Nahdlatul Ulama leaders face calls for systemic reform and literacy challenges

Cholil Nafis, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), has called for Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) to integrate science, ethics, and organizational systems to build a strong civilization. He emphasized that NU must adopt three core characteristics: 'ilmiyah' (scientific/rational), 'wasathiyah' (moderate), and 'tajdidiyah' (reformist) to remain relevant amidst global challenges and polarization.

In a separate development within the organization, scholar Gus Lilur has challenged four NU figures—KH Miftachul Akhyar, KH Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, Saifullah Yusuf, and Nusron Wahid—to a public test of their ability to compose and read 'kitab kuning' (classical Islamic texts). This challenge comes as a response to legal allegations of defamation filed with the National Police regarding claims about a figure's literacy in classical Islamic literature. Gus Lilur proposed that if the figures fail the test, they should commit to studying as students at the Tambakberas Islamic Boarding School.