Abdurrahman Wahid Quotes, born September 7, 1940, in Jombang, East Java, and passing on December 30, 2009, in Jakarta, was an Indonesian politician and Islamic scholar, affectionately known as Gus Dur, who served as Indonesia’s fourth president from 1999 to 2001. A leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world’s largest Islamic organization with 25 million members, he founded the National Awakening Party (PKB) and was the first democratically elected president after Suharto’s 1998 resignation. Despite visual impairment from glaucoma, he championed pluralism, lifting bans on Chinese New Year and recognizing Confucianism as an official religion.
These 15 quotes—sourced from speeches, interviews, writings, and posts on X—reflect his insights on democracy, interfaith harmony, tolerance, and humanity, capturing his visionary wit and compassionate legacy.
15 Abdurrahman Wahid Quotes
- “The key to interfaith dialogue is understanding, not agreement.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “Democracy is not just about elections; it’s about creating a society based on justice and equal opportunities.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “All too many Muslims fail to grasp Islam, which teaches one to be lenient towards others and to understand their value systems, knowing that these are tolerated by Islam as a religion.” (Interview, QuoteReel, 2019)
- “I am a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.” (Interview, BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “I told the students that we can exert pressure without resorting to violence, and that we can move towards democracy without violence; that way, God will allow it.” (Interview, MinimalistQuotes, 2022)
- “Religion should never be used as a tool for division or hatred.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “If we cling to the institution of Islam, then we tend to defend it against whatever we see as a danger to it, so because of this we see now that many people are defending states, defending territories, defending everything institutional in the belief that they defend Islam.” (Interview, QuoteReel, 2019)
- “Islam datang bukan untuk mengubah budaya leluhur kita menjadi budaya Arab. Kita pertahankan milik kita. Kita harus serap ajarannya, bukan budaya Arabnya.” (Islam came not to change our ancestral culture into Arab culture. We preserve our own. We must absorb its teachings, not Arab culture.) (Post on X, @Filsafat_Muslim, 2022-06-16)
- “Kita butuh Islam ramah bukan Islam marah.” (We need a friendly Islam, not an angry Islam.) (Book, Tuhan Tidak Perlu Dibela, n.d.)
- “Orang yang masih terganggu dengan hinaan dan pujian manusia, dia masih hamba yang amatiran.” (Those who are still disturbed by human insults and praise are still amateur servants.) (Post on X, @logikafilsuf, 2024-02-22)
- “Tolerance is not enough; we must strive for acceptance and mutual respect.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “The true essence of Islam is peace, compassion, and justice.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “Simpel saja, kalau orang menjauhi kita, kita jauhkan diri juga, kalau orang gak suka kita, gak perlu kita tunjukkan muka, pergilah ke tempat dimana kita dihargai, kita berhak memilih jalan hidup sendiri.” (It’s simple: if people avoid us, we distance ourselves too; if they don’t like us, we don’t need to show our face. Go where we are valued; we have the right to choose our own path.) (Post on X, @penaikhwan, 2024-07-09)
- “A nation grows strong when its people embrace differences, not fear them.” (Speech, Forum Demokrasi, 1998)
- “Leadership is about planting the seeds of justice, even if you don’t live to see the harvest.” (Interview, Kompas, 2000)
Abdurrahman Wahid’s quotes are a vibrant call for peace, pluralism, and a compassionate Islam, inspiring leaders, scholars, and citizens to build a world of justice and mutual respect. Which one stirs your heart to bridge divides? Drop it in the comments and keep Gus Dur’s legacy of harmony alive!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
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