The Development and Dynamics of Pesantren in Banten

Rohman
UIN Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten
email: rohman.bantani@uinbanten.ac.id

Copyright@2023(author/s): Rohman

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License

Abstract
This article explores the development and the dynamics of pesantren in
Banten, a province located in the westernmost of Java. Using historical
and anthropological data, I explore the development and dynamics of
pesantren. I contend that some pesantrens in Banten not only function as
religious educational institution but also to some extent function as
political instruments in which the kyais or the leader of the pesantren
nurture their Islamic views and interpretations based on their Islamic
organization’s interests and agenda. Furthermore, I argue that pesantren
in Banten based on their political view has developed into two main
categories among others the Islamist dan non Islamist pesantrens that in
short or longer period will pave the way to the existence of more plural
views and religious authority for Bantenese as well as Indonesian
Muslims.

Keywords: Banten, Pesantren, Islamist organizations

A. Introduction
Pesantren becomes part of national education whose existence has been
recognized by the government through the Law No. 20/2003 concerning the
National Education Systemi, although long before the enactment of the Law,
Islamic boarding schools have been recognized for their long existence in the
community. The proof is that the number of pesantren continues to grow
quantitatively and continues to develop from time to time even though
Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia are to some extent "attacked" in the
form of spreading issues and stigmas of violence, radicalism, and jihadism
which raises the assumption that pesantren will become marginalized in the
education system in Indonesia. Not to mention, the modernization and

19
industrialization have influenced the people’s attitude towards pesantren in
which people believe that learning in pesantren would hinder their children
from being success in the worldly life. They then prefer to school their
children in “secular” schools rather that of religious schools. It seems
however that pesantrens have resilience in managing every circumstance. In
Banten for instance the number of pesantren increase from 1682 pesantrens
in 2006-2007 to 3267 pesantrens in 2015.ii
Islamic boarding schools have become an inseparable part of the lives
of Indonesian Muslim. This could be happened because Islamic boarding
schools have a role that cannot be separated from the history of the nation.
According to Anthony John, the Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia as an
educational institution played an important role in the process of expanding
the spread of the Islamic teaching in Indonesia, especially during the 13 th to
the 17th century.iii Anthony Johns said that:
It was the pesantren institutions that determined the Islamic character of the Islamic
kingdoms, and which played the most important role for the spread of Islam to remote villages.
It is from these Islamic boarding schools that a number of manuscripts on the teaching of
Islam in Southeast Asia, which are available in limited quantities, were collected by the first
travelers of the Dutch and British trading companies since the late 16th century. Islamization
in this area, we must start studying the institutions of the pesantren, because these
institutions are the arrows of the spread of Islam in this region.iv

Pesantren after several centuries of its existence becomes an

important educational institution that transfers the Islamic knowledge to
Indonesian community. Dhofier argues that pesantren becomes a major
player in maintaining the ideology of Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’ah (the
follower of the prophet and ‘ulama tradition) among Indonesian Muslim by
conducting two important works among others the standardization of Islamic
texts and religious rituals practiced in pesantren and the providing and
controlling the leadership of tarekat (sufi brotherhood/orders).v
In post Suharto Indonesia however, pesantren grow into more various
categories compared to the previous order. During the New Order, pesantren
perhaps only divided into two categories namely the salafiyah (traditional)
and khalafiyah (modern) pesantren. After the collapse of Suharto, some
pesantrens in Banten not only play as a place where pupils come to pursuit
the Islamic knowledge but also to some extent it become the nurturing
ground of political Islam, the understanding and practice in which Islam
becomes ideology of the movement or organization and uses it to get, secure,
and maintain political power and social domination.vi For its proponent,
Islam
25
encompasses teachings and values that deal with the administration of
society that is impossible to be implemented without political power.
Another analytical definition of political Islam or Islamism describes
is a form of operationalization of Islam by individuals, groups and
organizations that pursue political objectives by providing political responses
to today’s societal challenges by imagining a future, a foundation for which
rest on reappropriated, reinvented concepts borrowed from the Islamic
tradition.vii The adherents of Islamism didn’t agree on the strategies
implemented to recreate a future on their conceptions of the golden age of
early Islam. However, they share the yearning to go back to the future by
reimagining the past based on their understanding on the scriptural texts of
Islam.viii
B. Pesantren in Banten
Related to the spread of Islam, one of the areas that played a pivotal
role in the process of Islamization in Java and the archipelago is Banten. At
the westernmost tip of the island of Java in the 16 th century there was a
pesantren called "Karang" located west of Pandeglang where information
about its existence can be found in Serat Centhini.ix Although the text does
not mention pesantren explicitly, the word paguron or hermitage in the text
is assumed to be resemble of the function of pesantren, namely a place used
by students to gain knowledge of religion and glory from someone who had
a high level of religious understanding at that time. So that "Karang" in the
16th century is thought to be the center of orthodox Islamic education for
students who came to that place.x If the assumption is true, then the existence
of the "Karang" paguron coincided with the birth of the Banten sultanate
which was founded by Syarif Hidayatullah and Maulana Hasanuddin in
1526.xi
After the Banten sultanate gained its triumph, many traders from
various regions among others Arab, Turkish, Persian, Chinese, Quilon
(India), Pegu (Burma), Malay, Bengali, Gujarat, Malabar, Abesinian,
Portuguese, British, and the kingdoms in the archipelago visited the sultanate
to trade in the international port of Karangantu. Besides being known as a
trading area, the Sultanate of Banten was also known as the center of the
spread of Islam in the archipelago. This led many people who came from
various regions in the archipelago to study Islam in Banten.
One of the locations for religious studies in Banten Sultanate was the
Kasunyatan Islamic College, which is thought to have an education system
25
similar to the pesantren we understand today. In this Kasunyatan there is a
Dukuh kyai who holds the title Prince Kasunyatan as an educator of religious
knowledge to the sultan's descendants and students who come from various
places. In a more specific context, kyai Dukuh also functined as a direct
educator of Prince Yusuf, the crown prince of the Sultanate of Banten. xii
Besides teaching religious knowledge, the kyai Dukuh also taught Sufism
and magic to his students.xiii
In addition to having kyai who taught religious knowledge, the
Kasunyatan Islamic boarding school also had a mosque which we can still
see today. Meanwhile, a dormitory was also established as a stopover for
santri who were studying religion to the kyai Dukuh.xiv So we can speculate
that the form of Islamic boarding school education in Banten began in the
16th century where the Kasunyatan pesantren became a center of Islamic
teaching and when Maulana Yusuf became the sultan, it also functioned as a
place for the spread of Islamic teachings in the hinterland of Banten and the
archipelago.xv Unfortunately, the development of this first Islamic
educational institution is not recounted in the historical records of the next
period.
In the 19th century, the existence of pesantren began to be seen along
with the emergence of religious teachers (kyai) of the Qadiriyah tarekat and
Koran teachers who were considered by the people in Banten to have
religious authority so that they had a great influence in people's lives. xvi One
example was the pesantren founded by Syekh Abdul Karim, a Bantenese
ulama who became the major khalifah (leader) of Qadiriyah wa
Naqsabandiyah (TQN) in Java. After studying Islam from Ahmad Khatib
Sambas in Mecca, he returned to Banten and founded a pesantren in his
village in Tanara in 1872. He taught his pupils sufism and tarekat order
besides other Islamic teachings. Possessing a charisma and Islamic
knowledge, he attracted many pupils from Banten and other areas in Java.
Among his pupils were Tubagus Muhammad Falak Pegentongan, Syeh
Asnawi Caringin, Syeh Ibrahim Demak, Tubagus Ismail and Haji Marjuki.
The last two pupils became the leaders of the peasant’s revolt in Cilegon in
1888.xvii
Meanwhile, the Koran teacher taught the basic religious knowledge,
the science of reading and writing the Koran, and tajwid (rules for the correct
pronunciation of the letters of the Quran ) in the mosques. They were usually
pilgrims who return to their homeland after a long spiritual journey. These
Koran teachers did not require their students to pay their salaries, but parents
25
usually paid zakat mal (almsgiving) and zakat fitrah (almsgiving in

