KH Hasyim Muzadi, a figure who reflects Indonesia's moderate Islam

 

KH Hasyim Muzadi, a figure who reflects Indonesia's moderate Islam

We can talk too long about KH Hasyim Muzadi in his work in the Indonesian Islamic world. How not, he is one of the people who can bring moderate Islam, based on pesantren and present it with various interesting da'wah styles, depending on the situation and conditions. His ideas and lectures can be received from recitations in villages to academics on an international scale.

In his life span, KH Hasyim Muzadi rarely became a controversial polemic figure. He has always been on the line of moderate, not too extreme right and sideways to the left which means liberal.

He is very keen to convey the view of moderate Islam, against radicalism in Indonesia, which has only entered the transnational agenda, by not only being at the point of ideas and beliefs but it is time for us to act together. This can be seen from the various statements that he conveyed in various forums, including such as in his remarks at UIN Malik Ibrahim Malang on 25/11/2015 ago

"This moderation means comprehensively not only moderation in the field of aqidah, but also sharia," said Kiai Hasyim.

Kiai Hasyim is also a figure who is not antipathy to politics. For him, politics is only a means to perpetuate the strategy of Islamic da'wah. That way, he can sit down to preach, embracing all elements from students to state officials. Evidently, until the end of his life, he still held the position of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres).

In the international arena, the former General Chair of PBNU for the 1999-2010 period also served as Secretary General of the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS), which covered no less than 67 Muslim countries.

Historically, as Secretary General of ICIS, Kiai Hasyim defended Iran for its right to produce nuclear for civilian purposes, not military and lobbied the western world to end its embargo on Iran and succeeded even though it led to slander that he was a shia.

However, oddly enough at the same time, at that time Kiai Hasyim was also active as an administrator of the Rabithah Alam Islami (World Muslim League) based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a country with a majority Wahhabi population. This means that Kiai Hasyim can sit side by side with the two poles that have been represented as contradictory to each other.

For me, one of the things that appealed to Kiai Hasyim was that, in various meetings, he was always able to bring up a witty sense of humor. Da'wah in the style of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah. That's the first.

Second, even though he lives in the midst of modern thought, he still carries the concept of scientific application in the style of a salaf pesantren. This can be seen with the establishment of the Al Hikam Student Islamic Boarding School which only accommodates male students.

This means that, as is the characteristic of salaf pesantren which is very careful in caring for students, Kiai Hasyim's caution is very evident here by not mixing male and female students. For pesantren circles, seeing this is a very important matter even though out there it is not a very meaningful thing.

So, Kiai Hasyim is moderate, flexible to outsiders but strict to himself. He is a reflection of moderate Islam in Indonesia, which is not only good at religious matters, but also understands that we, Indonesian Muslims, are part of the international world.