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.