Darul Fallah Agricultural Pesantren: Planting Values, Cultivating Independence, Harvesting an Excellent Generation

The 66th anniversary of the Darul Fallah Agricultural Pesantren Foundation in Ciampea, Bogor (9 April 1967 to 9 April 2026) is a moment rich in meaning. It is a point of stillness from which to look back at the long trail blazed since its founding by KH Sholeh Iskandar, KH Abdul Gaffar Ismail, H. Tabrani, H. Janamar Adjam and RHO Djunaedi.

From the hearts and hands of these founding fathers, a great idea was planted: that true education is one capable of uniting faith, knowledge and self-reliance in life.

Sixty-six years ago, perhaps all that appeared was simplicity — land, spirit and conviction. Yet it was precisely from that simplicity that strength grew. The founders did not merely establish a pesantren; they pioneered a movement to return humanity to its natural role as guardian of the earth, through education rooted in Islamic values and agrarian wisdom.

Darul Fallah subsequently became known as a unique pesantren, a place where the Quran and Islamic teachings are understood alongside the cultivation of the land, where remembrance of God unites with work, and where students learn that self-reliance is not merely an aspiration but a daily way of life. This philosophy has become ever more relevant amid a modern world that often drifts away from the values of sustainability and balance.

This anniversary reflection invites us to revive the founding spirit passed down by the founders. Do we still guard the spirit of sincerity in learning and teaching? Do we still see knowledge as a path of service rather than mere achievement? These questions matter so that this long journey does not lose its way.

At the age of 66, Darul Fallah is called upon not only to remember but also to respond to the times. Challenges such as the food crisis, climate change and digital transformation open opportunities for the pesantren to step forward as a centre of solutions. With its strong legacy of values, Darul Fallah holds a strategic position to produce a generation of empowered students, capable of managing natural resources wisely whilst harnessing technology appropriately.

Beyond that, this anniversary is a reminder that every student, every teacher and every alumnus is part of a chain of struggle that must not be broken. What the founders began is a trust that must be continually guarded, nurtured and developed.

Ultimately, this 66th anniversary is not merely a celebration of age but a reaffirmation of values: values of simplicity, self-reliance, the courage to dream and steadfastness in struggle. May Darul Fallah continue to be a field of goodness and a place where a generation grows that is not only intelligent but also firmly rooted and fruitful for others. May it always be given the strength to keep planting good values, nurturing self-reliance and blessings, and harvesting an outstanding generation that benefits the community, the nation and the universe.

Happy 66th anniversary.

Let us rise.

Let us struggle.

Let us advance together.

Keep growing.

Rooted deep.

Standing tall.

And bearing abundant fruit.

For the ummah.