Kang Said: Gus Dur's courage difficult to imitate

Jakarta, NU Online
General Chairman of the Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Said Aqil Siroj called on all Indonesian people to emulate the late KH Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), especially his courage, and responsibility to the grassroots.
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"Gus Dur was the only figure who dared to say no when others say yes. He also dare to say yes when others say no," Kiai Said said on the sidelines of a gathering to commemorate the 6th year of Gus Dur's death in Ciganjur, Jalan Warung Sila 10 Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, Saturday (26/12).

According to Kiai Said, the Gus Dur's courage is very difficult to imitate because it was dealing with the New Order regime.

Gus Dur, according to Kiai Said, is a spiritual teacher who teaches how he could use his treasures of knowledge. "He said, this is more difficult to do than getting the science itself. It's okay universities are the warehouse of professors, but they are not necessarily useful for many people," he said.

In fact, Kiai Said added, although he or she "is a professor, not necessarily he or she is able to educate the public in general."

"Gus Dur is the one teaching me, that my (Gus Dur's treasures of) knowledge are for this. First, you must understand the so-called ilmu ahwal. That is the knowledge of understadning the conditions around us. We must understand our position and what to do," he said.

Kiai Said then cited the idea of Imam Abul Qasim al-Junaidi al-Baghdadi (a great Sufi, died in 297 H), saying that as-sufi ibn waqtihi (a sufi is the one who is the most familiar with his day). "Thus, Sufis can live anytime and anywhere and at any age," he said.

Present at the gathering were Supreme Leader (Rais Aam) of NU KH Ma'ruf Amin and Chairman of NU H Marsudi Syuhud, Minister of Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Maritime and Resource Coordinating Minister Rizal Ramli, and Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indarparawansa. (masdar)