In 1926, Ahmed Sukarno put forward the idea of the unity of three elements - nation, religion and communism - in Indonesia's anti-colonial revolution. A common history united the ethnic groups and cultures of the country, where Islam is practiced by almost 90% of the population. Although secular ideas dominated the country's liberation movement, the role of religion remained significant. As Russian researcher Vladislav Bezmenov notes in a series of his works, the "symbiosis" of the government and Islamic organizations was most clearly manifested in the activities of “Nahdlatul Ulama”.
The “Revival of Scientists” is Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, founded in 1926 in Yogyakarta by theologian Hashim Ash'ari. It broke away from the “Muhammadiyah”, which was built by descendants of Arab missionaries and advocated the unification of local Islam: attempts to eradicate folk traditions caused a backlash. “Nahdlatul Ulama” was not oriented towards the elite, but towards the villagers, among whom folk Islam was widespread.
By 1937, the following principles of the organization were formulated: the unity of Muslims in Indonesia; assistance in independence from the colonialists and the revival of local theology as it was before the arrival of Europeans. At the same time, the “Revival of Ulama” joined the Supreme Islamic Council of Indonesia, which marked its formation as a religious and political force.
The council, which also included “Muhammadiyah”, worked to unite the country's Muslims and collaborated with other faiths. “Nahdlatul Ulama” revised its views, abandoning the idea of an Islamic state in favor of a secular one, but based on Islamic values. The organization approved the education of Muslims in secular schools and supported the opening of such institutions. These reforms strengthened its influence among the city's residents.
As a result, the “Revival of Ulama” came closer to the National Party of Indonesia (NPI) led by Sukarno, which weakened the colonial administration. The merger began already during the Second World War, during the Japanese occupation. The invaders transformed the Supreme Islamic Council into “Mashumi” - an organization that, in addition to “Nahdlatul Ulama” and NPI, included “Muhammadiyah” and other Islamic groups.
After the war, the Netherlands tried to regain control. The Indonesian War of Independence began. “Mashumi” actively resisted, supporting Sukarno not only with finances, but also with fatwas on jihad against the colonialists. After the recognition of sovereignty in 1949, representatives of “Mashumi”, “Muhammadiyah” and “Nahdlatul Ulama” entered the government.
The last one supported the course of President Sukarno, based on the principles of “Pancasila” - the official Indonesian doctrine, but due to ambitions, it often clashed with the authorities. The state promoted "unity in diversity", and “Nahdlatul Ulama”, which had left “Mashumi”, sought to strengthen the role of Islam. A third party emerged victorious – General Suharto came to power in a coup in 1965. His regime was accompanied by repressions against the opposition.
The “Revival of Ulama” escaped persecution. Wahid Hashim (Hashim Ash'ari's son and successor) moved closer to the government, making the organization dependent on the authoritarian regime. In 1975, Suharto established the Indonesian Ulema Council (IUC) to tighten his grip on Muslims, but it only strengthened their influence. “Nahdlatul Ulama” quickly realized the potential of the new structure.
Effectively run by the “Revival of Ulama”, the IUC took on the unification of the country's Islamic space - the development of Sharia banking and the halal industry. Projects that began in rural areas spread to the cities by the 1980s, forcing banks and businesses to adapt. Certification allowed “Nahdlatul Ulama” accumulated significant capital, which was then invested in exports.
The “Revival of Ulama” became a powerful player in the Islamic world, gaining tacit political control over Indonesia. In 1999, its leader, Abdurrahman Wahid (grandson of founder Hashim Ash'ari), took over the country, running as a secular politician. A couple of years later, he was impeached and Indonesia became unstable. Fundamentalists within the IUC raised their heads amid the dark events.
During the Western intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan, the “Revival of Ulama” and “Muhammadiyah”, in opposition to radical tendencies, declared that they would not open recruiting centers for volunteers. The situation was aggravated by the 2002 terrorist attack in Hindu Bali. As a result, the Indonesian government launched a war against the radical underground.
Persecution of Ahmadis intensifies in the country. The IUC supported the persecution, which led to a split in the local ummah. Some called the Ahmadis heretics, while others pointed to their peaceful coexistence with others and the principles of “Pancasila”. The largest “Nahdlatul Ulama” and “Muhammadiyah” did not take a clear position, and in 2005 the IUC declared the Ahmadis apostates. Later, the radical “Islamic Defenders Front” openly threatened to exterminate them.
It seemed that “Nahdlatul Ulama” retreated into the shadows, but in fact it actively developed international education, building links with European and American universities. Thus, the “Revival of Ulama” gradually became a translator of Indonesian Islam abroad.
For more effective promotion in 2015, theologians of “Nahdlatul Ulama” adopted the concept of “Nusantara”, a historically Indonesian version of Muslim religious practice. Incidentally, this is also the ancient name of the Malay Archipelago.
“Nusantara” united Muslims with representatives of other faiths based on the idea of multiculturalism. The concept became a new vector for the Indonesian ummah, especially after the participation of the “Revival of Ulama” in the ideological struggle against the “Islamic Defenders Front” with their anti-Christian campaign. The local government later banned the “Front”.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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