Nahla Moslem executive club strives to go global
Nahla Moslem executive club strives to go global
Text and photo by K. Basrie
JAKARTA (JP): A line of diplomats, business executives, professionals and expatriates, all wearing their business outfits, filed into the spacious room to attend Indonesia's only Friday prayer service in English.
Organized by the three-year-old Nahla Club for Moslem executives on the sixth floor of the Wisma GKBI building near the Semanggi cloverleaf, the 11 a.m. service presented Kaswar Syamsu, a lecturer at the Bogor University of Agriculture, as the preacher.
"This is a very, very good place not only for saying prayers and understanding the khotbah (sermon), but also for getting to know the local people," said Younas Noor Mohammad, a Pakistani executive working for PT Tirtamas Comexindo.
"There's a lot of interaction among the people here just like we're sitting now after the prayer, which basically is the purpose of getting together in the mosque."
Nahla chairman Haryono Eddyarto told The Jakarta Post after last week's prayer that Nahla is a non-profit independent organization run in accordance with Islam teaching and with no political affiliation.
"The spirit of this club is symbolized by its name," he said. Nahla is Arabic for bee.
The sermon is just one of the organization's many activities, he added.
"Since the establishment of our group three years ago on Ramadhan 17 (the date of the first revelation of the Koran based on the Islamic calendar), we have carried out a number of activities, including helping the poor and holding short courses on various subjects, such as preaching class for executives."
The English-language service began last year after the management of Wisma GKBI building donated free space to be used as a temporary mosque.
"Up to now, we're still looking for the appropriate site for Nahla's permanent mosque," Haryono said.
Mosque
Several parties, including foreign embassies, have offered space to be used for the mosque, he added, "but we still need time to select the most favorable place."
Preachers are drawn from prominent local Moslem scholars and figures, such as Nurcholish Madjid, Amien Rais and Minister of Food Ibrahim Hasan.
After Friday prayers, Nahla members gather for a short meeting to discuss various topics, including business affairs.
Members include cabinet ministers Azwar Anas, Tungky Ariwibowo, Tarmidzi Taher, Inten Soeweno and Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya, officials Fuad Bawazier and R.S. Museno, banker Mochtar Mandala and Pertiwi Hasan, the wife of business tycoon Mohamad (Bob) Hasan.
Nahla's activities span two main aspects based on Islamic teachings, hablumminannaas, or the relationship with other human beings, and hablumminallah, the relationship with God.
Community focused activities include fund raising for economic programs, such as education and health care, and supporting the government's efforts to eradicate poverty.
Studies, recitation and discussions on the teachings of the Koran and improving understanding of Islam among Moslems are also held.
On the international level, the club is seeking an active role in striving to protect basic human freedoms based on Islamic teachings, Haryono said. This will be done through enhancing creativity, initiative and self-awareness within the scope of social responsibility and solidarity, as well as strengthening and promoting Moslem brotherhood.
Global support
"We are now on our way to collect written endorsements from several countries around the globe which intend to join the club," Haryono said.
Moslem associations in South Africa, Jordan, Australia and several nations in the region have contacted Nahla about membership.
In Indonesia, Nahla has branches in the North Sumatran capital of Medan and several districts in Jakarta.
"The number of active members is still small, about 500 people," Haryono said. "But we know we have a large number of participants."
He described the group's members as diverse, spanning doctors, diplomats and young people. "We welcome anybody of any profession to join us."
An advantage to membership is that members are entitled to discounts when they use the services of businesses, such as hotels and airlines, affiliated with fellow Nahla members.
"For example, Nahla members using Emerald or Jordan airlines will get attractive discount rates for their tickets," he said.
He said Nahla never loses sight of its fundamental objective to assist others. "All the projects or products we make here should be based on our principle that the well-to-do support the needy people."
The club, with headquarters at Wisma Bank Dharmala in Central Jakarta, can be contacted by calling 522-5435/6.