Dr. (H.C.) KH. Abdurrahman Wahid
Eye defects did not dampen his desire to be President.
A) The childhood of the former President.
KH. Abdurrahman Wahid or who we often call with Gus Dur is a fenistent figure in Indonesia. He often in the call as the Purchase democracy was born in Jombang, East Java on September 7, 1940. Please note that he is the grandson of the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama namely KH. Hasyim Asyhari.
Although he has repeated to Rahmatullah on December 30, 2009, but his name is still fragrant to this second. All services in building this country still remain in mind to date, even until the end of this period.
He was born from the Wakhid Hasyim and Solychah couple. At first, Gus Dur was born with the name Abdurrahman in Arabic, Ad told the Dakhil had the meaning of “conquerors”. However, for one reason, the name of Ad Dakhil was replaced with Wahid.
Small Gus Dur is a mediocre man. Although he was the grandson of a hero, but Gus Dur never forgotten the grandfather to not ignore the interests of the people around him.
In 1944, the first of Gus Dur was forced to leave Jombang and headed to Jakarta for following the father. At that time, the official father was elected as the Chairman of the Indonesian Muslims of the Syrian Muslims (Masyumi).
After the procurement of the Indonesian independence proclamation, Gus Dur with his family also returned to Jombang. But it did not last long, a while later he had to return to Jakarta because the father was elected to a religious minister in 1949. Finally, Gus Dur was officially settled in Jakarta.
After successfully adapted in Jakarta, the small Gus Dur began to adjust to the surrounding environment. At his age that stepped on 6 years, Gus Dur also registered to study education in SD. KRIS before he was moving to SD. Matraman Perwari.
After successfully discovered his basic education, Gus Dur was in the next level of education while being a santri in Pondok Pesantren Ali Maksum Krapyak, Yogyakarta. There he not only learned many things about religion, but also political science and so forth. In fact, Gus Dur also once completed the book of Das Capitalist work from Karl Marx.
After graduating the first secondary school, Gus Dur also re-educated in Muslims in Pondok Tegalrejo, Magelang. Gus Dur is one of the figures who never want to stop learning. After studying the place for the past 2 years, Gus Dur continued his education in Pesantren Tambakberas in Jombang in 1959. In the place, Gus Dur also works as a teacher, but as he runs when he became a principal in the place.
Besides once served as a principal, Gus Dur also had a bearing journalist like Horizon and Cultural Magazine Jaya.
B) Education of the former president
Precisely in 1963, Gus Dur also gained a scholarship to study at Al Azhar University, Cairo from the Ministry of Religion. Then, in November 1963, Gus Dur was also beginning to go to Egypt to travel his education. Arriving there, Gus Dur was forced to take the remedial class before following the Lesson and the Arabic Lesson. This happens because Gus Dur can not prove that he can speak Arabic.
But unfortunately, he did not finish his education there and then Gus Dur in the request of repeating education at Baghdad University, Iraq. After all Iraq, Gus Dur was traveling to various countries such as Germany and France until 1971.
C) Gus Dur and the sight of the sight
In 1985, Gus Dur experienced an eye disturbance or often called glaucoma. The notion of glaucoma is a set of eye disease due to eye nerves (nomus opticus) located behind the eye and can lead to a decrease in edge sight (peripheral) to get tasted with blindness.
A variety of treatment has been done, but the disease in his eyes has not been healed. Some doctors who ever checked Gus Dur mentioned that the nerves on Gus Dur were damaged.
The disease causes the vision of Gus Dur is disturbed by gradually. But Gus Dur can still be said to be lucky because only the eyes of the left is just damaged while his right eye can still be saved.
In February 1997, KH's Health. Abdurrahman Wahid gradually deteriorates. He felt his right arm that was painful because of infection. The cause of the infection is unknown.
The health of the former president was seen even worsening in 2005. In that year, Gus Dur had to do wash blood three times a week because the renal function was no longer working perfectly. Next in March 2006, Gus Dur back must stay at Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital to perform kidney operations. But, unfortunately the condition of Gus Dur is not yet ready for the operation.
Then on April 13, 2009, KH. Abdurrahman Wahid again undergoes blood wash at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Then in July 2009, Gus Dur sentenced to Alodonia, that is kind of pain from the nerves that then cause a pain across his body.
On December 25, 2009, Gus Dur resempted at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, after he was currently treated at Jombang Public Hospital. His condition was even worsening until he finally died of December 30, 2009.
D) Achievements boast the former president
Despite having a disorder in his eyes, but it did not dampen the Gur Dur's spirit to devote herself in Indonesia. The myriad of achievements has been achieved as follows:
1. In 2004, grabbed the Mpu Bulbel, a DPP of Hindu Youth Union, Jakarta, Indonesia.
2. Still in 2004, won the Culture of Peace Distinguished Award 2003, the Culture of Peace project for religions, Trento, Italy.
3. In 2003, gained the Global Tolerance Award, the Friends of the United Nations, New York, USA.
4. In 2003, had a chance to get the World Peace Prize Award, World Peace Prize Awarding Council (WPPAC), Seoul, South Korea.
5. Still in 2003, also won the Dare to Fail Award, Billi PS Lim, the best selling writer "Dare to Fail", Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
6. In 2002, reaching the two national awards ie Golden Pin NU, Lord's ownership of Nahdlatul Ulama, Jakarta, Indonesia and also Kanjeng Prince Aryo (KPA) title, Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuhun Kanjeng Susuhunan Pakubuwono XII, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia.
7. In 2001, get a Public Service Award, Columbia University, New York, USA.
8. In 2000, re-earned two awards, namely Ambassador of Peace, International and Interreligious Federation for World Peace (IIFWP), New York, USA and Paul Harris Fellow, The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
9. In 1998, earning a degree as the Man of The Year from REM magazine, Indonesia
10. In 1993, get Magsaysay Award, Manila, Philippines.
11. In 1990, won the Islamic Missionary Award, the Egyptian government.
12. In 1990, gained the 1990s, the Editor magazine, Indonesia.
In addition to the above awards, Gus Dur has also earned a Doctorate of Honor, which is the following below:
1. Netanya University, Israel (2003)
2. Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea (2003)
3. Sun Moon University, Seoul, South Korea (2003)
4. Soka Gakkai University, Tokyo, Japan (2002)
5. Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand (2000)
6. Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand (2001)
7. Pantheon Sorborne University, Paris, France (2000)
8. Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand (1999)
Nothing is impossible in this world. The limitations in you are not the right reason for the exercise to do. Gus Dur has succeeded in prove it to the world, and then what about you?
Perfectionism is simply putting a limit on your future. When you have an idea of perfect in your mind, you open the door to constantly comparing what you have now with what you want. That type of self criticism is significantly deterring.
(John Eliot, Ph.D)
(John Eliot, Ph.D)