JAKARTA - No one doubts the importance of Ustaz Abdul Somad (UAS) in the world of Islamic propagation. He is a charismatic cleric with a large following. Prabowo Subianto even once approached UAS as his running mate in the 2019 presidential election, but was rejected.
UAS felt he had enough of Islamic propagation. He didn't want to be involved in Indonesian politics. Recently, UAS's avoidance of politics has been questioned. Instead, he became a campaigner for the Abdul Wahid-Sf Hariyanto ticket in the Riau gubernatorial election.
UAS's role in the world of Islamic propagation in Indonesia is impressive. His deep religious knowledge and humor are his main attractions. This has earned him a place in the hearts of Indonesian Muslims. This popularity has attracted the attention of the clerics.
He was nominated by the majority of clerics through the Ijtima Ulama (Ulama Council) as Prabowo Subianto's running mate in the 2019 presidential election. Prabowo welcomed the wishes of all the clerics. The Prabowo-UAS pair is considered capable of blocking Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) path back to power.
Everything changed when UAS chose his own path. He didn't mean to discourage the ulama or disappoint Prabowo. However, UAS felt that his life path wasn't in politics. He chose to serve solely in the world of da'wah (Islamic preaching).
This narrative was like his effort to educate the nation's children and foster a love for religion and country. UAS's decision was supported by many. The ulama and Prabowo respected UAS's decision. He also refused to become a campaign spokesperson for Prabowo, who then ran with Sandiaga Uno.
However, several years later, UAS's stance changed. He reportedly became a campaign spokesperson for the Hafit-Erizal regent and vice-regent candidate pair in the 2020 Rokan Hulu regional election. This decision drew heavy criticism from UAS.
Many believed UAS should have taken the same stance as he did by refusing to be Prabowo's vice presidential candidate or campaign spokesperson. Ulama should not be involved in politics.
"Ulama should be ulama, not just get involved in a battle of interests. We can understand their motives: to spread Islam. However, they are pushing certain individuals who align with their beliefs and convictions. Meanwhile, when it comes to religion, that's perfectly acceptable. All the candidates are Muslim."
"He's a religious teacher, a figure who serves as a reference for all groups. But if he's running for one of the candidates, he's part of a political party, so he's outside the context of being a religious teacher or ulama," said political observer Saiman Pakpahan, as quoted by detik.com on November 27, 2020.
Campaigner of Abdul Wahid-SF Hariyanto
UAS's role as campaigner wasn't limited to the Rokan Hulu regional elections. He was again the campaigner when the Abdul Wahid-SF Hariyanto political ticket ran for the 2024 Riau gubernatorial election. UAS believes his leader can support the advancement of the Muslim community in Riau.
UAS also supported his leader's programs and vision, which favor the people. UAS fundamentally understands his position as a cleric entering politics. This situation naturally brings criticism and condemnation.
The criticism poured in heavily on social media, from Facebook to YouTube. Every day, UAS received negative comments regarding his support for a particular candidate. However, UAS dismissed it as mere speculation.
He emphasized that Indonesia is a democratic country. It's only natural that Islamic scholars also expressed support for the future of the nation and state. Some also believe that the Riau gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial candidates are simply exploiting UAS. In other words, if they win, they won't keep any political promises or memorandums of understanding.
UAS continued to support Abdul Wahid and SF Hariyanto until they won. Abdul Wahid and SF Hariyanto became the new Governor and Deputy Governor of Riau. Abdul Wahid was recently caught in a sting operation (OTT) by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for corruption on November 3, 2025.
"But by speaking out against Abdul Wahid, who mocked, mocked, and bullied us in our own groups, our own friends. But I don't care, because my intention is to make Riau better in the future. If you see people mocking me and insulting me on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram, don't retaliate. Contain your hurt feelings and retaliate on November 27th by voting for Abdul Wahid-SF Hariyanto," said UAS, as quoted by detik.com, October 17, 2024.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
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