PBNU urges government to ban Wahhabis

Posted On: October 30, 2022

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama de Da’wah or Islamic Boarding School PBNU recommends the government to ban the spread of understanding Wahhabis. This recommendation was made during the IX National Working Meeting of the PBNU (Rakernas) on October 25-27, 2022.

The head of the PBNU for Religious Affairs, Ahmad Fahrurrozi, said the Wahhabis in question were diehard Wahhabis who takfiri, namely not believing in other groups even if they are of the same religion solely because of differences in views and interpretations of arguments. According to him, this recommendation aims to allow people to live side by side.

“Wahhabi Takfiri has become the beginning of a radical movement” Islamic State that destroys Muslim relations. They adhere to the notion of friend versus adversary towards other groups and are unwilling to accept differences of opinion or truth from parties outside their group,” Fahrur told Tempo, Saturday October 29, 2022.

Fahrur pointed out that PBNU had always rejected Wahhabi Takfiri. He said this understanding could divide Muslims.

Meanwhile, PBNU, called Fahrur, adheres to the principles of friendly Islamic da’wah by promoting moderation and tolerance. Therefore, he said, rude, arrogant, stubborn and prejudiced attitudes towards other Muslims should be avoided.

“Furthermore, do disbelief (takfiri) to brothers and sisters in faith as the Khawarij have done in the past,” he said.

Fahrur said this difference of opinion should be handled wisely. He hopes that no party feels most entitled to monopolize the truth.

“Differences in views should be addressed wisely and accepted fairly, no one should feel most entitled to monopolize the truth and be the judge of others’ truth,” he said.

Reporting from the Jagat NU page, the PBNU Da’wah Institute regrets that religious studies and activities in mosques are mainly guided by Wahhabi-Salafi preachers. In some ways, this understanding is seen as contrary to the government’s commitment to building religious moderation.

Therefore, PBNU Da’wah Institute recommends ministries and public institutions to involve PBNY Da’wah Institute in the preparation of Da’wah materials and curriculum. The Da’wah Institute also said it was ready to send delegates to provide study materials based on their qualifications, abilities and expertise.