Religious Affairs Minister: The Spirit of KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah Remains Relevant in Strengthening Moderation
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has affirmed that the spirit of KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah’s struggle remains highly relevant for strengthening religious moderation, transforming pesantren, and enhancing national resilience amidst current socio-religious challenges.
This affirmation emerged during a book discussion on “KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah: Founder of NU, Driver of NKRI,” themed “The Mastermind of Movement: Unveiling the Art of Inclusive Leadership and the Dialectic of Moderation,” held at UIN Jurai Siwo Lampung on Saturday (16/5/2026).
The forum served as a space for reflection to revive the thoughts and struggles of Kiai Wahab as one of the important figures who founded Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and also drove Indonesian nationalism.
The Minister of Religious Affairs, Prof Nasaruddin Umar, who attended via video, affirmed that pesantren is an authentic Indonesian educational institution that has been tested by time and plays a strategic role in maintaining national morality and producing leaders with nationalist and Islamic values.
In his speech, Nasaruddin stated that the government is currently strengthening the institutionalization of pesantren through the transformation of the Directorate General of Pesantren within the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
According to him, this step is being taken so that pesantren not only becomes a moral fortress but also develops as a center for innovation, economic empowerment of the community, and an educational institution capable of competing globally.
“If in the past KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah used organizations and diplomacy to protect the nation, then today we must use science and technology to maintain national sovereignty and human dignity,” said Nasaruddin.
He also emphasized the importance of emulating Kiai Wahab’s thoughts and struggles in building moderate, adaptive, and relevant Islamic education for current developments.
The Director of Pesantren at Kemenag, Basnang Said, affirmed that the history of Indonesia’s struggle cannot be separated from the contributions of pesantren and great figures such as Kiai Wahab Hasbullah.
“When talking about Indonesia and pesantren, it is incomplete if we do not talk about Kiai Wahab Hasbullah. He was not only a founder of an organization but also a national figure who maintained Indonesian unity through a moderate religious approach,” he said.
Basnang believes that Kiai Wahab’s intellectual legacy remains highly relevant in facing the challenges of intolerance, violence, and social fragmentation in Indonesia today.