The NU convention and nonconventional Islam

The NU convention and nonconventional Islam

Rizqon Khamami, New Delhi

The convention (Muktamar) of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) which will
be held from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 in Donohudan, Surakarta is a focal
point for the future of progressive Islam in Indonesia. The very
fact that Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation,
and the NU is the biggest Islamic organization in the country,
leads to the assumption that progressive Islam, which is the main
characteristic of Indonesian Islam, would be at stake, if the
views of progressive Islam are rejected during the convention.

Within the NU, the idea of progressive Islam is held by
several young intellectuals.

For instance, Liberal Islam is upheld by Ulil Abshar Abdalla
and Moqsith Ghozali through the Liberal Islam Network (JIL).
Other elements of progressive Islam are included, but not limited
to, Islam Emansipatopry (P3M), Islam Leftist (LKiS), Islam
Indigenous (Khamami Zada), Islam International (Nadirsyah Hosen),
Post-Traditional Islam (ICIS) and Islam Post Religion (Rumadi).

It can be safely stated that their views represent a new wave
of emerging young intellectual Muslims during the last 10 years
within NU. Despite their different approaches, they share a
similar view that Islam should be reinterpreted in a moderate,
contextual and progressive way.

However, all the discourses are not without hindrance. The
idea of progressive Islam has been criticized by several
conservative ulema. These ulema are of the opinion that discourse
on progressive Islam is not only based on Western secular views
but is also against the fundamental concept of NU's teachings in
terms of its theology and legal interpretation.

By contrast, the conservative group interprets Islamic
teachings in a textual and traditional way. They use the sources,
opinions and methodology that have been issued by the ulema for
centuries. They do not consider the fact that such views are
unsuited to the current situation.

How will the upcoming convention be deemed a definitive
moment? Thus far, the public have paid more attention to the
struggle between the incumbent NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi and
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, former Indonesian president and
former NU chairman, as a continuation of recent conflict between
them during the presidential race.

Little attention has been drawn to the real challenge faced
by the largest Muslim organization of whether to adopt a
progressive line or to accommodate conservative views. The
struggle between these two camps is more important than the
personal conflict between Hasyim and Gus Dur. The failure of the
progressive group to take a role in the NU would seriously damage
the future of Islam in Indonesia.

In this sense, the most important issue which must be
addressed during the Muktamar is the renewal of Islamic legal
methodology, which it is argued should constitute a fresh and
highly promising theoretical construct and represent a new
holistic and contextual approach to legal language and legal
interpretation.

The NU will need to reduce their dependence on the old
methodology, which is a product of the sociological structure of
classical and medieval Muslim societies. In other words, they
need to develop new interpretations of original sources while
studying the interpretations of the past, both to learn from
their insights and to understand them as products of their
historical environment.

Above all, the course of progressive Islam basically is
dependent on Syuriah (the advisory council within NU). This is
the real powerful structure of NU. It consists of the most
prominent ulema. During several decades, particularly during the
tenure of Gus Dur and of Hasyim Muzadi, this board had been
trespassed by Tanfidziyah (the executive body). The proponents of
progressive Islam suggest that restructuring the relationship
between Syuriah and Tanfiziyah should strengthen the role of
Syuriah. This is particularly important since Hasyim Muzadi
allegedly used the NU for his own political interests during the
2004 presidential election. He was the running mate of former
president Megawati Soekarnoputri in the election.

The appointment of Masdar F. Mas'udi as an acting executive
chairperson of NU during the non-active tenure of Hasyim was to
empower Syuriah. It is akin to the structure of the hierarchy of
the pesantren (Islamic boarding school), in which the real leader
is the kyai pengasuh pesantren (the owner of a pesantren), and
Tanfidziyah is on par with lurah pondok (head of a pesantren)
which are mostly taken from the most senior santri, rather than
making an effort to 'modernize' the organization. Interestingly,
the appointment indicates that the current Syuriah accepted the
idea of progressive Islam since Masdar is widely known as one of
the progressive Muslim thinkers.

During Musyawarah Besar (conference) of NU members in
Ciwaringin, Cirebon, several young intellectuals of NU also
decided to bring back the power to Syuriah. The intention,
surely, is a means to bar Hasyim Muzadi or any politically
leaning person from holding a key position in the executive
board. It is also suggested that the upcoming election for the
Tanfidziyah will be in the hands of the elected Syuriah. If the
suggestion is accepted, NU will be able to stay away from
political temptation as long as the Syuriah is able to ensure
this. Does it suffice?

However, the young intellectuals are unaware of an immediate
obstacle if the Syuriah holds back its power. In part, there is
no guarantee that a progressive ulema such as K.H. Sahal Mahfudz
will be reelected.

In the community of NU, every nodding of an ulema's head is
very important, especially toward any new Islamic discourses, no
matter how strange. So, whoever is elected as chairperson of the
Syuriah board is the main person who will lead the organization
and determine the future stream of Islam in regard to modernity
and the wave of globalization.

So, the emerging voice of restlessness of young NU and their
efforts to modernize Islam would not be smooth. It depends on
whom the elected Syuriah will be. The young NU requires support
of kyai who have a liberal vision of Islam.

The writer is a student of Islamic studies at Jamia Millia
Islamia (JMI) New Delhi, India.