25
Ramadhan) for the Koran teachers.xviii According to Aria Achmad
Djajadiningrat, at the most basic level, this Koran teacher taught how to read
hijaiyyah (Arabic letters) letters from alif to ya. After that, he was introduced
to how to spell and read Arabic words derived from the hijaiyyah letters that
had been assembled. In the next stage, this Koran teacher taught the
knowledge of tajweed, the pillars of Islam such as praying five times a day,
fasting in the month of Ramadan, prayers, and stories of the prophets.xix
The influence of pesantren became more evident and stronger when
group of Muslims who had completed the pilgrimage and studied in Mecca
returned to their hometowns. At the end of the century, the journey from the
archipelago to Mecca became easier and cheaper because of advances in
steamship technology. This has caused more people to go to Mecca to
perform the pilgrimage and at the same time has strengthened the position of
the religious elite in Banten society.xx In Banten, there were 4,074 people
who had performed Hajj until 1887 or 0.72 percent of the total population of
Banten at that time and ranked the highest on the island of Java. The number
soared in the 1920s because Bantenese who went to the holy land dominated
the number of people who went to hajj in the Dutch East Indies where the
figure reached 20% of all Javanese who went for hajj every year.xxi Pilgrims
who returned to Banten had a great influence and prestige in society because
they could give blessings and prayers in wedding ceremonies, circumcision,
and funerals. They also played a role in religious ceremonies including
consultations regarding village head elections and administrative matters.xxii
In addition to having a role in religious matters, the returning
pilgrims also play a role in the field of education. They established Islamic
educational institutions and pesantren as a result of their exposure to the
ideas of Islamic renewal and Pan Islamism propagated by Muhammad
Abduh and Rashid Rida. Having the same feeling of fate and sharing as a
colonized nation, these pilgrims who already had the Islamic knowledge then
tried to educate their people by spreading religious knowledge and the
experience they gained when studying in Mecca and Cairo. To a certain
extent, Islamic boarding schools took part in the process of spreading the
issue of Pan Islamism in Java and the archipelago in general.
In 19th century, it was recorded that more than 300 pesantrens were
established throughout Java, some of which already had hundreds of
students.xxiii Meanwhile, according to Dhofier, the number of Islamic
boarding schools in several districts in Java in 1831 had reached 1,853
with 16,556
25
students. In 1885, Van den Berg noted that the number of traditional Islamic
institutions throughout Java and Madura had reached 14,929 with the
number of students reaching 222,663 people.xxiv
In the context of Banten, the official number of pesantren can only be
known through the Banten resident's report dated March 24, 1925. According
to the resident of Banten at that time, J.C. Bedding, Islamic boarding schools
in Banten numbered 691 with a total of 11,784 students. xxv Meanwhile, there
are 534 religious education programs organized by langgars (small masjid)
with 10,164 students. In a subsequent report dated February 24, 1931, the
resident reported that religious teaching was held by Islamic boarding
schools and that there were 350 pesantren with 9,668 students. Meanwhile
the number of langgar was 1424 with 22,413 students. This difference in the
number of pesantren may have occurred because the criteria made by the
colonial government for pesantren were stricter. So that within six years
there has been a decrease in the number of Islamic boarding schools reported
from 691 to only 350. Meanwhile, the number of langgar actually increased
quite sharply where in 1925 there were only 534 units and six years later the
number became 1424 units.
Pesantren in Banten and in general in Java usually have their own
scientific characteristics and specializations. The boarding school managed
by Kyai Asnawi Caringin, for example, has a scientific specialization in the
tarekat field. Meanwhile, the pesantren which was raised by Kyai Makmun
in Serang has a specialization in the field of Quranic sciences.xxvi Small
boarding schools that do not have a large number of students usually only
taught basic subjects such as Arabic (Nahwu Sharaf), Fiqh, and Kalam.
Meanwhile, advanced Islamic boarding schools with large numbers of
students teach books that are more complicated and complex, such as Usul
Fiqh, Hadith, Tafsir, Sufism, and Morals.
Although there are differences in the subjects studied in Islamic
boarding schools, there are general similarities that are owned by Islamic
boarding schools. According to Dhofier, the similarities that pesantren have
are: first, pesantren do not have a standard curriculum that is applied because
students of the same age can study different subjects or students can study
the same book several times. Second, Islamic boarding schools do not have
limits on learning time and level of lessons because pesantren do not have a
scoring/test system that causes one book to be studied throughout the year
while another book can be studied in less than a year. Furthermore,
pesantren
25
uses a traditional method of learning known as sorogan (a learning method
in which a kyai teaches a student directly). This method is used to teach new
students so that they get a clear and complete understanding of the subjects
they are following. Another method is bandongan (a teaching method in
which the kyai teaches hundreds of his students by reading and translating
the Arabic text contained in the yellow book). This method is usually used to
teach senior students or teach subjects/books that do not require a detailed
and comprehensive understanding.xxvii In Islamic boarding schools where the
number of students is small, students are usually grouped into two namely
old students and new students. These old students are directly under the
guidance of the kyai or teacher of the Koran. Meanwhile, the new students
are guided by the old students who are chosen by the kyai or the Koran
teacher and appointed as the "head of the cottage" whose job is to educate
and supervise the behavior of the students.xxviiiThe final similarity of the
pesantren education system is the absence of facilities such as chairs, tables,
and blackboards where students sit on the floor with pencils and books while
listening to the kyai's descriptions and explanations related to certain books.
Therefore, students, especially those from underprivileged families, write on
the floor or without table.xxix
In the context of pesantren in Banten, there may also be similarities
with other areas, from the santri side where students studying at the
pesantren, as stated by Aria Djajadiningrat, were conditioned to live in a
state of complete deprivation in terms of material. To meet basic needs,
namely food, the kyai gave permission to his santri (pupils in pesantren) to
go out of the pesantren to ask people for shadaqah. In addition, pesantren
life also taught students to live an egalitarian life where students live in one
dormitory in groups and distribute sustenance from begging to other students
who do not get sustenance.xxx
The existence of pesantren is recognized to have given its own
Islamic color. This was expressed by Martin van Bruinessen who argued that
the tradition of religious teaching that emerged in Islamic boarding schools
and similar religious educational institutions in Java and the Malay Peninsula
became one of the characteristics of the great tradition.xxxi One of the goals of
the emergence of pesantren is to transmit Islamic teachings as contained in
the yellow books written several centuries ago. xxxii This scientific
transmission is formed through economic-trade relations, political-religious
relations, and religious intellectual relations through a network of scholars
from the Middle East and the Archipelago.xxxiii

