Nahdlatul Ulama enters its second century facing relevance challenges amid rapid changes. Ahead of the 35th Muktamar, the organization stands at a crossroads to return to its founding khittah while addressing internal turbulence. Analysis stresses the need to focus on education, dakwah, and social services to remain NKRI's anchor.
Nahdlatul Ulama has traversed more than a century, forged by kiai, nurtured by santri, guarded by the umat, and supported by unbroken traditions. The organization has always served as a shelter for society, a unifier in times of fracture, and an anchor against surging ideological currents. Now, approaching the 35th Muktamar, NU stands at a major crossroads: whether to focus on seeking leadership figures or to chart a course for continued relevance in its second century.
Relevance in the second century demands a return to khittah, the founding spirit as a jam’iyyah that shelters the umat, not a battleground for influence. NU grew through the sincerity of kiai, santri, and jamaah working selflessly. Amid political clamor and digital floods, the focus must be on education, dakwah, social services, and community welfare. The 35th Muktamar should formulate a roadmap, institutional systems, cadre development for ulama and professionals, umat economic building, and global religious diplomacy, ensuring NU remains Indonesia's moral lantern and the beacon of Nusantara Islamic civilization.
Leadership figures are important, but not everything. Needed is a leader who unites, dedicates to building visionary systems, understands classical pesantren while navigating modern challenges—a direction architect, not a stage actor. Unfortunately, recent internal PBNU situations have caused unrest, including rumors of impeaching the PBNU Chairman reportedly from Syuriah elements, including the Rais Aam, now public consumption. This highlights acute turbulence in organizational management, like a ship tossed at sea. PBNU requires a skilled consolidator to reorganize scattered remnants across NU levels and grassroots, aligning jam’iyyah and jamaah.
This analysis is by Syukron Jamal, lecturer at Universitas Islam Depok and director of Jaringan Muslim Madani.