PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Approaching the commemoration of Heroes' Day, the government has officially released the names of candidates for the title of National Hero in 2023. Of the 6 national heroes approved and appointed by the President, one of them is a hero from West Java, namely KH. Abdul Chalim.

KH. Abdul Chalim was born in Leuwimunding, Majalengka, on June 2 1898. He was the son of a Kuwu/Village Head named Kedung Wangsagama and his mother named Satimah. His grandfather was also the Head of Kertagama Village, the son of Buyut Liuh who was the son of a Cirebon Prince. If we trace the genealogy of KH. Abdul Chalim continued with Syarif Hidayatullah or better known as Sunan Gunung Djati.

KH. Abdul Chalim has studied religious education since he was a teenager. After completing his education at the HIS School (Hollandsch Inlandsche School), he studied at several Islamic boarding schools in the Leuwimunding and Rajagaluh areas, including the Banada Islamic Boarding School, the al-Fattah Trajaya Islamic Boarding School, and the Nurul Huda al Ma'arif Pajajar Islamic Boarding School. Until 1913, he continued his education in Mecca.

After returning from Mecca, he joined his friend KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah who is committed to liberating Indonesia. He helped handle and manage the organizations that had been started by KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah, namely Nahdlatul Wathan who later became Syubbanul Wathon.

When he founded Subbanul Wathon, KH. Abdul Chalim together with KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah formed the Hijaz Committee which aimed to organize ulama in Java and Madura in order to achieve Indonesian independence.

KH. Abdul Chalim wrote an invitation letter to all Islamic boarding school ulama in Java and Madura to attend a meeting held by the Hijaz Committee on January 31 1926. The contents of the letter which emphasized the goal of Indonesian independence received an extraordinary response from the ulama so that as many as 65 ulama attended the meeting. .

This Hijaz Committee ultimately encouraged an agreement between the ulama to establish Nahdlatul Ulama with KH. Hasyim Asyari as Rais Aam and KH. Abdul Wahab Hasbullah as the initial Katib. KH. Abdul Chalim himself was Katib Tsani (second secretary) in the first period of the PBNU management.

KH. Abdul Chalim is also the spiritual leader of the semi-military organization Hezbollah, the founder of Hezbollah for the Majalengka and Cirebon areas, as well as a Hezbollah fighter in several battlefields, namely Cirebon, Majalengka and Surabaya. Because of his enthusiasm and struggle, he was known as Muharrikul Afkar, which means the mover and generator of the spirit of struggle. He also received the nickname "Mushlikhu Dzatil Bain" (reconciler of two disputing parties) because he often reconciled clerics who were arguing. He was also a member of the Temporary People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS).

KH. Abdul Chalim died in Leuwimunding on June 12 1972 in Leuwimunding. Now, his name has been immortalized as the name of a university in Mojokerto, namely "KH Islamic Boarding School Institute. Abdul Chalim Mojokerto” which is currently in the process of becoming the KH Islamic Boarding School University. Abdul Chalim Mojokerto (rachmi).