25
 However, there is a new development in which traditional and
modern pesantren at the end of the 20th century have a tendency to study the
same books related to Tafsir, Hadith, and Usul Fiqh, a phenomenon which
Bruinessen considers to be "the influence of modernism". xxxiv The colonial
government's stricter supervision of pesantren was also a factor in the
changes of the pesantren environment. This is the impact of the rebellion
initiated by the kyai and his students.xxxv
The developments that occurred in the pesantren world occurred in
1910 where several pesantrens began to accept female students. Pesantrens
also began to provide subjects that were initially considered illegitimate
secular subjects such as Dutch, arithmetic, history, and Indonesian in the
1920s.xxxvi Many pesantren had started implementing the madrasa system
where students learn through certain curricula and classes. The influence of
modernism that emerged on the pesantren was aimed at the development of
the pesantren and at the same time it was also an effort to maintain the
tradition of the pesantren itself.
The next development of pesantren in the Banten area is the
emergence of pesantren which were founded by kyai along with the
establishment of religious organizations which he founded. One of the oldest
pesantrens in Banten is the Al Khairiyah pesantren which was founded by
K.H. Syam'un, a charismatic kyai who obtained his Islamic knowledge in
Mecca and Cairo. The Al Khairiyah Islamic Boarding School is located in
Citangkil Village, Warnasari Village, Cilegon and was established in
1916.xxxvii The students who studied at the Citangkil Islamic Boarding School
not only come from the Cilegon area, but also came from several areas in
Banten such as Serang, Pandeglang, and Lebak. Students also came from
various regions in the archipelago such as Jakarta, Lampung, Palembang, and
Central Java. K.H. Syam'un then changed this pesantren into a madrasa on
12 Shawwal 1343 H coincided with May 5, 1925 and he named this madrasa
with the name "Madrasah Al-Khairiyah".xxxviii
Even though it is called a madrasa, the pesantren system is still
implemented because the students who came from various places spent the
night in the dormitories provided by the madrasa. This new development is
believed to be an attempt by K.H. Syam'un to respond to changing times by
introducing a madrasa system consisting of classes as a place to learn. In the
next journey, al Khairiyah developed into a religious organization that is
quite respected in Banten and in Indonesia. This is because the madrasa
network
25
owned by al Khairiyah has spread mainly in Serang, Cilegon, Tangerang, as
well as big cities such as Jakarta, Lampung, Central Java, and other
provinces.
Beside KH Syam'un who founded pesantren in Cilegon, in the
Menes, Pandegang District, KH Mas Abdurrahman bin KH Mas Jamal also
established an Islamic educational institution named Matla'ul Anwar (MA)
which means the place where light rises. This institution was founded on 10
Shawwal 1334 H or August 9, 1916. Although MA is claimed to be a mass
organization that implements a modern education system with a madrasa
system, at the beginning of its establishment KH Mas Abdurahman was not
immediately able to implement the system. This is because at first KH Mas
Abdurrahman carried out the teaching and learning process at the house of a
cleric named KH Mustagfirin who was one of the founders of MA.xxxix
It is not stated certainty how long KH Mas Abdurrahman educated
his students at the house, however, the pattern of education carried out by
KH Mas Abdurrahman before receiving a plot of land as the waqf
(endowment) from Ki Demang Entol Djasudin, probably used a method
similar to that of pesantren, namely by using the house as a center for
activities and transfer of Islamic knowledge using halaqoh (religious
gathering for the study of Islam), sorogan, or bendongan. After receiving
waqf in the village of Cimanying, Menes, the influence of Mathla’ul Anwar
expanded in the area of Southern Banten. In the years 1920-1940, MA's
influence was not limited to Pandeglang, the place of his birth, but also
extended to Serang, Bogor, Tangerang, Karawang, and Lampung.xl
In addition to the two kyai who later founded modern pesantren and
mass organizations, there were also kyai who founded pesantren in Banten.
The first Islamic boarding school was the one founded by KH Abdul Lathif
in 1918 in Cibeber, Cilegon. This Islamic boarding school is the forerunner
of the madrasa "al Jauharutunnaqiyyah" which was officially established in
1924.xli Although the madrasa has been established and has received a fairly
large response from the community, its descendants continue to maintain and
manage the pesantren which was founded by KH Abdul Lathif.xlii
Meanwhile, the alumni network of pesantren and madrasah al
Jauharutunnaqiyyah has spread in Banten, especially North Banten which
includes Cilegon, Serang, and Tangerang.
Another Islamic boarding school that is included in the quite old
pesantren in Banten is the Pelamunan pesantren which was founded by KH
Thohir in 1926. This boarding school later developed into four pesantren,
25
namely the Madarijul Ulum boarding school, the Attohiriyyah pesantren, the
Bani Thohir Putra pesantren, and the Bani Thohir Putri pesantren which
located in the same area.xliii The alumnae of the Islamic boarding school who
came from Banten, Lampung, Jakarta and other places then set up a
pesantren in their place of residence.xliv
C. The Emergence of Modern Islamic Boarding School in Banten: The
Gontor Network
The history of modern pesantren in Java and Indonesia cannot be
separated from the Darussalam Gontor Islamic boarding school, Ponorogo,
East Java. This boarding school was founded on 12 th Rabiul Awwal 1345
H/September 20th, 1926.xlv The founders of this pesantren were three
brothers, namely KH Ahmad Sahal, KH Zainuddin Fannani, and KH Imam
Zarkasyi.xlvi Pondok Gontor since the beginning has asserted itself as a
modern educational institution because this pesantren not only refers to
teaching methods with the classical system, but also adds vocational subject
matter, such as arts, skills, sports, self-defense, and Scouting. At that time,
Gontor's curriculum was considered new for Islamic educational institutions
and pesantren in Indonesia.xlvii Pondok Gontor started with the construction
of Madrasah Tarbiyatul Athfal where ten years later, the caretakers of
Pondok Gontor opened Kulliyat al-Mu'allimin al-Islamiyah (KMI-Islamic
Teacher Education School), as a junior and senior secondary education
program that continues to the present day.xlviii
One of the characteristics of the Gontor pesantren is the pesantren
curriculum which is known as the "100% religion and 100% general"
curriculum. As the founder of the pesantren, KH Imam Zarkasi concerned
about the condition of the alumnae of the pesantren who are still left behind
compared to that of secular school alumnae because they do not have
adequate skills for life. For this reason, KH Imam Zarkasi formulated a new
concept of the pesantren curriculum which not only studied religious
sciences such as Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh, and Usul Fiqh but also general
sciences such as Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, Counting Sciences,
Psychology, Earth Sciences, Educational Sciences, and History. Meanwhile,
the curriculum related to Arabic and English studied at the Gontor Islamic
Boarding School emphasizes more on increasing the vocabulary and practice
of conversation.xlix This modern and new curriculum has succeeded in
attracting students from all over the archipelago to study at Gontor
pesantren.

