A Social and Religious Movement

H. Ghazali from Surabaya H. Sidik from Surabaya

Muhammad Mangun from Surabaya

H. Abdul Kahar (Board of Executive advisor) from Surabaya H. Ibrahim (Board of Executive advisor) from Surabaya.¹¹⁹

From the description of the NU establishment above, there are two major assumptions that may serve as bases in drawing conclusions on the background in the establishment of NU. First assumption, viewed from theological point of view, NU existed as a response to the political development in Middle East, especially in HҕidjƗz land being coloured by the victory of Islamic reform in the Middle East, which incarnated into various Islamic organizations in Indonesia.

Second assumption, viewed from a socio-cultural point of view, NU existed in the framework to save Islamic society from negative influences of western modernization, especially from the Dutch. In other words, NU existed to block western cultural penetration. Nevertheless, the most important background beside those is concerning the demand for tolerance of Islamic practice according to the teaching of four schools in the society of Islam traditionalist.

organization intended for ulamas, who would like to do something for the benefit of the Islamic Society. In order to reach that purpose, it made the following efforts:

1. To improve relations with ‘Oelama-Oelama’ who follow any one of the four Islamic jurists.

2. To verify the previous books used in teaching, in order to find out whether those books containing teachings of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a or teachings of Ahl Bid‘a.

3. To spread Islam based on any of the four schools with good method.

4. To make efforts to increase Islamic schools.

5. To keep on maintaining mesjid-mesjid (mosques), surau-surau (houses of worship) and pesantren-pesantren (traditional Islamic schools) and to care of the orphan and the indigent.

6. To establish organizations which serve to develop agriculture and commerce and to establish companies not forbidden by Islamic teaching.¹²²

Further developments, noted that NU changed its statute in 1961 and 1979.

However, the organization still used Ahl al-Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a as the base of the movement. The term of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a is not mentioned explicitly in NU’s 1961 statute, but this organization stated its purpose that: It is to perform Islamic law based on one of the four schools. Then, the term reappeared in the NU’s 1979 statute, as the result of the NU’s 26^th congress in Semarang, which determined that the purpose of NU was “To uphold the fiqh based on Ahl al-Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a, Ahl al-MadhƗhib al-Arba‘a". Then, in the 27^th congress in Situbondo, in 1984, NU determined that Pancasila (the five principles) is the foundation of the organization and then made regulations concerning that decision. Besides, it was also added that (in an article in the regulations) the form of faith adopted by NU is Djam‘iyya DƯniyya IslƗmiyya (Islamic religious organisation) faith of Islam based on Ahl Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a concepts, following one of the four Islamic jurists: H̙anafiyya, MƗlikiyya, ShƗfi‘iyya, and H̙anbaliyya.¹²³

After the organization of NU was established, the first step to do was to send a delegation to the new authority of HҙidjƗz. After the delegation of Komite

122 Statuen Perkoempoelan Nahdatoel Oelama 1926: 3 (Archives of NU Gresik), on Feillard, NU vis a vis…, pp. 12-3.

123 Haidar, Nahdatul Ulama dan…, p. 69.

Hijaz came back on June 27, 1928 or Muharam18, AH 1346, they were appointed to attend The World Islamic Congress, but they missed the ship to Middle East, so they could not participate in the congress. Later, that committee intended to meet King Sa‘njd to propose the demand of ulamas to get tolerance from the king to perform practices of religious obligations in accordance with the teachings of any of the four great Islamic jurists.

Furthermore, NU conducted its first congress in Rabi‘ I 14-16, AH 1346/September 21-28, 1926, at the Muslimin Hotel on Jalan Peneleh, Surabaya.

That congress was attended by 93 ulamas from Java and Madura and also ulama from Palembang (South Sumatra) and 2 ulamas from Martapura (South Kalimantan). That congress was successful in determining 21 important points especially about the obligation to follow the madhhab in order to realise Ahl al-Sunna wa al-DjamƗ‘a teachings. The congress also gave report that new branches of Nahdatul Wathan were opened in some regions and that Jam’iyah Nashihin (preachers club) was established.¹²⁴

The first seven year period from the establishment of NU (1926–1933) was a period to consolidate the organization in order to increase the number of NU branches in other places, for example: The third congress of NU in September 28-29, 1928 or Rabi‘ II 23-25, AH 1347, successfully formed a Lajnah Nashihin commission. It was a commission of propaganda consisting of 9 members including Hadratus Syaikh K.H. Hasjim Asj’ary. The task of this commission was to establish new branches of NU in other places inside and outside Java. The significant result of propaganda by this commission appeared in the number of delegations from regional branches, which attended congresses, which increased from one congress to another. This success in increasing the number of NU branches in some regions was analogised by Anam (1985: 81), as “the mushrooms appearing rapidly during a rainy season”.

These efforts to establish the branches were aimed to actualize the mandate of this organization, which was summarized in the six main purposes of

124 Swara Nahdlatoel Oelama (no. 2. th 1, Shafar, 1346 H) in Anam, Pertumbuhan dan…, pp. 74-5.

the NU founding. In this period, it seemed as if NU was only paying attention to the relationships among the ulamas by opening more branches. In fact, however, the other main purposes of this organization were still receiving attention. The problems of society, education, and the conduct of da‘wa (religious propagation) remained the main priorities of the organization. It was reported that in the first year there was a branch named ”Madrasah Nahdhatul Wathan”.¹²⁵ In 1929, this Islamic school succeeded in developing its educational system by opening classes consisting of six levels in order to develop the quality of education of Islamic schools. In addition, an afternoon class for the poor and the orphan was also opened.¹²⁶

In the social sector, the youth of NU also participated and contributed their ideas by establishing “Shubbanul Wathan” and “Da’watus Shubban”. Previously, Jam’iyah Nashihin was also opened as a training centre for the youth of NU to prepare for qualified preachers. Da’watus Shubban was formed as a means for the youth oriented to Islamic propagation. Whereas Shubbanul Watan was, a mean for the youth oriented the nationalist movement.

A cooperative (Coperasi Kaum Moeslim – CKM), in Surabaya was then established in 1929 by K.H. Abdul Halim as the second cooperative established by the ulamas after Nahdhatut Tujjar established before the establishment of NU.

This cooperative ran on a commercial basis, using a profit sharing system for its members. All efforts mentioned above in social, educational, and Islamic propagation were efforts to actualize the purposes of the NU establishment in the first period.