NU Proposes AHWA Become Permanent Institution, Not Ad Hoc

Senior Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cleric KH. Musta’in Syafi’ie has proposed that the ahlul halli wal ’aqdi (AHWA) be made a permanent institution, not an ad hoc one. AHWA should be given the authority to dismiss the Rais Aam and Chairman of PBNU who violate organisational rules.

“AHWA is not only for the NU Congress, but must be continued, not ad hoc,” said Kiai Musta’in during the 35th NU Congress Discussion Series with the theme Stop Transactional Politics at the NU Congress, held at Trisnoku Cafe, Jalan Raden Saleh, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday 18 August 2026.

In addition to becoming a permanent institution, AHWA should be filled by mastur ulama — scholars who have finished with themselves, who do not pursue positions, are not obsessed with power, and are not scholars who love the world.

“Sufi scholars who can read people with their inner eyes. Mastur ulama, majhul,” stressed the teacher at Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School in Jombang.

AHWA members should not be limited to just nine people, but need to be supplemented with several kiai who are truly upright and do not pursue wealth and position.

Kiai Musta’in cited Iran’s leadership model as an example of the AHWA concept. The highest institution in Iran is filled by mastur figures and scholars. With that system, they can elect a president in a single day.

“In one day they can directly elect a president, because all the ulama are mastur in their identity. Even though they are Shia,” Kiai Musta’in explained.

He said that besides becoming a permanent institution, NU’s AHWA should also be given several authorities. For example, in the context of the NU Congress, AHWA has the right to disqualify candidates proven to have engaged in transactional politics.

“AHWA can disqualify candidates who make down payments. Such candidates should simply be stopped. If this is not done, it will continue like this,” he asserted.

AHWA should also be given the authority to dismiss the Rais Aam and Chairman of PBNU who are proven to have violated organisational rules. Thus, AHWA would also act as or determine the tahkim council.

Of course, he continued, the Rais Aam and Chairman of PBNU must not sit on the tahkim council. If both were to join the tahkim council, the institution would find it difficult to carry out its duties when those two individuals were in trouble.