25
 As a religious area and the basis for Islamic boarding schools on the
island of Java, the existence of Pesantren Gontor has attracted the attention
of parents who want their children to be able to adapt to modernism, master
religious knowledge as well as general knowledge. The location of Gontor
which is quite far away does not become a significant obstacle for parents
who have a strong intention to make their children an integral figure, namely
a religious expert but also someone who does not forget the worldly
elements. These parents then registered their children to become students of
Gontor. One of these parents was H. Qasad Mansyur who sent his son
Ahmad Rifa'i Arief to study at the Gontor Islamic boarding school. l After
studying for several years, Rifa'i Arif was then able to complete his studies at
the Gontor Modern Islamic Boarding School, Ponorogo, East Java in 1966.
After serving as a teacher at the boarding school for two years, he returned to
his hometown to help his father to manage Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Masyariqul
Anwar.li
H. Qasad Mansyur wished to establish a secondary level educational
institution with the aim that the alumni of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Masyariqul
Anwar could continue their education to a higher level. H. Qasad Mansyur's
wish was then conveyed to his eldest son and ordered his son to establish a
pesantren with the same characteristics as the Gontor pesantren, where Kyai
Rifa'i studied religion. Based on this order, Kyai Rifa'i then founded a
pesantren which was named Daar el-Qolam, which means the village of
knowledge in Gintung, Tangerang, Banten Province. The Islamic Boarding
School was founded on January 20th, 1968 AD/27 Ramadan 1318 H.lii
As a pioneering boarding school, Kyai Rifa'i's initial struggle started
from conditions that were not yet ideal where he started classes from an old
kitchen and land as a gift from H. Pengki. The prize was given as the
construction of the mosque which was carried out by his father was
completed. With this land, Kyai Rifa'i began to implement the ideals of a
modern Islamic educational institution that would enhance the next
generation’s education quality and future. The initial generation of Darul
Qolam pesantren were 22 students who came from family circles, close
relatives, and people living around Gintung with all their limitations and
shortcomings. The Daar el Qolam Islamic boarding school later became a
pioneer in the development of the modern Gontor Islamic boarding school
network in Banten.
Kyai Rifa'i played all educational and teaching roles due to his role
that not only a leader but also as teacher, mentor and friend of his students.
26
Over time, the number of students studying at Daar el-Qolam continues to

