NU, Indonesia’s Largest Islamic Group, Enters Deep Leadership Crisis

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama or NU, is entering one of the most turbulent moments in its modern history, as a series of leaked internal documents, leadership rebukes, and conflicting public statements widen rifts within its highest governing bodies. The crisis reached a new peak after the Syuriyah, NU’s top religious council, issued a circular declaring the dismissal of Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf, known widely as Gus Yahya, triggering a wave of denials, counterclaims, and political reactions.

Speaking at NU headquarters in Jakarta on November 26, 2025, Gus Yahya dismissed the circular as illegitimate, saying it failed to meet the organization’s formal documentation standards. “If you check the link listed under the letter, you will see that the reference number is not recognized,” he said. “Therefore, the letter does not meet the requirements. In other words, it is not valid and cannot be used as an official document.”

He criticized the manner in which the document was circulated, noting that official NU documents are distributed exclusively through the organization’s Digital Data and Services platform, known as Digdaya. “Because in our digital system, once a document is processed and becomes official, it is automatically sent to the intended recipients through the digital channel,” he said. He described the circulated letter as “an invalid draft,” adding that official decisions would never be distributed through WhatsApp.

The disputed circular, signed on November 25 by Deputy Rais Aam Afifuddin Muhajir and Katib PBNU Ahmad Tajul Mafakhir, stated that Gus Yahya was no longer the chair as of November 26 at 00:45 a.m., and that he no longer held the authority to use the symbols or facilities attached to the position. The letter said the Syuriyah had given him three days to comply with its ruling, which was allegedly handed to him in person on November 21 at the Mercure Ancol Hotel but was returned.

In NU’s dual-structure system, the Rais Aam serves as the highest spiritual and religious authority within Nahdlatul Ulama, leading the Syuriyah, the organization’s supreme religious council responsible for safeguarding doctrine, ethics, and organizational integrity. While the Chairman manages administrative and programmatic affairs through the Tanfidziyah, it is the Rais Aam who holds the final say on matters of religious legitimacy, moral guidance, and internal discipline, making the position the ultimate arbiter of NU’s foundational values.

The controversy originated from a Syuriyah daily meeting held on November 20, 2025, which, according to the leaked minutes, concluded that Gus Yahya had violated NU’s foundational principles by inviting a speaker alleged to have links to “international Zionist networks” in a leadership training program. The minutes asserted that he must step down within three days, a directive that the chairman has openly rejected.

The crisis reverberated beyond NU’s headquarters, prompting questions in Parliament and drawing responses from political figures tied historically to the organization. At the national legislature on November 25, Deputy Chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal distanced his party from the turmoil. “That is an internal matter of PBNU. We are not getting involved,” he said. Addressing rumors that a dispute over mining interests was behind the conflict, he added, “We should not meddle in other people’s household matters. Let them resolve it within their own home.”

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, or Cak Imin, delivers a press statement after providing community empowerment assistance at Sabilulungan Dome in Bandung Regency, Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025. Photo: Investortrust/Farhan Nugraha

The following day, Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar—widely known as Cak Imin and himself a prominent NU figure—acknowledged discussing NU’s internal tensions during a closed-door meeting with Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid. But he declined to reveal details. “After an official meeting, Nusron and I always talk about NU. As for the content, we agreed it is confidential,” he said. Nusron voiced hope that the organization could quickly stabilize. “We pray the storm will pass soon,” he said.

Both men, themselves long connected to NU’s youth and leadership wings, underscored the political and moral weight of the crisis. NU, with more than 40 million followers, is not just a religious organization but a powerful social institution that influences national politics, education systems, and grassroots community structures. A leadership rupture at the top carries implications for both domestic governance and social stability.

Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning and Head of the National Land Agency Nusron Wahid speaks after a coordination meeting with the Public Works Ministry at the ministry’s office in South Jakarta, Wednesday, Oct 29, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of ATR/BPN

Meanwhile, as the dispute widened, the Syuriyah publicly reaffirmed its decision on November 26, saying Gus Yahya was no longer chairman effective early that morning and that Rais Aam Miftachul Akhyar would assume full leadership duties until a replacement was appointed. The Syuriyah said the organizational process would follow internal bylaws, including references to various NU regulations governing dismissal, succession, and dispute resolution. The letter noted that Gus Yahya retained the right to file an appeal before NU’s Arbitration Council.

The conflicting claims—between a chairman asserting the invalidity of his removal, a Syuriyah insisting that its decision is final, and political actors urging neutrality—have cast uncertainty over who holds legitimate authority in Indonesia’s most influential Muslim institution. The outcome will shape not only NU’s future leadership but also its role in national politics, where its endorsement often carries decisive weight.

Analysts and senior NU educators warn that the crisis exposes deeper structural tensions between the organization's executive and religious councils, echoing organizational debates that have surfaced periodically throughout NU’s century-long history. What makes the present dispute more consequential, they say, is the combination of digital-era information leaks, political proximity to cabinet-level figures, and the scale of NU’s nationwide impact.

Whether the crisis culminates in reconciliation, arbitration, or a formal restructuring remains unclear. But for now, NU—long considered a moral anchor of Indonesian civil society—faces one of its most serious tests of internal unity as its leadership confronts competing claims of legitimacy in full view of a watching nation.