NU Ulama Forum Halaqah Reflects on PBNU Leadership
The Forum Ulama Nahdliyin (FUN) held a one-day halaqah ahead of the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress to discuss an evaluation of the leadership of the Pengurus Besar Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) in Jombang, East Java.
FUN Chairman K.H. Mujib Qulyubi said in Jombang on Wednesday that the halaqah was part of an effort to reflect on and evaluate the PBNU leadership.
“As the Prophet Muhammad SAW said, when you see wrongdoing, change it with power; if you cannot, then with words. If you cannot, then the weakest of faith is with the heart,” Mujib said.
The halaqah, held at the Darul Ulum University hall, was attended by hundreds of kiai who lead Islamic boarding schools, NU figures, administrators of NU autonomous bodies, and Nahdliyin members.
The forum discussed a range of views, criticisms, corrections, and suggestions regarding the current PBNU leadership as well as hopes for the next period.
“The Rais Syuriyah of the Gorontalo Provincial NU Board, dr. K.H. Burhanudin Umar, resigned as Rais Syuriyah because he could no longer bear to witness the quarrels among our elites. Hopefully, however small our efforts, this cultural NU endeavour will be recorded as part of that struggle,” he said.
NU figure Andi Najmi Fuadi said the halaqah specifically discussed reflections on PBNU leadership and was held one day before the 35th NU Congress as input for congress participants.
The caretaker of Wali Islamic Boarding School in Salatiga, K.H. Anis Maftuhin, delivered criticism of the current PBNU leadership and reminded congress participants to consider aspects of trustworthiness and public benefit when making their choice.
“The current leader is la qowiyyan walaa amiinan (neither strong nor trustworthy). Do not re-elect him,” Anis said.
“There are three Ls in today’s PBNU: fading ulama character, fading tradition of tabayun, fading ri’ayatul ummah. Today’s PBNU is managerially weak and does not bring benefit,” he said.
According to Anis, religious activities among Nahdliyin at the grassroots level continue to run. However, he assessed that the dynamics ahead of the congress show tensions and conditioning that need attention.
He also criticised the direction of NU cadre development, which he said potentially leans more towards strengthening bureaucratic power and positions.
“Below there is a paradox. Cadre development is now aimed at strengthening power or positions in the bureaucracy. Therefore, it is our shared task to entrust aspirations to congress participants to bring benefit to Nahdliyin. Differences of opinion must become a blessing and a war of ideas,” he said.
The caretaker of Algebra Islamic Boarding School in Bogor, K.H. Khariri Makmun, quoted the Prophet Muhammad SAW on the importance of conveying the truth and urged NU to pay more attention to the condition of society.
“NU must be with the people, especially in these difficult days. Friends at the grassroots hope NU will focus on observing conditions in society and then engage in dialogue with the government. In the era of Gus Dur, K.H. Hasyim Muzadi, and Kiai Said, that was done,” he said.
According to Khariri, this relates, among other things, to the freezing of several cadre development programmes and the unclear status of a number of decrees ahead of the congress.
He also delivered criticism regarding the issue of cooperation with foreign parties, which he said needs to be a concern for the organisation. The statement was conveyed as a view in the halaqah forum.
Other criticism was delivered by the caretaker of Madrasatul Quran Islamic Boarding School, K.H. Mustain Syafi’i, who stressed the importance of maintaining the continuity of NU religious practices while strengthening the oversight function over the organisation’s administrators.
“If it is nahi ’anil mungkar, the wrongdoing does not yet exist. So now the appropriate argument is taghyir ’anil mungkar. The problem is, if rats control the barn, go and buy the most effective poison. Make use of istighotsah, wa ahlikil kafarota. We also composed sholawat asyghil, and it turns out the unjust ones are NU’s own administrators,” Mustain said.
“When NU and Muhammadiyah were given mining concessions, their leaders all fell silent. Is our country not damaged enough by the emergency of corruption? Rather than mocking, let us seek forgiveness,” Mustain said.
He said NU needs to return to strengthening its attention to the welfare of the people, in line with the values inherited from the ulama and the organisation’s founders.
The 35th NU Congress is scheduled to take place on 27–31 August 2026 at Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School in Tambakberas, Jombang, East Java.