Hasyim Muzadi Safeguarded Muslims From Influence Of Radicalism

JAKARTA, March 17 (Antara) - Presidential Advisory Council member Hasyim Muzadi, who passed away, Thursday morning, in Malang, East Java, was able to safeguard Indonesian Muslims from being influenced by radicalism, United Development Party (PPP) Secretary General Arsul Sani stated. Born on August 8, 1944, Muzadi, the former chairman of Indonesia's largest Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic Organization, passed away after having undergone intensive treatment at the Lavalette Hospital and at his home in Malang for the past several days. "Muzadi was at the forefront in the efforts to distance Muslims from radical ideologies, imported from elsewhere, that tend to negate the Unitary State of Indonesian Republic," Sani remarked here on Thursday. The PPP secretary general opined that Muzadi was a prominent figure among Muslim scholars and leaders who managed to offer a true and strong Islamic understanding of Indonesia to Muslims. However, Sani noted that on the other hand, Muzadi also defended an Islamist group that was unfairly and disproportionately viewed as radical and antinational. Not surprisingly though, he added that Muzadi, who was a moderate Muslim leader, continued to maintain strong relations with figures considered radicals, such as Habib Rizieq. The body of Muzadi will be flown from Malang at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday to the Al Hikam 2 Islamic Boarding School in Depok, West Java, for burial, and Vice President Jusuf Kalla is scheduled to lead the funeral ceremony.