Understanding the Strengthening Cultural-Cosmopolitanism Spirit of Nahdlatul Ulama

Abstract

The foundations of Islamic philosophy and faith, which go beyond the two primary sources of the Qur'an and Hadith and emphasize the value of Sunni tradition and ijma (ulama consensus), are fundamental to traditional-cultural identity of Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU). In addition, NU is renowned for having adapted the ideas of Abu Al-Hasan Al-Asy'ari, Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, and Junayd Al-Baghdadi, as well as in terms of fiqh, or legal practice, mainly referring to Imam al-Shafi'i, representing Islamic conservatism and cultural traditionalism. This cultural traditionalism initially appears to run counter to the notion of NU's cosmopolitanism advanced by a number of its key figures, in particular Gus Dur. This cosmopolitan notion assumes a contemporary, inclusive belief structure and the segregation of religion from public life. Therefore, it is crucial to consider how the traditionalist-cultural movement founded by NU can coexist with a discourse on world beliefs that is becoming more cosmopolitan and assumes a space that is more open to all peoples. This article focuses on the discourse of cosmopolitanism and how NU, as one of the largest mass organizations in Indonesia, responds to this discourse with its approach and cultural background.