REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice presidential candidate for incumbent President Joko Widodo and Nahdlatul Ulama supreme leader, KH Ma'ruf Amin has returned to homeland after perfoming hajj on Monday (August 27). He denied to have met with grand imam of Islamic Defenders Front and Chairman of Advisory Board of the National Movement to Defend Ulemas' Fatwa (GNPF Ulama) Habib Rizieq Shihab in the Holy Land.
"No. I performed hajj and it had nothing to do with politics," he told the reporters after attending national meeting of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) and regional NU officals in Central Jakarta, on Thursday (August 30) night.
Earlier, Deputy Chairman GNPF and ustaz Zaitun Rasmin posted a video statement on his personal account on Facebook about the meeting between Kiai Ma'ruf and Habib Rizieq. He also made a tweet about it.
KIYAI MA'RUF AMIN DAN HABIB RIZIEQ SYIHAB SALING MENGHARGAI SATU SAMA LAIN
Alhamdulillah kami baru saja tiba di tanah air tercinta pulang dari tanah suci Makkah dan Madinah.
Disana kami sempat bertemu dan... https://t.co/XlhdMTdNYo
— Muh Zaitun Rasmin (@ZaitunRasmin) August 29, 2018
He wanted to clarify the rumor saying Habib Rizieq was not willing to meet with Kiai Ma'ruf. "It was a big mistake," he said, adding that the two Islamic leaders have mutual respect.
Kiai Ma'ruf was said to meet with Habib Rizieq in a sidelines of hajj pilgrimage. He departed to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (Aug 15).
When being asked whether he would meet with Habib Rizieq during his stay in Mecca, he responded briefly. "Insya Allah (God willing)," he told the reporters after meeting Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Chairman KH Said Aqil Siradj and National Awakening Party (PKB) -- an Islam-based political party that has deep roots in Nahdlatul Ulama -- General Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar "Cak Imin" at PBNU office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (August 14).
However, National Movement to Safeguard the Ulemas Fatwa (GNPF Ulama) said the meeting of the two Islamic figures was not listed on Habib Rizieq's schedule. Habib Rizieq did not received any notice from Kiai Ma'ruf.
"I have talked (to Habib Rizieq), but as far as I know, Kiai Ma'ruf has not contacted Habib Rizieq," GNPF Ulama Chairman ustaz Yusuf Martak said when contacted by Republika.co.id on Tuesday (August 14).
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