Maimun Zubair

Maimun Zubair
Maimun Zubair in 2018 at his residence
Personal life
Born(1928-10-28)28 October 1928
Karangmangu, Sarang, Rembang, Central Java,
Dutch East Indies
Died6 August 2019(2019-08-06) (aged 90)
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
BuriedJannat al-Mu'alla
Parents
Political partyUnited Development Party
Religious life
ReligionIslam
JurisprudenceShafi'i
Muslim leader
OrganizationNahdlatul Ulama

Maimun Zubair,[a] also called Mbah Moen, was an Indonesian cleric and politician.

He was a scholar in Islamic modernism known for having promoted Indonesian nationalism and teaching Islam, discussing the evolution of nationalism while applying Quranic verses to social, political, and religious events in Indonesia.[1]

Maimun often preached Islam Nusantara, a view held by Nahdlatul Ulama, in which "there is no need for Muslims to establish a caliphate" in Indonesia, because the country and its Pancasila state ideology were already established on Islamic ideals, he said that although extremist groups may threaten unity by seeking an Islamic state, Indonesia its committed to nationalism supported by religious principles.[2]

Early life

Maimun was born in Karangmangu, Rembang, Central Java, on October 28, 1928, a date coinciding with Youth Pledge, which was later established in 1967 as Youth Pledge Day, during the Indonesian National Awakening, a period which was under the Dutch colonization of Indonesia.

Career

Because he was raised in a pesantren Islamic boarding school tradition, he learned from his grandfather, and from his father, Zubair Dahlan, a scholar.[3]

At around 17 years old, he learned Arabic grammar, Mantiq, Balagha, and other Islamic sciences concerning Fiqh. He memorized various Arabic Islamic texts like Al-Ajurrumiyya and Alfiyya of Ibn Malik, along with his expertise in discussing Fiqh books of the Shafi'i school.[3]

In 1945, he studied for approximately five years at Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo, a school founded by his teacher Abdul Karim, before travelling to Mecca in 1950 for two years with his grandfather, where he learned from Saudi Arabian scholars like Alawi bin Abbas al-Maliki, Yasin al-Fadani, Hasan bin Muhammad Mashat, and Ahmad Zayni Dahlan at the age of 21.[3] He has also studied Sufism.[4]

Upon returning to his hometown in Sarang, he continued his studies with various Javanese scholars such as Ali Maksum, Mustofa Bisri, Abdul Wahab Hasbullah, Ahmad Baidhawi Asro, and Sahal Mahfudh.[5]

Maimun's words were also written in Arabic books like al-Ulama al-Mujaddidun,[b] a seminal book completed in 2007 covering the concept of Ijtihad, and Tajdid.[6]

Pondok Pesantren al-Anwar

Maimun Zubair in 2017

In 1965, he founded the al-Anwar Islamic Boarding School, located next to his residence, which was welcomed by the local community. Maimun's children contributed to Al Anwar Islamic boarding schools (1–4), providing kitab kuning to around 10,000 students with specific management for male and female students after his death.[7]

Maimun spoke in Javanese during his teaching sessions; his books, Safīnatu Kallā Saya’lamūn fī Tafsīr Maimun Zubair,[c] influenced by the critical discourse analysis of Teun A. Van Dijk, and Nuṣūṣ al-Akhyār fī al-Ṣawm wa al-Ifṭār,[d] were translated by his students into Arabic and English.[8][9][10]

Politics

In addition to maintaining his Islamic boarding school, he served as a member of the Regional House of Representatives of Rembang Regency for seven years (1971–1978) before focusing on running his Islamic boarding school again.[11] He served three terms as a member of the People's Consultative Assembly, representing Central Java from 1987 until 1999, while also being active in Nahdlatul Ulama from 1985 to 1990.[12]

Joko Widodo and Maimun Zubair

He also served as Chairman of the Advisory Council of the United Development Party from 1995 to 1999. In 2004, he began to serve as the Chairman of the Sharia Council, being a supporter and advisor to Joko Widodo since 2014, holding the position until his death.[13] Although many Nahdlatul Ulama-affiliated parties like PKB and PPP members initially voted for Prabowo Subianto in the 2014 presidential election, Joko Widodo secured their support during his mandate by introducing empowerment programs and passing the Pesantren Bill for greater legal recognition.[14] This resulted in less open support for Prabowo compared to 2014.[15]

Before the 2019 election, Maimun came under controversy for mistakenly praying for Prabowo to succeed Widodo as the country's leader in a letter while sitting next to Jokowi at the cleric's boarding school in Rembang. Joko Widodo's visit to the school was his second, following his first on 4 May 2014. Maimun later stated that he mispronounced the name because of his age.[16] Fadli Zon, a Prabowo supporter, wrote a poem that mocked the event criticizing the United Development Party organizers who he believed were "manipulating" him for a staged endorsement of Joko Widodo.[17][18] Thousands of santris in Kudus Regency protested peacefully against Fadli Zon's satirical poem.[19]

Personal life

With his first wife, he had two sons and one daughter. From his second wife, he had six sons and one daughter, one of them is Taj Yasin Maimoen, a United Development Party politician. After his first and second wives died, he married a third wife.[7]

Maimun considered living in a modest home a sign of respect to the lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad, believing it would affect Quran recitation and dishonor the Prophet's small house. He refrained from building a larger house, maintaining his simple home in Al-Anwar Islamic boarding school complex until his death, not due to financial constraints or religious prohibitions.[20]

