Lirboyo, modernization of education<\/p>\n
By Ainur Sophiaan<\/p>\n
KEDIRI, East Java (JP): About ninety years ago, in the fasting
\nmonth of Ramadhan and in an Islamic boarding school in Bangkalan,
\non the island of Madura, a student fainted during class. It was
\nduring an evening class and the teacher was teaching the Koran,
\nthe Muslim holy scripture.<\/p>\n
The teacher and the santri (students) were startled. The
\nteacher ended the lesson.<\/p>\n
The unfortunate student was Manab, 23, from Magelang, Central
\nJava, who apparently had not had time to break the fast. Nor he
\ndid eat sahur, the predawn meal eaten prior to starting the fast,
\nwhich ends at sunset. He also did not eat rice from day to day.
\nHe only ate boiled vegetables. It was under these conditions that
\nhe attended class. It was inevitable that he would eventually
\nweaken and collapse.<\/p>\n
The principle of concern and tirakat (asceticism)
\ncarried out by Manab had encouraged him to continue the study of
\nIslam.<\/p>\n
On his return from a haj pilgrimage in 1910, Manab changed his
\nname to Kyai Haji Abdul Karim. Kyai is a title for a venerated
\nreligious teacher and haji is for some one who has performed the
\nhaj pilgrimage to Mecca. In that year Karim established Pondok
\nPesantren (Islamic boarding school) Lirboyo in Kediri. The
\ncomplex is the venue for Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU) 30th congress,
\nwhich starts on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The pesantren was built on a plot of land measuring 1,785
\nsquare meters bequeathed by his father-in-law KH Sholeh, who was
\ndetermined to teach morals to the community and to fight crime.<\/p>\n
At the time, Lirboyo village had many robbers and thieves
\namong its inhabitants. It was also well-known for the presence of
\nevil spirits.<\/p>\n
The ceremony for the building of this school was simple but
\nsacred. Kyai Sholeh and his son-in-law initially built a small
\nbamboo mosque.<\/p>\n
"When the azan (call to prayer) was announced for the first
\ntime in this village, the citizens were disturbed by the noise of
\nthe spirits removing themselves. It was frightening and
\nhorrifying," said KH Ahmad Idris Marzuki, the pesantren director,
\nrecounting the story told by his late grandfather Kyai Abdul
\nKarim.<\/p>\n
It was also on that piece of land that Kyai Abdul Karim and
\nhis father-in-law constructed a very simple house which had
\nbamboo walls and a coconut leaf roof. Previously Karim lived with
\nhis father-in-law in Banjar Melati village some two kilometers
\nsouth of Lirboyo.<\/p>\n
For many years Karim educated his students. Local residents
\ncould not accept the existence of the pesantren and quite often
\nterrorized Karim. Immoral acts and crime were still prevalent in
\nthe village at the time.<\/p>\n
By 1925, when the classic Islam educational system was
\nintroduced, marked by the establishment of the Hidayatul
\nMubtadi'in Islamic elementary school, the challenges and
\nterrorization gradually diminished.<\/p>\n
The physical development of the pesantren had continued in
\nkeeping with the development of the times. If the pesantren
\nspecialized in educating male students, in 1987 women were also
\nadmitted, separately of course.<\/p>\n
The educational system also developed gradually, and junior
\nand senior high schools were eventually established. In 1966, the
\npesantren established the Tribakti Higher Institute of Islam. It
\nwas inducted by former minister of religious affairs KH Saifuddin
\nZuchri on Oct. 25, 1966.<\/p>\n
Today the Lirboyo pesantren has about 9,000 students.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur<\/p>\n
The pesantren has yielded tens of thousands of graduates.
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) is one of them. Others
\ninclude current NU activists such as the noted Bisri brothers,
\nconsisting of KH Cholil and KH Mustofa, KH Anwar and his brother
\nKH Noer Iskandar SQ, and KH Abdullah Buntet from Cirebon.<\/p>\n
"Many alumni have also chosen politics as a career. We teach
\nonly the principles of politics," said KH Ma'shum Jauhari, one of
\nthe pesantren leaders.<\/p>\n
Mas'shum's statement is no exaggeration. The spirit of
\npolitics has been very much felt here ever since the leadership
\nof KH Machrus Aly, its third leader. This is connected with the
\nroles Machrus played in many historic events. Among them were the
\nBattle of Surabaya in November 1945, in which Indonesians
\nfiercely fought against the occupational British troops; the
\nestablishment of the East Java Military Command in 1958; and the
\nstruggle against remnants of communism in the wake of the
\nabortive coup in 1965.<\/p>\n
The political stance of this pesantren is another story.
\nBefore the birth of the National Awakening Party (PKB) last year,
\nit leaned heavily toward the United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
"Now many of us have moved to the new party. Political choices
\nare left up to each individual. Students usually follow their
\nkyai," he said.<\/p>\n
Good cooperation with the government has also enabled the
\npesantren to develop rapidly. Over the past 10 years, with
\ngovernmental guidance, the students have been trained to acquire
\nvarious skills, e.g. commercial agriculture and the cultivation
\nof decorative plants.<\/p>\n
"We have a long list of things to do. It is unfortunate that
\nmany people still see pesantren as a moral workshop instead of a
\nfacility at which to study religion in greater depth," Ma'shum
\ncomplained.<\/p>\n
Whatever its appearance and size, the pesantren remains a
\npesantren. Simplicity and sincerity have always been the dominant
\ncolors of its life.<\/p>\n
This complex is being beautified to welcome the 30th NU
\ncongress. "I am happy the congress will be held here this time. I
\nhave been waiting for the opportunity to kiss Gus Dur's hand for
\na long time. But is it possible now that he is the president?"
\nsaid Jamil, a santri who has been at Lirboyo for the past 10
\nyears.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lirboyo-modernization-of-education-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}