The Departure of Ulema Who Guarded Pancasila
The stare in his eyes was very sharp. His memory was still excellent. His speaking style was firm and fluent.
At the age of more than 90 years, this charismatic figure was still able to read anything, including reading a yellow book (balah) in front of his santri (students) without using glasses. Kyai Maimun Zubair, popularly known as Mbah Moen, was a figure who could not be encompassed in one or two occasions. His extensive knowledge and depth of examples forced us to work hard to accommodate the oceans of knowledge and the examples that he left.
Once, I visited Kyai Maimun at his residence in Sarang, Rembang, Central Java. I remember very well, how Mbah Moen told me at length about how the teachings of Islam responded to the dynamics of the times. Mbah Moen emphasized that Islam respects diversity. From Mbah Moen I got social knowledge about the meaning of the word lita’arafu in Al-Hujurat: 13, Ya ayyuhan-nas, inna khalaqnakum min dzakarin wa untsa, wa jaalnakum syuuban wa qabaila lita’arafu. The meaning is that to be complementary and to cooperate with each other is far more progressive and contextual than the interpretation that has developed so far, which tends to understand lita\'arafu simply as being limited to knowing each other.
To be complementary to each other is the key term that Mbah Moen wanted to disclose. Indonesia, which stands on the foundation of diversity and the variety of tribes, ethnicities, cultures, must be supported by individual awareness to complement and cooperate with each other.
This interpretation, personally for me, goes beyond its time. For me, this kind of interpretation would not have been born in a person who did not have the clarity of inner vision and a deep sense of love for the country. In March 2017, when political turbulence strengthened and diversity issues heated up, Kyai Maimun as the mustasyar (advisor) of the central executive board of Nahdladul Ulama hosted a silahturahmi (get together) of Ulama Nusantara at the Al-Anwar Islamic Boarding School in Sarang. A total of 99 ulemas gathered under the leadership of Mbah Moen. The meeting produced a very brilliant and soothing formula for the people.
Later the formula was given the title "The Sarang Minutes". Five important points were generated in this forum. First, Nahdlatul Ulama always safeguards Pancasila and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and its existence cannot be separated from the existence of the NKRI itself. Second, the government is urged to implement policies that are more effective in addressing social issues, including by implementing (affirmative) policies that are more favorable to the weak such as agrarian reform, progressive taxation, development of economic development strategies that better ensure equity and legal development toward firmer and fairer law enforcement while maintaining the principle of the presumption of innocence in any cases that arise.
Third, the government and community leaders are encouraged to continue to foster and educate the public to be able to respond to information being spread more intelligently and wisely so as to avoid negative impacts.
Fourth, state leaders, community leaders, including NU leaders, are asked to always maintain the trust of the community by always being wise and prudent in carrying out their respective duties with full responsibility, fairness and trustworthiness by prioritizing the benefit of the community and the NKRI. Fifth, it proposes a silahturahmi forum for all elements of the nation to find solutions to various ongoing problems, look for anticipatory steps toward future development trends and reconciliation among fellow countrymen.
Protector of the community and national vision
"The Sarang Minutes" are evidence that the status of Mbah Moen as a protector of the people cannot be denied. In front of the other elderly kyai, Mbah Moen firmly explained the argument and vision of the nation that made the participants feel as if they had been immersed in exemplary water. Mbah Moen\'s figure also cannot be separated from persistence in asserting that Indonesia is a country that is blessed by Allah SWT.
For Mbah Moen, nothing is accidental. Everything has been written and predestined by Allah SWT, right down to the date, month and year.
For Mbah Moen, Indonesia is baldatun thayyibatun wa rabbun ghafur (a good country that receives absolution from God). Intelligent Indonesian thoughts were frequently expressed in various forums in front of the general public when presiding over religious recitals. One of them was about the dimension of the blessing on Indonesia\'s Independence Day. For Mbah Moen, nothing is accidental. Everything has been written and predestined by Allah SWT, right down to the date, month and year.
The 17th [of August] has a strong bond with the number of compulsory prayers held by Muslims within a day and night. In the Garuda Pancasila symbol, there are two wings with a total of 17 feathers on the right and 17 on the left. Mbah Moen explained that this number 17 is the number of pillars of prayer, namely intention, takbiratul ihram, standing, reading Al Fatihah, bowing, thumakninah in bowing, iktidal (standing to get up from bowing), thumakninah in iktidal, conducting prostration twice, thumakninah in prostration, sitting between two prostrations, reading the final tasyahud. And 17 feathers on the left wing means the number of the obligatory rakaat prayers.
Meanwhile, August or the eighth month in the Christian calendar is the month when the Qur\'an was revealed. We also remember that August 1945 coincided with the month of Ramadan in the Hijriah calendar system. Ramadan is a special month for Muslims. The number 45 which refers to the year of independence means that every Muslim must recite the creed four and five times. Four times in the night, during the Maghrib and Isya prayers. Five during Fajr, Dzuhur and Ashar prayers.
On another occasion, Kyai Maimun advised nahdliyin (NU followers). This message is always repeated with the intention of instilling awareness about the love for the country and caring for diversity. The message contains the suggestion that the central executive board of NU has a correlation with the four national pillars. P means Pancasila. B means Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). N means Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia (NKRI). U is Undang-Undang Dasar 1945 (1945 Constitution).
This unique and authentic message was born from the ideas and clear thinking of KH Maimun Zubair. As members of the Indonesian people, we must bow our heads while praying. The best son of the nation, the figure who protect the people and individuals who strived for the benefit of the nation and state, has passed away in the Holy Land, Makkah Mukarramah. There is no better way to commemorate the death than to remember his goodness and example. As Rumi said, "When we die, don\'t look for our graves on Earth, but look for it in the hearts of the lovers." Goodbye, Mbah Moen. Goodbye to the protector of the people and defender of Pancasila.
A Helmy Faishal Zaini, Secretary-General of the Central Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama