The Muhammad Subuh Foundation is named in honor of the founder of Subud, Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, and was established to fund the long-term objectives of the World Subud Association.

Subud is a non-denominational form of worship that is open to people of all races and religions. The specific practice of Subud is a form of receiving which can awaken a person’s inner self guided by the power of God, or the Universal Life Force. This practice can awaken a sense of “human responsibility” towards all people, with a consequent wish to help our fellow human beings who are in need. It is a spiritual path that encourages its members to work and live a normal life.

Bapak’s vision was of a Subud association that was active and effective in the world, in all fields of human endeavor. MSF exists to support this vision by providing financial assistance in a wide-range of areas, including social and humanitarian work, cultural endeavors, and youth projects.

“If other foundations can generate achievements through their groups, then we as a Subud family should follow, and gather and care for our assets so that what is small will become big and strong, acting as a support and coordinating body for the welfare and needs of us all.” Ibu Siti Rahayu Wiryohudoyo, Honorary Lifetime Trustee.

The seeds of Varindra’s dream spread and took root and, in 1971, the Subud Brotherhood International Foundation (SBIF) was established. Bapak further clarified its role:

“SBIF is like a go-between, an intermediary body to receive the funds derived from the enterprises of Subud members and distribute them to the various Subud centers for the establishment of latihan premises, guesthouses, hospitals, schools, and the homes required for the old and needy.”

In 1991, four years after Bapak’s death, SBIF was renamed the Muhammad Subuh Foundation and was established as a non-profit, tax-exempt body in the Commonwealth of Virginia, USA. The Foundation’s first project was the construction of the meeting hall for the International Subud Center at Amanecer in Columbia, where the 9th Subud World Congress was held in 1993.

In the 1990s, MSF’s financial base grew significantly through the generous support of individual donations and bequests, as well as contributions from private enterprises. In 1997, Yayasan Muhammad Subuh became part of MSF, along with its array of Indonesian land assets and shareholdings. As the rate of contributions increased, so did the amount of projects funded.

Initially, the Foundation focused on providing financial assistance to build or acquire meeting facilities for its members. While this continues to be an objective, MSF has expanded its activities. For example, in 1997, MSF provided its first humanitarian project grant to Foundacion Amor in Columbia. In 1998, it sponsored an international Youth Mentoring Program aimed at helping young people identify a career path and gain important tools to achieve success. MSF has also made a long-term commitment to fund the translation and preservation of Bapak and Ibu Rahayu talks.

The Foundation continues to grow. In 2001, MSF established the Bapak Legacy Fund, a permanent international endowment for Subud in honor of its founder at his centennial and the gift he brought the world.

“In Subud, we have two duties besides worshipping God according to his will: We have to take care of our lives in this world, and we have to try to create something that is valuable both for ourselves and our descendants.”