The Epistemological Foundations of Nahdlatul Ulama: Religious Authority, Scholarly Tradition, and Muslim Unity
Abstract
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, plays a significant role in establishing and preserving Sunni religious authority through the framework of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah, which integrates the Qur’an, the Sunnah, ijmā‘, and the scholarly tradition of Muslim jurists and theologians. This study analyzes Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah's epistemological framework in Nahdlatul Ulama as the foundation for constructing religious authority, transmitting Islamic knowledge, and preserving Muslim unity. Employing a qualitative approach based on library research, the study finds that NU’s religious framework is founded upon several fundamental principles: (1) adherence to the collective path of the believers (al-jamā‘ah), namely following a religious methodology grounded in the consensus of the mainstream Muslim scholarly tradition while maintaining a balance between scriptural texts, reason, and social realities; (2) the preservation of communal cohesion (ijtimā‘) through a strong commitment to Muslim unity and a highly cautious approach to takfīr (excommunication) of fellow Muslims; (3) adherence to the teachings of the Prophet, the Companions, the Tābiʿīn, and subsequent generations of scholars, recognizing their epistemic role in transmitting the Qur’an, hadith, tafsīr, and fiqh through an unbroken chain of scholarly transmission (sanad); and (4) the understanding of jihād as an ethical and methodological instrument for safeguarding the integrity of faith, promoting the public good (maṣlaḥah), and preserving Muslim unity, rather than as a justification for terrorism or indiscriminate violence.
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