26
grow from year to year as the fruit of a long dedication, patience and
sincerity. During his 30 years of service, Kyai Rifai has produced 4
educational institutions, namely Daar el-Qolam Islamic Boarding School, La
Tansa Islamic Boarding School, La Tansa Mashira Islamic and Economic
College and La Lahwa Tourism Boarding School which at that time had not
been completed. After the death of Kyai Rifa'i in 1997, the leadership of
Daar el- Qolam was entrusted to his younger brother K.H. Ahmad
Syahiduddin with Kyai Rifa'i's first son, K.H. Adrian Mafatihullah Karim,
MA and his younger sister, Dra. Hj. Enah Huwaenah.
In the context of implementing the mandate as well as optimization
and regeneration in 2003 the La Tansa Islamic Boarding School, La Tansa
Mashira High School and La Lahwa Tourism Boarding School were handed
over to the management of the son/daughter of Kyai Rifa'i, led by Kyai
Adrian Mafatihullah Karim. Currently Daar el-Qolam Islamic Boarding
School has developed into 4 educational institutions namely Daar el-Qolam
1, 2, 3 and 4. As an effort to regenerate leadership driven by Kyai
Syahiduddin as the first mandate bearer, Daar el-Qolam in 2009 was
mandated his leadership to KH. Nahrul Ilmi Arief to lead Daar el-Qolam 1 &
4. While Daar el-Qolam 2 to KH. Odi Rosihuddin and Daar el-Qolam 3 to al-
Ustadz Zahid Purna Wibawa.liii
The development of Daar el Qolam pesantren cannot be separated
from the leadership of KH Ahmad Rifa'i Arief in managing the modern
pesantren. By relying on teaching staff, most of whom are alumni of the
Gontor Islamic boarding school, the Daar el Qolam Islamic boarding school
has become the core of Gontor modern Islamic boarding network in Banten.
With the existence of this pesantren, parents of santri in Banten have an
alternative for their children who want to continue their studies at modern
pesantren without having to study at Darussalam Gontor Islamic boarding
school which is located quit far away from Banten province.
Several former teaching staff and alumni of the Darussalam Gontor
Islamic boarding school who had served at Daar el Qolam boarding school
later helped establish other modern Islamic boarding schools that adopted the
Gontor pattern and curriculum in Banten and several places in Sumatra and
West Java.
Table 1
List of Pesantren Founded by Alumnae and Staff of Daar el-Qolam