Death

Funeral of Maimun Zubair, after the Dhuhr prayer, in Jannat al-Mu'alla

Maimun died at 90 years old, on 6 August 2019, before dawn, in Mecca, after an invitation from the Saudi Government, a few days before performing the Hajj.[21] He was buried in Ma'la Cemetery after being hospitalized to al-Noor Hospital.[22]

The funeral involved the Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin and the ambassador of Indonesia to Saudi Arabia. It was attended by Indonesian politicians like Zulkifli Hasan, and Fahri Hamzah, and also by the Amirul Hajj.[23] Many expressed his condolences, particularly President Joko Widodo.[24]

Notes

  1. ↑ also spelled Maimoen Zubair; Jawi: ميمون زبير
  2. ↑ Arabic: العلماء المجددون
  3. ↑ Arabic: سفينة كلاً سيعلمون في تفسير ميمون زبير
  4. ↑ Arabic: نصوص الأخيار في الصوم والإفطار

References

  1. ↑ Manzilina, Savira; Kamil, Ahmad Zaidanil (1 July 2024). "Maimun Zubair and Response of Social, Political, and Religious Problems in Indonesia: A Study of Safīnatu Kallā Saya'lamūn fī Tafsīr Maimun Zubair by Lora Ismail Al-Ascholy". Jurnal Studi Al-Quran. 20 (2): 185–206. doi:10.21009/20.2.05. ISSN 0216-1648.
  2. ↑ Fuadi, Muhammad Ali; Vijay Asyfa Betay Seer; Raden Kurnia Kholiska; Mohammad Abdul Aziz; Henki Desri Mulyadi (14 December 2024). "Islam And Nationalism In Indonesia: Kh Maimun Zubair's New Interpretation In Tafsir Safinah Kalla Saya'lamun". International Journal of Sociology of Religion. 2 (2): 467–476. doi:10.70687/ijsr.v2i2.50. ISSN 3064-0482.
  3. 1 2 3 DIA, Yayasan (3 November 2020). "Biography KH. Maimoen Zubair". Biography KH. Maimoen Zubair. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  4. ↑ Dent, Aku (22 February 2024). "Biografi KH Maimun Zubair, Ulama dan Politikus Indonesia". Sirojut Tholibin (in Indonesian). Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Biografi Maimun Zubair atau Mbah Moen". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). 1 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ulama Al-Mujaddidun, Pembaruan Islam Menurut Mbah Moen". Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Perjalanan Hidup KH Maimoen Zubair" [The Life Journey of KH Maimoen Zubair]. 22 November 2019.
  8. ↑ Chaq, Fatah Choirul (22 February 2024). Corak Penafsiran K.H. Maimoen Zubair Dalam Kitab Safinatu Kalla Saya'lamun Fi Tafsir Syaikhina Maimun (s1 thesis). Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta.
  9. ↑ Anam, Wahidul; Sulaeman, Mubaidi; Ali, Zezen Zainul (19 September 2024). "Ulama Nusantara's Legacy: Study of Hadith in the Book of Nuṣūṣ al-Akhyār fī al-Ṣawm wa al-Ifṭār in Hasan Hanafi's Hermeneutic Perspective". Ulumuna. 28 (1): 345–373. doi:10.20414/ujis.v28i1.811. ISSN 2775-2453.
  10. ↑ Asif, Muhammad; Abdul Azis, Fakih (1 June 2021). "AL-SHAYKH MAIMOEN ZUBAIR WA AFKĀRUH 'AN AL-ISLĀM WA AL-WAṬANIYAH WA AL-TASĀMUH FĪ INDŪNĪSIYĀ". Journal of Indonesian Islam. 15 (1): 223. doi:10.15642/JIIS.2021.15.1.223-246. ISSN 2355-6994.
  11. ↑ KIPRAH POLITIK KH. MAIMOEN ZUBAIR 1967-1999 (masters thesis) (in Indonesian). UIN SUNAN KALIJAGA YOGYAKARTA. 16 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Biografi Maimun Zubair atau Mbah Moen Halaman all". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). 1 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 December 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Arafah, Nawal Nur (21 December 2022). "KH Maimun Zubair Gagasan dan Kiprahnya dalam Politik Islam di Indonesia". Journal on Education. 5 (1): 609–626. ISSN 2654-5497.
  14. ↑ "Ketua Umum PPP Ungkap Alasan Maimun Zubair Dukung Jokowi". Tempo (in Indonesian). 3 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  15. ↑ "Jokowi and NU: the view from the pesantren". New Mandala. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "That was awkward—at Jokowi event, senior cleric mistakenly prays for Prabowo - Politics". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Fadli Zon's Poetry Returns to Controversy". CIDISS. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  18. ↑ Komara, Indra. "Heboh Doa Mbah Moen, Fadli Zon Tulis Puisi 'Doa yang Ditukar'". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "Bela Mbah Moen, Santri Sebut Fadli Zon 'Hewan Tak Berpikir'". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  20. ↑ Su'di, Muhammmad Zaid (22 October 2025). "Cinta yang Subversif ala Ulama Legendaris KH Maimoen Zubair". Islami[dot]co (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  21. ↑ "Senior NU cleric Maimun Zubair passes away". Antara News. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "Influential Cleric Maimun Zubair Passes Away". medcom.id. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "Melihat Mbah Moen untuk Terakhir Kalinya di Makkah". kumparan (in Indonesian). Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  24. ↑ "President Jokowi Sends Condolences Over KH Maimun Zubair's Demise". Sekretariat Kabinet Republik Indonesia. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
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