KH Hasanuddin Kriyani Officially Appointed as Elder of Pondok Buntet Pesantren

Pondok Buntet Pesantren has officially installed KH Hasanuddin Kriyani as its new elder. The decision was reached not merely through deliberation, but through a spiritual process in which the Dewan Sepuh (Council of Elders) sought divine guidance by performing the istikharah prayer before reaching a unanimous agreement.

The appointment was announced during the solemn 40-day commemoration of the passing of almaghfurlah KH Adib Rofiuddin Izza. In the presence of senior religious scholars, students, alumni, and the extended pesantren family, council member KH Amiruddin read out the decision, marking the continuation of the spiritual leadership of Pondok Buntet Pesantren.

‘More than just a deliberation, the senior scholars on the Dewan Sepuh first knocked on the door of heaven, seeking guidance and the pleasure of Allah SWT through the istikharah prayer,’ said KH Amiruddin on Saturday, 11 July 2026. He explained that this process is a preserved tradition in determining the direction of the pesantren’s leadership. For the Dewan Sepuh, the mandate of leadership is not merely an organisational matter, but a spiritual responsibility to be accounted for before Allah SWT.

‘The selection of this elder came about through the agreement of the Dewan Sepuh after we had sought guidance from Allah SWT by performing istikharah, for the sake of blessings and the common good,’ he stated. In addition to appointing the new elder, Pondok Buntet Pesantren also strengthened the ranks of the Dewan Sepuh with the inclusion of two scholars, KH Ahmad Syukrie Said and KH Ade Moh. Nasih. Their presence is expected to further reinforce the pesantren’s scholarly guidance, spiritual direction, and its struggle to meet contemporary challenges without abandoning its traditional values.

The official composition of the Dewan Sepuh is now as follows: 1. KH Hasanuddin Kriyani (Elder), 2. KH Ahmad Mursyidin, 3. KH Amiruddin, 4. KH Tajuddin Zen, 5. KH Subhi Muta’ad, 6. KH Aris Ni’matullah, 7. KH Syukrie Said, 8. KH Ade Moh. Nasih. The 40-day commemoration of the late KH Adib Rofiuddin Izza, combined with the installation of the new elder, was conducted with great reverence and prayer. With a mandate born from spiritual endeavour and the consensus of the senior scholars, the leadership of KH Hasanuddin Kriyani is expected to pave the way for the continuation of the da’wah, education, and welfare that have long been the spirit of Pondok Buntet Pesantren.