26
 Name of Name of the
No. Address
Pesantren Founder/Leader

Jl. Raya Cikande KM.7 Cigalempong,

1 AL-Bayan Drs. K. Eeng Nurhaeni
Nameng Rangkasbitung

2 AL-Amin K. Sartajaya Pandeglang

Jl.Cikande Cerenang Kp.Cilotik

3 AL-Ma'arif Drs. K.H. Edi Sumardi
Ds.Songgom Jaya, Cikande, Serang

Jl.H.Acep Kamp.Cinta Damai RT.05/01

4 AL-Ma'mur K. H. Nurhadi
Ds. Munjul Cisoka Tangerang

Drs. K. H. Anang Azhari Jl.Jend. Sudirman Narimbang

5 AL-Mizan
Alie Rangkasbitung

6 AS-Sa'adah K. Mujiburrahman Ds.Dahu Pasirmanggu Cikesal Serang

Kp. Lebak Ds.Lebak Wangi Walantaka

7 AL-Rahmah K. Abdurrosyid Muslim
Serang

Drs. K. H. Ikhwan
8 Daar el-Azhar Kompdik Rangkasbitung
Hadiyyin

Daar el-
9 K. H. Sulaeman Ma'ruf Penancangan Serang
Istiqomah

Kp.Renged Ds.Renged Kec.Binuang

10 Daar el-Qurro' K. Ubaidillah Adenan
Kab.Serang

11 Daar el-Syifa K. H. Otob Tablawi Cikande Serang

Jl.A.Ghozali KM.1 Kp.Cigodeg

12 Daar el-Taqwa K. Asja Rifa'i S.Ag
Ds.Tambiluk Petir Serang

Drs. K. H. Maman
13 Darul-Ahsan Dangdeur, Jayanti, Tangerang
Lukman Hakim

14 Darunna`im K. Omi Qozimi

26
 Kp.Bauan Masjid Ds. Parigi
15 Kulni Ahmad Sadeli
Kec.Cikande Serang Banten

K. H. Adrian Mafatihullah
16 La Tansa Parakansantri Cipanas Lebak Banten
Karim, M.Ag

K. Sulaeman Efendi,
17 Manahijussaadaat Serdang Cibadak Lebak Banten
M.Pd

Jl.Tb.H.Ghozali Dalembar Cimanuk

18 Mathla`ul-Huda K. Yusuf Somawinata
Pandeglang Banten

Jl.Kp.Babakan No.52 RT.08/04

19 Salsabila K. Komarudin, S.Ag Ds.Mander Kec.Bandung Serang
Banten

K. H. Ahmad Maimun Jl.KH.Astari No.1 RT.08/03 Kresek

20 Subulussalam
Alie, MA Tangerang Banten

Sultan Badui Muslim Kopo 1 Leuwidamar

21 K. H. Zaenuddin Amir
Hasanuddin Lebak Banten

22 Daarul Ulum K. H. Ahmad Dimyati Bogor, Jawa Barat

23 Darussaadah Drs. K.H. Pupu Mahfudin Cimarga Lebak

24 Riyadul Jannah K. H. Supriadi Bogor Jawa Barat

25 La Raiba K. H. Asep Saefuddin Serang, Banten

26 Ushuludin K. H. Ahmad Rafik Udin Lampung Sumatra

27 Nurul Falah K. H. Ahmad Rafiuddin Rangkasbitung

Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh

28 Khaira Ummah Kiai Marwan Hasrudi
Darussalam

Kiai Haji Bahruddin

29 al-Azam Kuningan, Jawa Barat
Sanusi

30 Ushuluddin K. H. Ahmad Rafiq Udin

26
 Pesantren
Pembinaan Muhammad Utsman
31 Sentul Selatan Bogor Jawa Barat
Muallaf “Sheng Anshori
Hoo Budaya”
Source: http://www.daarelqolam.ac.id/Pages/alumni.aspx
The existence of a modern pesantren which has similarities with the
education system at the Darussalam Gontor Islamic boarding school in
Banten is growing from time to time. The existence of modern pesantren is
also supported and developed by alumni of universities such as UIN and
IAIN who co-founded educational foundations in the form of modern
pesantren in Banten.
D. Elements of Salafiyah (Traditional) and Khalafiyah (Modern)
Pesantrens
The emergence of the Daar el Qolam Islamic boarding school in Tangerang,
Banten marked the emergence of modern Islamic boarding schools in
Banten. So that the terminology of pesantren, which was originally always
associated with a slum and backward place to study for santri, became a
place of learning which was to some extent parallel to public schools.
Islamic boarding schools in Banten have unique and unique elements. With
the emergence of the Daar el Qolam Islamic boarding school, the emergence
of the salafiyah (traditional) and khalafiyah (modern) categories is
unavoidable.
As the oldest educational institution in Indonesia, salafiyah pesantren have
distinctive elements that cannot be separated from one another. Some
elements of salafiyah pesantren are:
a. Leaders of Islamic boarding schools are generally charismatic Kyai as well
as pesantren owners.
b. Special religious subjects, such as Tafsir Al-Munir, by Kyai Nawawi,
Tafsir Jalalain, Tafsir
Ibn Kathir, Fiqh (Taqrib, Fathul Mu'in), Hadith Arbain and Ridyadhatus
Shalihin, Tanqihul Qoul and others. Tool lessons (Nahwu Sharaf, such as the
Jurumiyah Book, 'Amil, Imriti, Alfiah) and others.
c. Learning does not know the target time and does not know the class.
Improvement in learning is carried out if the book being studied is complete

26
(complete learning), then it is continued by studying books that are bigger
and higher in level.
d. Learning facilities and facilities are not determined in a standard place,
they can be done at the mosque, surau or at the kyai's house.
e. The boarding house is managed by the students themselves, starting from
making huts to sleeping equipment and storing clothes.
f. Santri are taught to be independent that santri cook, wash clothes, and
shop in the market to fulfill their daily needs themselves.
g. Less evaluation of learning when compared to secular school
In contrast to modern boarding schools which have the same level of
education as public schools, traditional pesantren do not recognize such
levels of education. This is due to the teaching methods in traditional
pesantren that do not use formal and official classes. The location of
learning, for example, does not have to be in a classroom with tables and
chairs that are neatly arranged because the students can study in the prayer
room or mosque that stands in the pesantren environment. As already
mentioned, one of the most important elements of pesantren is the yellow
book (kitab kuning). Regarding the level of mastery of reading the yellow
book, there are several levels that must be passed by a student. According to
Tihami, the levels of mastery of the yellow book in traditional pesantren and
madrasas are:
a. Ngejah
This level is the initial stage of someone who becomes a santri in a
traditional pesantren. This level itself consists of several levels, namely:
1. Write and read
At this level, students learn to write and read hijaiyah letters and pronounce
them perfectly. In addition,they also learn to write with Arabic letters pegon.
2. Nge'rab
At this level, a santri begins to study Nahwu science or Arabic grammar,
which is the science that studies the rules to recognize the functions of words
that enter a sentence, to recognize the law of word endings, and to know how
to identify every words in the Arabic sentence.
3. Nashrif

26
Sharaf is a science that studies the rules of forming and changing words.
4. Na'lil
The level when students master the knowledge of Nahwu and Sharaf
5. Naqrir
Santri learn Balagha
6. Nawzin
Students take notes
7. Natij
Santri began to study the science of Mantiq and practice making natijah
(drawing conclusions).
b. Ngaji
At this level, students begin to learn to read and understand the yellow book
c. Ngambah
At this level, students begin to study books that have never been studied
before. They can explore the ocean of knowledge contained in various
books, both books of Fiqh, Tafsir, and so on.
d. Nganggit
At this level, students are able to compose books and recite books.liv
E. The Rise of Islamist Pesantren in Banten
After the collapse of the New Order, some Islamist organizations
emerged in Indonesia demanding the transformation of politics and society
that should be based on shariah (Islamic Law). This happens due to the
changes faces by Islamist groups in which in some areas the Islamist groups
fail to establish the Islamic states. According to Oliver Roy, the issue of the
establishment of Islamic State no longer becomes the main issue of the
Islamist groups. They moreover emphasize the issue of the implementation
of shariah (Islamic Law) in the society.lv The strategy to implement the
shariah however would be different from one Islamist organization to others.
For minority of the proponent of shariah implementation, the shariah must be
implemented in a revolutionary restructuring of state and society. In case of

26
Indonesia, this group is represented by figures such as Abu Bakar Ba’asyir
and al Mukmin Ngruki’s network. On the other hand, the majority of the
Islamist organizations believe that the shariah should be implemented
gradually and peacefully. Therefore, they manage to establish Islamic
schools established by PKS-network and pesantrens established by HTI, FPI
and other Islamist organizations. In this paper I focus on the pesantren
established by Islamist organizations among other HTI, Wahdah Islamiyah,
and FPI in Banten.

Al Abqary as HTI Activist Seeds

One of the transnational Islamist organizations prominent among Indonesia
Muslim is Hizbu Tahrir (Hizbu Tahrir Indonesia/HTI) which was founded in
al Quds, Palestine in 1952. HT imagines the unity of the Muslim world under
one political power that is khilafah Islamiyah and at the same time combats
the nationalism and democracy considered as the causes of the Islamic
civilization’s retreat. The organization was initiated by Taqiyuddin al
Nabhani (d. 1977), a Palestinian Muslim intellectual. After the death of
Taqiyuddin al Nabhani, Abdul Qadim Zallum took the leadership of HT. HT
came to Indonesia in 1980’s together with other Islamic movements such as
Ikhwanul Muslimin (IM), Salafi, and Jama’ah Tabligh (JT) during the
heyday of Islamic Revolution in Iran under Ayatullah Khomaeni’s leadership
that brought optimism among Islamist groups that Islam as ideology could
defeat the western ideology represented by Mohammad Reza Pahlevi. The
underground da’wa conducted by HT activists gained a momentum due to its
success in recruiting activists in state universities such as IPB (Bogor
Agricultural Institute), UI (Indonesia University), or UGM (Gajah Mada
University). After the collapse of the New Oder, HTI comes to Indonesian
political atmosphere and manifested as one of the proponents of the
implementation of shariah because HTI believe that it is the solution for
Indonesia to escape from the poverty, moral crisis and economic crisis as
well.
In Banten context, HTI came to Banten through the alumnae of IPB, ustadz
Adhi Abu Fatih and Ali Mustofa and a young influential preacher who
master Arabic and Islamic classical texts, Yasin Munthohar. They actively
conducted da’wa to endorsed the importance of the implementation of
shariah and promoted HTI among Muslims in Banten especially in the
campuses and Bantenese political and social elites. lvi They moreover
established an Islamic foundation named Yayasan Pengembangan Umat
26
(YPU) Al Bantany on 29th October 2001 and found a pesantren named
Ma’had Al Abqary three years

26
later. Ust. Yasin Munthahar becomes the mudir (director) of the pesantren.
There are at least two programs of pesantren Al Abqary namely:
1. Home Schooling-Based Education Equivalent to Junior High School
Boarding School. The participants are the sons and daughters of preachers as
many as 40 people per generation who have passed the selection. After
participating in this educational program, participants are expected to be able
to meet the following qualifications: possessing Islamic personality,
independent in taking care of their own interests, loving and memorizing the
Qur'an, become a creative and innovative leader, skilled in influential
language, mastering the basics of Islamic tsaqofah, mastering the basics of
science, and getting used to thinking rightly based on shariah. The duration
of the education will three to four years.
2. The Ideological da'i (Islamic preacher) regeneration Program. The
participants of the program are the younger generation who have taken part
in da'wah but still lack the provision of Islamic tsaqafah (Islamic
culture/civilization) and Arabic language. Participants come from various
regions in Indonesia who have passed the selection. The target number of
participants is 20 people per batch. After participating in this program,
students are expected to become a preacher who has Islamic personality and
is ready to fight in the way of Allah, get used to thinking right, thinking
based on the shari'ah and thinking politically, and have the provision of
Tsaqofah Islamiyah to support da'wa activities.
The Tsaqofah Islamiyah includes: a. In the field of Ushul Fiqh, the cadres of
dai can understand well the book Taisir al-Wushul ila al-Ushul written by
Shaykh Atha Abu Rusyatah b. In the field of Tafsir (exegesis/interpretation),
the dai cadres can understand well the book Taisir al wushul ila ushul al-
tafsir by Shaykh Atha Abu Rusytah c. In the field of Hadith, the cadres of dai
can understand the studies of the hadith science of Shaykh Taqiyuddin an-
Nabhani as outlined in the book of Shakhsiyah volume I d. In the field of
Fiqh worship, participants can understand well the books of al-Jami liahkam
al-shalah and al-Jami' liahkam al-Shiyam by Sheikh Mahmud Abdullatif
Uwaidhah e. In the field of Islamic thought, participants can master well the
book of fi al-fikri al- Islami by Sheikh Muhammad Husain Abdullah. The
cadres also have an adequate language skill to support da'wah in which he
can translate Arabic discourse into Indonesian properly and correctly and can
express the da'wah ideas in the form of influential spoken and written
language. Meanwhile, the duration of the education will be carried out for
two years.lvii
27
Wahdah Islamiyah Pesantren
Wahdah Islamiyah emerged from a small campus-based study circle in
Makassar during the late of 1980’s into an Islamic mass organization with
120 branches all over Indonesia.lviii The founders of Wahdah Islamiyah were
Muhammadiyah activists such as KH Fathul Mu’in Dg Magading, the chief
of Muhammadiyah Makassar that was successful in leading the
organization.lix However, due to Muhammadiyah attitude toward the demand
of Suharto administration in making Pancasila as the solely state ideology,
Muhammadiyah of Makassar City the broke away. This led to the
establishment of Fathul Mu’in Foundation in 1988. In 1998, Fathul Mu’in
Foundation was renamed into Yayasan Wahdatul Islamiyah. Moreover, to
perform the systematic way of da’wah, in 2002 the founders of Yayasan
Wahdatul Islamiyah changed the foundation into mass organization hoping
that as organization of cadre and da’wah, Wahdah Islamiyah would spread to
other regions in Indonesia.lx The organization then played educational and
political roles especially after the collapse of the New Order. Wahdah
Islamiyah for instance involved in KPSSI, the Committee of Preparatory of
the Implementation of Islamic Law (Komite Persiapan Penegakan Syariat
Islam). Wahdah Islamiyah and its leaders furthermore collaborated with
other Islamist organizations in promoting the imprisonment of Ahok, the
former governor of Jakarta during the so called Aksi Bela Islam (ABI).
The history of Wahdah Islamiyah in Banten started when Wahdah Islamiyah
pointed ust. Jumardan, the alumnae of Sekolah Tinggi Islam dan Bahasa
Arab which was founded by Wahdah Islamiyah, to preach Islamic teachings
in Banten province in 2013. Due to his activities and networking, ust.
Jumardan could manage the branch of Wahdah Islamiyah in Banten. After
five years of struggling, Wahdah Islamiyah of Banten province was officially
inaugurated by the officials of central Wahdah Islamiyah in 2018 including
the branch of Wahdah Islamiyah in Tangerang, Serang City, Serang District
and Lebak District.lxi
In addition to fostering the halaqah attended by hundreds of people, WI
Banten also fostered the pengajian (lecture of Islamic teachings) in 17
mosques, 3 majlis taklim (taklim council), and 9 tahsin (Quranic recitation
training) groups. Meanwhile 2 of the 5 mosques are still under construction.
Surprisingly within only five years after its coming, Wahdah Islamiyah
Banten already construct 3 tahfizhul Qur'an (memorizing Quran) pesantren
through waqf from the haves in Banten.

