Ahmad Muhtadi Dimyathi

Abuya Kyai Hajji
Ahmad Muhtadi bin Dimyathi al-Bantani
Abuya Muhtadi in 2018
TitleAbuya
Personal
Born
Ahmad Muhtadi

(1953-12-26) December 26, 1953 (age 70)
ReligionIslam
NationalityIndonesia Indonesian
Home townPandeglang Regency
Parents
EraModern era
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceShafi‘i
CreedAshʿari
Main interest(s)
TariqaShadhili[1]
Known forShafiite mufti of Banten
Other namesAbuya Muhtadi
Occupation
Relatives
Organization
InstitutePondok Pesantren Cidahu
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Abuya Kyai Hajji Ahmad Muhtadi bin Dimyathi al-Bantani (Arabic: أحمد مهتدي بن دمياطي البنتني, romanizedʾAḥmad Muhtadī bin Dimyāṭī al-Bantanī, Arabic pronunciation: [ˈ(ʔ)aħmad muhtadiː bin dimjaːtˤiː al-bantaniː]; born December 26, 1953) or better known as Abuya Muhtadi is an Indonesian Muslim cleric from Banten. He is known as one of the Muslim scholars close to President Joko Widodo. At the Zikir Kebangsaan (nationality dhikr) which was first held by the Indonesian government in the Merdeka Palace in 2017, Muhtadi was one of the religious leaders invited by the president.[2] In the 2019 Indonesian presidential election, he supported a friend who was also a Muslim cleric from Banten, Ma'ruf Amin, who became the running mate of incumbent presidential candidate, Joko Widodo.[3] Even so, in the 2014 Indonesian presidential election, he supported Prabowo Subianto as a candidate for Indonesian President and instructed his students to vote for Subianto.[4]

As the eldest child, after the death of his father, Muhammad Dimyathi al-Bantani, Muhtadi continued the leadership of the Pondok Pesantren Cidahu (Raudhatul Ulum Cidahu Islamic Boarding School) in 2003.[5] In carrying out his duties as leader of the pesantren, Muhtadi was assisted by his several younger siblings, including Muhammad Murtadlo Dimyathi, to nurture and provide learning to student.[6] In addition, Muhtadi is also the general chairman of the Islamic dawah institution named Majelis Muzakaroh Muhtadi Cidahu Banten (M3CB) headquartered at Pondok Pesantren Cidahu, Cadasari, Pandeglang Regency.[7]

In the Islamic organizational realm, Muhtadi was active in Nahdlatul Ulama as the mustasyar (adviser) of the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama for the period 2015–2020 along with several religious leaders and other scholars such as Maimun Zubair, Mustofa Bisri, Muhammad Luthfi bin Yahya, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, and Awang Faroek Ishak.[8] In addition, Muhtadi was also known to be close to the Islamic Defenders Front at the beginning of its establishment in Banten. In fact, he always oversaw the proceedings of the Cikeusik attack case trial carried out by the mass of the Islamic Defenders Front against Ahmadiyya worshipers in Cikeusik sub-district, Pandeglang, in 2011.[9] In the political field, Muhtadi was known to be close to the Islamic party formed by Abdurrahman Wahid, the National Awakening Party.[10]

In 2013, through the Majelis Muzakaroh Muhtadi Cidahu Banten, Muhtadi issued an haram fatwa to Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and stated that the desire and efforts of the HTI group to eliminate Pancasila as a foundational philosophical theory of the Indonesian state were a form of rebellion.[11]