Wahid Hasyim

Abdul Wahid Hasyim was born on 1 June 1914 in Jombang, a city in Jombang Regency, East Java, as the eldest child and son of the 15 children of Hasyim Asy'ari, an ulama (religious schjolar), and Nafiqah binti Ilyas. At the age of seven, he completed the Quran by learning from his father. By the age of 15, Hasyim was known to be proficient in the Latin script, Dutch, and English, despite never having received a colonial education. He began his education at the Madrasah Salafiyah within the Tebuireng Islamic boarding school (pesantren) and also deepened his knowledge at several other Islamic boarding schools, such as Pondok Siwalan in Panji, a historic institution in Sidoarjo. After spending a year at Pondok Siwalan, Hasyim moved to the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school in Kediri. He subsequently broadened his knowledge by subscribing to various domestic and international magazines and taking language courses in Dutch, Arabic and English. In 1932, Hasyim performed the Hajj in Mecca and remained there until 1933, using the time to further his religious studies. Upon returning from Mecca, although only 19 years old, he began to immerse himself in the movement, focusing primarily on enhancing the quality of Islamic boarding schools to cultivate intellectually minded students.

In 1939, Wahid met Solehah, his cousin, at a wedding ceremony, and married her the same year. From this marriage, the couple had six children: Abdurrahman Wahid, Aisyah Hamid Baidlowi, Salahuddin Wahid, Umar Wahid, Lily Chodijah Wahid, and Hasyim Wahid.

Hasyim served as a member of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Executive Board. In 1943, when the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, all organizations were banned from operating, including Nahdlatul Ulama. The only Islamic organization permitted to operate was MIAI (Majelis Islam A'la Indonesia, the Supreme Islamic Council of Indonesia), which he led. This position placed him at the heart of the Indonesian nation's struggle during the Japanese occupation; he became a member of the Central Advisory Council (Chūō Sangiin), then the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (BPUPK), and eventually served on the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI).