islam, as well as a national bulwark that has helped safeguard the republic since before Indonesia’s independence. From the womb of its pesantren were born scholars, teachers, statesmen, academics, bureaucrats, entrepreneurs, and national leaders who have coloured Indonesia’s journey through the ages. Yet history never stops moving. The world is changing at an unprecedented speed. The digital revolution is transforming how people learn, work, and interact. Artificial intelligence is beginning to replace many jobs. Economic competition is no longer determined by territorial size or natural wealth, but by the quality of human resources and technological mastery. At the same time, the world is also facing a moral crisis, an environmental crisis, information warfare, and political polarisation that threatens social cohesion. Amidst such profound change, it is not enough for NU to simply be a large organisation. NU must be a relevant organisation. Size without relevance will only become a historical monument. Conversely, an organisation capable of reading the times will remain alive even as challenges continue to shift. Therefore, the big question that is beginning to surface is not merely who will lead NU in the coming period. The far more important question is what kind of captain NU needs to steer this great ship into its second century of service. Indonesia needs a stronger NU. NU needs a leader who is not only capable of preserving tradition, but also able to propel the organisation further into a new era. A figure who can unite the strength of scholars, intellectuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, the younger generation, and the pesantren community in one grand vision of building civilisation. The challenges are certainly not light. An organisation as large as NU cannot be led by popularity or oratory skills alone. NU’s leadership today requires a far more complex combination: breadth of knowledge, moral integrity, organisational experience, managerial acumen, diplomatic skill, the courage to make decisions, and a far-reaching vision. The figure needed is one who is clean. In a situation where the public is daily presented with various cases of corruption, abuse of power, and conflicts of interest, NU must stand as a moral exemplar for the nation. Its leader must be an example that power is a trust, not a facility for self-enrichment. Integrity is an absolute prerequisite. It is not enough to be free from legal issues; one must also have a track record of a simple life, transparency, and consistency in safeguarding the organisation’s dignity. Public trust is not built through slogans, but through continuous exemplary conduct demonstrated in daily actions. Yet integrity alone is insufficient. An NU leader must also possess strong intellectual capacity. The Islamic world is facing enormous challenges, ranging from extremism, poverty, and low-quality education, to a lag in the mastery of science and technology. NU must be able to offer answers to these challenges through progressive thought without abandoning its traditional roots. This is where the legacy of NU’s founders becomes very important. KH Hasyim Asy’ari built NU on the foundation of knowledge. KH Wahab Hasbullah taught the importance of organisation. KH Bisri Syansuri instilled steadfastness in preserving tradition. Gus Dur then demonstrated that tradition does not conflict with democracy, pluralism, human rights, and modernity. All of this legacy must be carried forward by NU’s next leader.