Jakarta, NU Online
Indonesia's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has called on the country's leaders to unite to solve its problems.

"NU has invited them all because we think if they understand and help each other, half of the nation's problems can be solved. The most difficult thing is actually not to manage the people but to manage the leaders," NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said in his speech during the commemoration of the organization's 82nd anniversary at the Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (3/1).<>

The anniversary was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Kristiani Herawati, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and wife Mufida Kalla, People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nurwahid, Constitutional Court chairman Jimly Asshiddiqie, Supreme Audit Agency chairman Anwar Nasution, Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsudin and some Cabinet ministers.

Also in attendance was former president Soeharto's daughter Siti Hedijati Hariadi and former vice president Try Sutrisno. Former presidents Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri did not attend the event.

Speaking before hunders of thousands NU members, Hasyim said that NU "wants to uplift the country's dignity in facing all these challenges by making our ulema and pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) to be our main factors in working together with the country's other elements," he said.

President Yudhoyono said that as the largest Muslim organization, the NU already had a strategic position. "The NU community has to stay as a pioneer in development and be a role model for the nation," he said.

The NU was established on Jan. 31, 1926, with Hasyim Asy'ari, Wahid's grandfather, as the first chief. It wields significant power in national politics. The National Awakening Party (PKB) is commonly seen as being the political party of the NU, although senior NU figures are also members of other parties as well.

Hasyim, who ran as Megawati's vice president candidate in the last election, said that the NU was not a political party.

"We do not take a side with any party. NU politicians work separately and don't use the NU as a political vehicle," he said.

Hasyim also warned his members to be careful of "foreign ideologies" that could lead to two extreme interpretations of Islam.

He referred to these foreign movements as "hard extremists" and "soft extremists" and cited terrorism and other violence on behalf of religion as the work of "hard extremists".

"Terrorism practiced by 'hard extremists' will place Islam in a dreadful situation as it can be used by those who are anti-Islam to put negative labels on the religion," he said.

Hasyim defined "soft extremist" as those who are too liberal in interpreting Islam. "They are reckless in interpreting Islam, as if everything is allowed in Islam."

He cited the recent cases where people claimed they were new prophets. Hasyim said this phenomenon could be harmful to Muslims because, "this could destroy Muslims' faith..."

"We should combine the religion's legal, formal approach, its educational approach and a religion-supported political approach." (jp/dar)