Nahdlatul Ulama holds spiritual rally ahead of 35th Muktamar

A prayer and dhikr gathering was organized in Surabaya by the regional board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to mark the upcoming 35th Muktamar and Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day. Around 800 participants, including ulama, students, and community leaders, took part under the theme “Mengetuk Pintu Samaawat Untuk Muktamar dan Indonesia Selamat”. Speakers emphasized that the event was not merely ceremonial but held strategic spiritual significance for the nation and the organization, urging prayers for the country’s security and a peaceful, dignified congress.

Commentary accompanying the event stresses that NU must find a new, ethically clean leader capable of guiding the organization through rapid digital change, global moral and environmental crises, and heightened political polarization. The call is for a leader who blends deep religious knowledge, managerial skill, and a forward‑looking vision to keep NU relevant in the modern era.