Indonesia
Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, popularly known as Gus Kikin, has been elected the new NU chairman for 2026-2031, in a historic first that used an indirect voting system with the group's AHWA council of senior clerics making the final pick.
Abdul Hakim Mahfudz, better known as Gus Kikin, (at podium) addresses the audience as the new chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) on Aug. 31, 2026, the final day of the 35th NU National Congress (Muktamar) at Pondok Pesantren Bahrul Ulum Tambakberas, an Islamic boarding school in Jombang, East Java. (Antara/Syaiful Arif)
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has chosen East Java cleric Abdul Hakim Mahfudz to chair the country’s largest Muslim organization in 2026-2031, following a historic election in which the final say was given to a council of senior clerics.The nine clerics grouped in the Ahlul Halli wal-Aqdi (AHWA) all selected Abdul Hakim from a short list of five candidates following a 40-minute deliberation early on Monday, during the final day of the 35th NU National Congress at Pondok Pesantren Bahrul Ulum Tambakberas in Jombang regency, East Java.
“After deliberating on the five proposed candidates, AHWA members unanimously decided to select Abdul Hakim, commonly known as Gus Kikin, as NU chairman,” AHWA member Anwar Iskandar, who also chairs the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), announced on Aug. 31.
