Land of Five Tower

Character :

 Alif Fikri ( main character )

 Baso
 Said
 Atang
 Raja
 Dulmajid

Characteristic :

 Alif Fikri : Obedient, inconsistent with the choices that have been
decided
 Baso : Religious person, really care
 Said : Matured, lack of confidence
 Atang : Humorous, can keep promise
 Raja : Confidence, like to share
 Dulmajid : Independent, loyal

Places :

 Pondok Madani
 Maninjau Lake
Summary :

Alif Fikri lived in Bayur, a little village beside Maninjau lakes, Padang, West Sumatera. His
exam score was in the top tenth in Agam regency. After graduated from Junior High School, Alif
wanted to continue his study in Bukittinggi Senior High School, and then study at ITB Bandung.
He really wanted to be like B.J Habibie as an expert in the field of technology. By school in non-
religious school, he can make his dream come true.
For three years, Alif followed the orders of his mother to study at an Islamic junior high
school, now is the time to reach his hope. But, his happiness who get the best score lost
because his mother wanted him to go to Islamic school again. His mother said that becoming a
religious leader is far more honorable than becoming an engineer. Frustation because of his
dreams thwarted by his mother, he did not speak and locked himself in his room.
In the evening, his mother put a letter under the door of his room. The letter came from
uncle Gindo who studied in Egypt. Uncle Gindo suggested to go to school in Madani, located in
East Java. Madani could be the way out of the mess. If in the end he had to go to a religious
school, he did not want to go to a madrasah in West Sumatra. The sudden decision made his
parents happy and confused.
In Madani Pesantren, he had best friends. They are Raja from Medan, Said from
Surabaya, Dulmajid from Madura, Atang from Bandung and the genius Baso from Gowa,
Sulawesi. The first day in class after taking an entrance exam and passed, Alif received a
powerful magic spell Man Jadda Wajada. It meant he who gives all will surely succeed. Ustadz
Salman is the guardian of their classes, class 1A. It was he who taught man jadda wajada to all
students.
His daily activities in Madani Pesantren did not easy as the non Islamic school in usual.
They should study hard a whole day and the new students only have four months left in which
may speak Indonesian. After four months, everyone must speak English and Arabic. They also
should be discipline to follow the qanum if they do not want to get punishment. Qanun is an
unwritten rule, but all students must abide Madani Pesantren. Since the qanun was read, all the
rules should not be violated.
As the wise man says, suffering together is the cement of a solid friendship. Ever since
becoming central security jasus, Alif, Raja, Said, Dulmajid, Atang and Baso got together and
studied more often. Therefore they are looking for a nice place to gathering, and then they find
the mosque’s tower. At the base of the manara was a small garden with shrubs and grass.
Behind it, there was a yard with cement stairs around the manara.
 Because they often gathered at the base of the manara, their friends dubbed them the
Fellowship of the Manara, people who have a tower. They was happily accepted the title. Said
even came up with the idea of a code name for each person. They called Said Manara One,
Raja Manara Two, Alif Manara Three, Atang Manara four, Dulmajid Manara Five, and Baso
Manara Six.
In Madani Pesantren, they were given the freedom to join calligraphy, music, karate,
sports, qoriah, hafidz Al-Quran, journalists and others. Unlike the Alif imagined at home, turned
out to Madani Pesantren more fun with more attention and cared for progression all students.
Every time was learning, even the punishment given category also includes learning.
  Beneath Madani Pesantren’s tower, their imaginations returned to seeing these clouds
transform into a world map. Alif often interpret the clouds race as the mainland visited by
Columbus about 500 years ago, the American continent. But Raja did not see America at all. He
thought it looked like Europe. Baso and Atang thought the cluster of clouds were Asia and
Africa. Ever since reading about the culture of Egypt and Middle East, both of them were crazy
about the cultures of this region. Unlike their fourth friends, the way Dulmajid and Said saw it
these clouds were in Indonesia’s sky. They also agreed that this country was the place to fight
and the best place to do goods.
  In the fifth grade, they had mandate to run the activities of Madani Pesantren from
upstream to downstream. Said became the head of the central security team, a member of elite
Magnificent Seven, the seven people chosen to uphold the security of Madani Pesantren. This
was fitting with his dream way back when in front of the newspaper panels. But this was not the
most pleasant of position. Security, whose job it was to maintain discipline, was ironically always
seen as disturbing the peace, rigid, and uncompromising.
  Raja who was proficient in English became the member of Three Musketeers, the
nickname for the three central language patrollers. These three people had superior Arabic and
English skills and became role models for all students. Alif really liked learning English and
Arabic. Becoming a language patroller was a good choice. But he also wanted to write and be
the editor of a magazine. So he tried one for a month to be language patroller.  Atang, who once
aspired to be part of guest reception, was entrusted to be on the Central Art Council. And then,
Dulmajid got a position that was most fitting: one of the five editors of Syams. They were happy
with this responsibility, because they believed in this organization will provide the experience
and lessons as well as education that are useful up to a year ahead.
  Baso wanted to memorize Al-Quran to his parent salvation who had died.  Since
childhood Baso was raised by his grandmother, but now her grandmother was sick and could
not get out of bed. Baso said goodbye that he wanted to quit school in the
Madani Pesantren and went to school near his home, teaching and caring for his grandmother
who was sick. They were very sad to hear about it.
  The homecoming of his friend, Baso made Alif wants to go home forever too. Moreover,
Alif received letters from Randai. It made him wanted to go home and enter a public school
again. Although he was ashamed with his reason that only because of the letters from Randai,
Alif still wanted to go home. His dream to continue the study in public school appeared in his
mind. And then, his father came to Madani Pesantren and said that Alif had already signed up to
take the national high school examination in eight months. It made Alif continue his study in
Madani Pesantren enthusiastically.
 
 Graduated from Madani Pesantren, they continued to University. And, until one day, Alif,
Atang and Raja met in London on the occasion of the inter-faith world. Alif stayed in Washington
DC as well as a Tempo journalist VOA reporter. Raja had been living in London for the past
year with his wife Fatia after finishing his degree in Islamic Law with title of License in Medina.
Atang had been studying in Cairo for past eight years, and now in a doctoral program for Hadist
at Al Azhar University.
  Said was now carrying on the Jufry family batik business at Pasar Ampel in Surabaya.
Just as they’d dreamed, Said and Dulmajid worked together to built a pesantren with the spirit of
Madani Pesantren in Surabaya. And then, Baso got a scholarship from Saudi Arabian
government with his incredible ability to memorize the entire contents of Al-Quran. They were
now in five different countries, in the five towers of their dreams before.

Moral Value
The story of the Land of Five Tower gives a very deep message of moral
education. We must be serious and work hard to achieve our dreams and achieve our
success, but behind that success is a prayer from our parents, so we must also respect
and devote to our parents.