Humanitarian Islam

Humanitarian Islam as a concept was introduced in 2017 in Pondok Pesantren Bahrul Ulum, Tambakberas, Jombang, Indonesia, by Gerakan Pemuda Ansor, youth wing of Nahdlatul Ulama, then led by Gus Yaqut Cholil Qoumas [The Jakarta Post]. It gradually becomes another concept coined by either structural leader or cultural figure of Nahdlatul Ulama, such as Islam Nusantara, Pribumisasi Islam, and so on. 

Kyai Haji Yahya Cholil Staquf, a brother of Gus Yaqut, then one of leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama (but yet to be the top leader), continue to develop the concept. Not only with the internal counterpart in Nahdlatul Ulama or in Indonesia, but also international partners, including Bayt ar-Rahmah , Religious Freedom Institute, and Center for Shared Civilizational Values.

In 2021, Kyai Yahya was appointed as the chairman of the executive council (Tanfidziyah) of Nahdlatul Ulama. And in 2024, Nahdlatul Ulama held the international conference on Humanitarian Islam [NU Online], which clearly delivers the concept of humanitarian Islam toward significantly broader audience.

Conincidently, Besari: Journal of Social and Cultural Studies has been published in 2023, marked with the inaugural article written by the journal editors titled "Besari, Humanity, and Tegalsarian Network: An Introductory Note".  Not fully aligning with the concept title, namely humanitarian Islam, the journal was founded and published by Pengurus Cabang Ikatan Sarjana Nahdlatul Ulama Ponorogo (scholar wing of NU) with really close affinity with the on-going bid of Nahdlatul Ulama.

Crawling the internet using the key word "humanitarian Islam", there have already been several papers, opinions, and so on, concerning the issue. Among others are the ISEAS' commentary written by  Sara Loo and A’an Suryana, “Prospects and Challenges in Promoting Humanitarian Islam: Nahdlatul Ulama’s International Social Partnerships”, a Brill-published book "Humanitarian Islam: Reflecting on an Islamic Concept", edited by Rüdiger Lohlker and Katharina Ivanyi, and "How Humanitarian Islam Fosters Peace: The perspective of Nahdlatul Ulama" published in el-Harakah: Jurnal Budaya Islam.

Therefore, responding the current bid of Nahdlatul Ulama, namely humanitarian Islam, we invite you to do the research, write a manuscript, and submit it for us to publish in Besari: Journal of Social and Cultural Studies, which has best aligned its name with the topic under study.