Kyai Haji Yahya Cholil Staquf (born 16 February 1966), nicknamed Gus Yahya, is an Indonesian politician and Islamic cleric who has served as the chairman of the Executive Council of

Nahdlatul Ulama Nahdlatul Ulama (, , NU) is an Islam in Indonesia, Islamic organization in Indonesia. Its membership estimates range from 40 million (2013) to over 95 million (2021), making it the largest Islamic organization in the world. NU also is a charitab ...

(NU) since December 2021. In the election of the 34th NU Conference at

Lampung University Lampung University ( id, Universitas Lampung) is a public university in Bandar Lampung, Lampung, Indonesia. It was established on September 22, 1965. Its rector is Prof. Dr. Karomani, M.Si. History The college was started because high school grad ...

, Bandar Lampung on 24 December 2021, Gus Yahya beat the incumbent

Said Aqil Siradj Said Aqil Siradj is an Indonesian Islamic scholar and former chairman of the executive council of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in the world. The most recent publication of The 500 Most Influential Muslims by the Royal Islami ...

, with the former gaining 337 votes and the latter 210 votes. He served as spokesperson of Abdurrahman Wahid from 1999 to 2001. On 31 May 2018, he was appointed as member of Presidential Advisory Council replacing

Hasyim Muzadi Achmad Hasyim Muzadi (8 August 1944 – 16 March 2017) was an Indonesian Islamic scholar, cleric, and the fourth Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, from 1999 to 2010. He was the founder and director of the ...

by President

Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), popularly known as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician and businessman who is the 7th and current president of Indonesia. Elected in July 2014, he was the first Indonesian president not to come from an elite ...

. Yahya is a former member of National Awakening Party (PKB). He was previously predicted to fill the post of minister of religious affairs in

Onward Indonesia Cabinet The Indonesia Forward Cabinet ( id, Kabinet Indonesia Maju) is the current cabinet of Indonesia. It was announced by the President of Indonesia Joko Widodo on 23 October 2019. The president has so far reshuffled the cabinet on five occasions: ...

. In the end, President

appointed his younger brother,

Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (born 4 January 1975) is an Indonesian cleric and politician who currently serves as the Minister of Religious Affairs under Joko Widodo, appointed since 23 December 2020. He previously chaired the Ansor Youth Movement and wa ...

, as Minister of Religious Affairs. In community activities, Yahya formed "Community of Terong Gosong" on 13 May 2009 and served as chairman of supervisors board.

Personal life

Yahya Cholil Staquf was born on 16 February 1966 in Leteh village, Rembang district, Rembang,

Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...

. He is the eldest son of former

Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly The following is a list of deputy speakers of the People's Consultative Assembly in Indonesia. See also * People's Consultative Assembly * List of speakers of the People's Consultative Assembly Notes References {{reflist Lists of poli ...

Muhammad Cholil Bisri, who was of

Javanese people The Javanese ( id, Orang Jawa; jv, ꦮꦺꦴꦁꦗꦮ, ''Wong Jawa'' ; , ''Tiyang Jawi'' ) are an ethnic group native to the central and eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. With approximately 100 million people, Javanese people ...

and her mother Muchsinah. He studied in Madrasah Al-Munawwir Krapyak, Yogyakarta. After graduating from high school in Yogyakarta he studied sociology at Gadjah Mada University, but did not complete it. Yahya was active in Muslim Students' Association (HMI) and

(NU), the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia. From 2015 to 2021 he took the position of Katib Aam (General Secretary of the Supreme Council) in the Nahdlatul Ulama prior to his election as chair.

Books

* ''The Terong Gosong'', (2011) * ''Terong Gosong Reloaded'', (2016) * ''PBNU: Perjuangan Besar Nahdlatul Ulama'', 11 March 2020

Controversies

On 10 June 2018, Yahya visit to Israel as a guest of the

American Jewish Committee The American Jewish Committee (AJC) is a Jewish advocacy group established on November 11, 1906. It is one of the oldest Jewish advocacy organizations and, according to ''The New York Times'', is "widely regarded as the dean of American Jewish org ...

, a United States advocacy group holding a major conference in Jerusalem. It caused controversy among Indonesian people because Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, and support for the Palestinians is very strong. Golkar's

Bambang Soesatyo Bambang Soesatyo (born 10 September 1962), more colloquially referred to as Bamsoet, is an Indonesian politician and businessman, who is currently serving as the 15th Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly since 2019, and as a Member of th ...

also commented that the visit of Yahya has the potential to cause chaos.

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Staquf, Yahya Cholil Indonesian Islamic religious leaders Indonesian Sunni Muslims Javanese people Living people Nahdlatul Ulama 1966 births People from Rembang Regency National Awakening Party politicians Gadjah Mada University alumni