Ahmad Mustofa Bisri (born 10 August 1944) is an Islamic leader from Indonesia affiliated to Nahdlatul Ulama. He is the head of Pondok Pesantren Raudlatuth Thalibin, Rembang, Central Java

Central Java

Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...

 Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

. Mustofa Bisri, well known as Gus Mus, is famous not only as a kyai--traditional Islamic teacher & leader, but also as a poet and painter.

Background

Gus Mus is the son of KH Bisri Musthofa and a grandson of H Zaenal Musthofa, both were respected Islamic leader in Indonesia.
He studied in various pondok pesantren--traditional islamic school, such as Pesantren Lirboyo Kediri

Kediri

Kediri or Kadiri was a Hindu Javanese Kingdom based in East Java from 1042 to around 1222. Despite the lack of archaeological remains, the age of Kediri saw much development in classical literature....

 under guidance of KH Marzuqi and KH Mahrus Ali; Al Munawwar Krapyak Yogyakarta under KH Ali Ma'shum and KH Abdul Qadir; and Al Azhar University of Cairo.

Gus Mus is married to Siti Fatmah and they have 7 (seven) children : Ienas Tsuroiya, Kautsar Uzmut, Raudloh Quds, Rabiatul Bisriyah, Nada, Almas and Muhammad Bisri Mustofa. From his children marriages, he has 5 (five) sons in law : Ulil Abshar Abdalla

Ulil Abshar Abdalla

Ulil Abshar-Abdalla is an Islamic scholar from Indonesia affiliated to Jaringan Islam Liberal...

, Reza Shalahuddin Habibi, Ahmad Sampton, Wahyu Salvana, and Fadel Irawan, with 8 (eight) grandsons: Ektada Bennabi Mohamad; Ektada Bilhadi Mohamad; Muhammad Ravi Hamadah Habibi, Muhammad Raqie Haidarah Habibi; Muhammad Najie Ukasyah, Ahmad Naqie Usamah, Samih Wahyu Maulana and Muhammad Rasikh Rujhan.

Gus Mus & Nahdlatul Ulama

In 1970, upon returning from Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

, he was appointed as board member of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Rembang. Then in 1977 he was elected as a Mustasyar, Counselor Board member of NU Central Java. On the NU Muktamar (general meeting) in Cipanas, West Java

West Java

West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...

, in 1994 he was elected as Rais Syuriah PB NU.

On the 31st Muktamar NU in 2004 in Boyolali

Boyolali

Boyolali is a regency in the eastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Boyolali.-Geography:The capital also named as Boyolali and lies 27 km to the west from Solo....

 Central Java

Central Java

Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...

 he was asked by several kyai, including the former Indonesian President Gus Dur to become one of the contestants for NU Chairman. But he refused the offer, which lead to the winning of KH Hasyim Muzadi for the second time.

Gus Mus' Writings

Below are Gus Mus' published books:

• Ensiklopedi Ijmak (Terjemahan bersama KHM Ahmad Sahal Mahfudz, Pustaka Firdaus, Jakarta);
• Proses Kebahagiaan (Sarana Sukses, Surabaya);
• Awas Manusia dan Nyamuk Yang Perkasa (Gubahan Cerita anak-anak, Gaya Favorit Press, Jakarta);
• Maha Kiai Hasyim Asy’ari (Terjemahan, Kurnia Kalam Semesta, Jogjakarta);
• Syair Asmaul Husna (Bahasa Jawa, Cet. I Al-Huda, Temanggung; Cet. II 2007, MataAir Publishing);
• Saleh Ritual Saleh Sosial, Esai-esai Moral (Mizan, Bandung);
• Pesan Islam Sehari-hari, Ritus Dzikir dan Gempita Ummat (Cet. II 1999, Risalah Gusti, Surabaya);
• Al-Muna, Terjemahan Syair Asma’ul Husna (Al-Miftah, / MataAir Publishing Surabaya);
• Mutiara-mutiara Benjol (Cet. II 2004 MataAir Publishing, Surabaya);
• Fikih Keseharian Gus Mus (Cet. I Juni 1997 Yayasan Al-Ibriz bejerhasana dengan Penerbit Al-Miftah Surabaya; Cet. II April 2005, Cet. III Januari 2006, Khalista, Surabaya bekerjasama dengan Komunitas Mata Air);
• Canda nabi & Tawa Sufi (Cet. I Juli 2002, cet. II November 2002, Penerbit Hikmah, Bandung);
• Melihat Diri Sendiri (Gama Media, Jogjakarta)
• Kompensasi (Cet. I 2007, MataAir Publishing, Surabaya)