TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Supreme Council of Nahdlatul Ulama (Syuriyah PBNU), the highest authority within the world’s largest Muslim mass organization, has removed Yahya Cholil Staquf, widely known as Gus Yahya, from his position as PBNU Chair, effective Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
Yahya, a prominent Islamic scholar and former presidential adviser, has been one of NU’s most internationally recognized voices on religious moderation.
His dismissal was conveyed through Circular No. 4785/PB.02/A.II.10.01/99/11/2025, signed a day earlier by Deputy Rais Aam PBNU Afifuddin Muhajir and PBNU Secretary General Ahmad Tajul Mafakhir.
“Based on the considerations stated in point 2, Yahya Cholil Staquf is no longer in the capacity of Chair of PBNU, effective November 26 at 12:45 AM local time,” the circular reads.
Tajul confirmed he had signed the document but insisted it was not a dismissal letter.
“It is a PBNU circular as written. Not a dismissal letter. They are different forms,” he told reporters on Wednesday, stressing that his comments were personal and did not represent the organization.
According to the circular, the decision stems from a Syuriyah PBNU Daily Meeting held on November 20 in Jakarta. Afifuddin Muhajir reportedly handed the official minutes of that meeting directly to Yahya at the Mercure Ancol Hotel on November 21. Yahya returned the document.
The letter also states that Yahya had received and read a subsequent notification, Letter No. 4779/PB02/A102.71/99/11/2025, via the Digdaya Persurat system on November 23 at 12:45 AM WIB. With this acknowledgement, the council deemed the conditions met to formally dismiss him.
The move strips Yahya of all authority, privileges, and access associated with the PBNU chairmanship. He is barred from acting on behalf of the organization effective November 26 at 12:45 AM WIB (Western Indonesia Time).
Syuriyah PBNU has called for an immediate plenary session in accordance with internal regulations governing dismissal, interim replacement, and transfer of duties. Until a new chair is appointed, leadership of PBNU rests fully with the Rais Aam, the organization’s supreme leader.
Yahya, however, retains the right to challenge the decision before the Nahdlatul Ulama Tahkim Council under association rules on internal dispute resolution. Tempo has sought his response, but he has not replied.
The dismissal follows mounting pressure after the Syuriyah PBNU Daily Meeting on November 20, attended by 37 of 53 members.
The meeting concluded that the presence of speakers allegedly linked to “international Zionist networks” at an NU leadership training program (AKN NU) violated core values of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah An-Nahdliyah and contradicted the Muqaddimah Qanun Asasi of NU. Yahya was given three days to resign or face removal.
Yahya flatly rejected the ultimatum. “I have absolutely no intention of resigning because I was entrusted by this congress for five years,” he told the media at the Novotel Samator Hotel in Surabaya in the early hours of Sunday, November 23.
Editor’s Note: The headline of this article has been updated from "Indonesia’s Largest Muslim Organization Ousts Top Leader Gus Yahya" to “Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama Supreme Council Ousts Leader Gus Yahya” for clarity and accuracy.
Egi Adyatama and Hanaa Septiana contributed to the writing of this article.
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