1. Abdurrahman Wahid or better known as Gus Dur was born in Denanyar Jombang, East Java, on August 4, 1940. He was a prominent Indonesian intellectual and highly respected. Since childhood, Abdurrahman was educated and raised in a pesantren family and under the auspices of the ulama's family.
His own grandfather was Hadratus Sheikh Hasyim Asy'ari. In 1964, Abdurrahman obtained a scholarship to study at Ma'had Ali Dimsat al-Islamiyah, al-Azhar University, Cairo, by specializing in Sharia.After returning from his search for knowledge, Wahid returned to Jombang and chose to become a teacher. In 1971, he joined the Ushuludin Faculty of Sugar Cane University in Jombang.
In 1979 Abdurrahman moved to Jakarta. In 1984 Abdurrahman was chosen by acclamation by an ahl hall wa al-aqdi team headed by K.H. As`ad Syamsul Arifin to hold the position of chairman of PBNU at the 27th conference in Situbondo.
The thoughts of Abdurrahman Wahid:Â
- Pluralism and toleranceÂ
- Politics, democracy and human rightsÂ
- Dualisme of islamic and the state
