In the end, President Joko Widodo appointed his younger brother, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, as Minister of Religious Affairs.

Yahya was active in Muslim Students' Association (HMI) and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia.

From 2015 to 2021 he took the position of Katib Aam (General Secretary of the Supreme Council) in the Nahdlatul Ulama prior to his election as chair.

[6] On 10 June 2018, Yahya visit to Israel as a guest of the American Jewish Committee, a United States advocacy group holding a major conference in Jerusalem.

[7] It caused controversy among Indonesian people because Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, and support for the Palestinians is very strong.