Rais Syuriah hopes NU Muktamar prioritises unity

The NU deliberation must produce decisions and leadership that make the organisation better for the nation and state.

Rais Syuriah of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) Prof KH Zainal Abidin hopes the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muktamar in Jombang, East Java, will prioritise unity in order to contribute to building the nation.

“It must be carried out with full joy, solemnity, and prioritise the unity of Nahdlatul Ulama members,” said Zainal Abidin in Palu on Sunday.

He stated that the muktamar, which will take place at the end of August 2026, is the organisation’s highest forum and holds a strategic position in determining NU’s policy direction and future.

Therefore, its implementation must be orderly and reflect the tradition of deliberation that is an important part of organisational life.

He explained that the event is not merely a moment for changing or appointing organisational leadership; it must become an intellectual and strategic space for evaluation, as well as for formulating NU’s response to various social, religious, national and global challenges.

Entering its second century, various issues and challenges may differ from those faced by the muassis, or founders, of NU at the beginning of the first century.

Changing times demand that NU possess the ability to read developments more broadly, without abandoning the fundamental values and scholarly heritage bequeathed by the organisation’s founders.

“Differences of opinion are commonplace in a large organisation. However, such differences must not erase the brotherhood and cohesion of NU members,” said Zainal, who is also Chairman of the Central Sulawesi Interfaith Harmony Forum (FKUB).

He added that NU’s future leadership needs to strengthen its scholarly tradition, cadre development, social services, and the organisation’s contribution to national development.

“NU must continue to be a civil society force capable of presenting a moderate, inclusive and constructive Islam in national life,” said the expert in modern Islamic thought at UIN Datokarama Palu.