Said Aqil Siradj

Said Aqil Siradj
Siradj in 2020
Chairman of the Executive Council of Nahdlatul Ulama
In office
27 March 2010 – 24 December 2021
Preceded byHasyim Muzadi
Succeeded byYahya Cholil Staquf
Personal details
Born (1953-07-03) July 3, 1953 (age 71)
Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia
CitizenshipIndonesian
Alma materKing Abdul Aziz University
(BA in Ushuluddin and Da'wah)
Umm Al-Qura University
(MA in Comparative Religion)
(MA in Aqidah and Islamic Philosophy)

Said Aqil Siradj is an Indonesian Islamic scholar and former chairman of the executive council of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in the world. The most recent publication of The 500 Most Influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan ranked him as the 20th most influential Muslim person in the world.[1]

Siradj has consistently spoken out in opposition to the November 2016 Jakarta protests. Siradj cited a fatwa that prohibited praying in the street as the protesters had planned since it disturbed the peace,[2][3][4] though his position was immediately opposed by Indonesian Ulema Council, an organization specifically of religious leaders which includes Nadhlatul Ulama leaders.[5] Siradj event cited the positions of the Maliki and Shafi'i schools of thought within Sunni Islam that prohibit praying the congregational prayers in the middle of a street.[6]

In addition to his leadership within Nahdlatul Ulama, Siradj also founded the Said Aqil Centre, an organization in Egypt which focuses on developing Islamic discourse in the Middle East,[1] and since 2021 has become the chairman of the board of commissioners of Kereta Api Indonesia.[7]

  1. ^ a b Dr KH Said Aqil Siradj at the official webpage of The Muslim 500. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  2. ^ Jokowi says No Rally on December 2. Tempo, 30 November 2016. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  3. ^ Mikael Niman, NU Releases Fatwa Against Friday Prayer On the Street During Anti-Ahok Protest. Jakarta Globe, 25 November 2016. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  4. ^ Moses Ompusunggu, Ina Parlina and Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Citizens told to ignore incendiary rumors ahead of Dec. 2 rally. Jakarta Post, 25 November 2016. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  5. ^ Alin Almanar, Clerical Body Issues Edict Legitimizing Friday Prayers Outside Mosques. Jakarta Globe, 30 November 2016. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  6. ^ Nahdlatul Ulama: Friday prayer in public roads not valid. Antara, 24 November 2016. Accessed 15 December 2016.
  7. ^ Liputan6.com (2021-03-03). "Ketum PBNU Said Aqil Siradj Diangkat Jadi Komisaris Utama PT KAI". liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2021-11-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)