Vice President: Re-actualization of Syekh Nawawi’s thought is important in facing the challenges of the modern era

Jakarta, wapresri.go.id – Syekh Nawawi Al-Bantani is an Ulama who has had a great influence on the development of Islamic understanding in Indonesia. The influence of the one who became the grand sheikh in the Grand Mosque in the mid-1800s still exists in responding to the challenges of today’s development. For this reason, his thoughts need to be continuously explored and developed as a legacy of knowledge in improving the welfare of the people.

“I welcome the implementation of this event which is an effort to explore and re-actualize the thoughts of Sheikh Nawawi al-Bantani, our pride should be manifested in an effort to explore, build and reformulate his thoughts that are relevant to the demands of the times,” said the Vice President K.H. Ma’ruf Amin when attending the International Webinar “Shaykh Nawawi Al-Bantani in the Eyes of Hijaz and Egyptian Ulama” virtually, Saturday (23/07/2022).

The Vice President added that the substance of Sheikh Nawawi’s knowledge and thoughts was passed on to his students and then disseminated the knowledge to the generation.

“Many of his students have become great scholars, and founders of religious organizations. They are the ones who then continue the transmission of knowledge (sanad ‘ilmiyah) to Moslems,” he said.

According to the Vice President, Syekh Nawawi has moderate thought (wasathy), innovative (makhariji), and remains strict in maintaining the methodology (manhajiy). This can be seen from his scientific works in various fields, such as theology, fiqh, morals, interpretation and also Sufism which is still becoming teaching guidance in various Islamic boarding schools.

“His books are still muqarrar (compulsory curriculum) in various Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. Even his thoughts and fatwas are still become the guidelines for Moslems in this nation in carrying out daily worship practices,” he added.

Syekh Nawawi has popularized the proportional approach of two opposing approaches in the science of kalam, namely the fatalist approach (jabbary) and the rationalist approach (mu’tazily).

“The fatalist approach (jabbary) believes that all human actions have basically been determined and regulated in detail by Allah SWT, so that humans only follow all these provisions, humans are only puppets. While the rationalist approach (mu’tazily) believes that humans have the ability and full power to determine and choose what they do,” explained the Vice President.

In establishing religious law, according to the Vice President, the ulama who was born in Banten is very progressive and contextual.

“In the event that there is an opinion of a previous scholar but that opinion is deemed not in accordance with the context, meaning that it is no longer appropriate at that time, then that opinion must be reviewed (i’adah an-nadhar) and a new law is formulated based on the context, ” added the Vice President.

Closing his remarks, the Vice President hoped that through this webinar the best ideas can be formulated that can be used for the welfare of society.

“I hope that all webinar participants can also provide their best ideas so that furthermore its benefits to the context of developing the people and the world,” he concluded.

Attended the occasion the Head of the Fiqh School of Science, Syekh Nawawi Tanara Hj. Siti Haniatunnisa, Ulama Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Mesir Syekh Dr. Hisyam Al-Kamel Hamid Musa, biographer of Sheikh Nawawi Al-Bantani Drs. Samsul Munir Amin, M.A, Chair of the Egyptian PCINU H. Atoillah Muslim. Meanwhile, the Vice President was accompanied by the Vice President’s Personal Secretary, Sholahudin Al Aiyub. (SM/LHS–BPMI, Setwapres)