27
Wahdah Islamiyah Banten has a coaching program for high school students
that is prepared for the regeneration of Ulama. Participants who pass will
have the opportunity to study at the Islamic University of Medina or other
universities in the Middle East, as well as at domestic Islamic
universities/high schools such as LIPIA Jakarta and STIBA Makassar.
Wahdah Islamiyah Banten is active in initiating unity between mass
organizations and religious leaders such as at the Banten Muslim Ummah
Brotherhood Forum. "We are active in the meeting of clerics throughout
Banten every two weeks," continued Ustadz Jumardan. Wahdah Islamiyah
Banten also cares about the education of underprivileged children, orphans,
school dropouts and rural children. "We have distributed around
1,060,000,000 alms and zakat funds as operational costs for the Tahfizh
Wahdah Islamiyah Lebak boarding school. lxii On March 2019 moreover, the
mosque and the tahfid pesantren of Wahdah Islamiyah was officially
inaugurated by the major of Serang city and witnessed by Syekh Abdul Ilah
Abu Abdil Aziz Al Ammar (probably the donator form the Middle East), and
other local government officials in Serang City.lxiii
The curriculum of Wahdah Islamiyah Tahfidzul Quran pesantren, as its main
mission is to produce a cadre of reliable and trustworthy imams, provides a
larger portion of Al-Quran education. Because the students are expected to
be able to become hafidz (memorizing the Quran 30 juz) after graduation. In
general, students can complete their memorization (30 juz) within 2 years.
Although Al-Quran education is the main material given, the students are
also given various kinds of knowledge as their provisions after graduation,
such as Islamic Fiqh, Al Hadith, Ad Da'wah Fiqh, Arabic, Tarbiyah
Islamiyah, and other general lessons.lxiv
Al Futuhiyah Pesantren: The Center of FPI in Banten
Front Pembela Islam (the Islamic Defender Front/FPI) was founded by
Habib Rizieq Shihab (HRS) in 17th August 1998 and becomes an important
hardline mass organization in Indonesia after the end of the New Order era.
According to HRS, FPI was established as the effort to enact the amar
ma’ruf nahi munkar (tell people to do good, prohibit people from doing evil)
as one of the obligations in Islamic teaching. In implanting the teaching, FPI
sometimes uses radical way in which they destroy the café, bar or place that
provide alcohol, narcotics, prostitution, banditry, and gambling. Besides
conducting amaliyah that is the amar ma’ruf nahi munkar, FPI also
organizes a

27
paramilitary troops called LPI (Laskar Pembela Islam) to ensure the
implementation of amar ma’ruf nahi munkar.
FPI contends that the implementation of shariah Islam is a mandatory
for Muslim that cannot be negotiated. According to HRS, in Indonesian
context, the implementation of shariah can be possible due to two reasons.
First, constitutional reason in which the Jakarta Charter (Piagam Jakarta)
becomes the main gate to implement the shariah in Indonesia. The second is
historical reason in which the birth of Jakarta Charter in 22 nd June 1945
marked as a historical departure to fight imperialism, capitalism, and
fascism. Therefore, the implementation of shariah is not a coercion but an
obligation for all of its adherents. FPI conducts various strategies to
implement the shariah in which one of them is performing da’wah or
socialization of shariah to Muslim community.lxv
Unlike the HTI and Wahdah Islamiyah which created their own pesantren,
FPI did not create the pesantren from the scratch. In Banten province
context, HRS was successful in recruiting kyai that already possessed a
pesantren to be part of FPI organization. He pointed abuya Qurthubi Jaelani,
the founder of al Futuhiyah Lebak Gedong, Lebak District, Banten as the
coordinator of FPI at provincial level. In other words, it seems that HRS
didn’t push his subordinates to establish a pesantren that has the same name
with pesantren Agrikultural Markaz Syariah in Mega Mendung Bogor which
was established by HRS.
The appointment of Abuya Qurthubi Jaelani as the leader of FPI in Banten
increases the popularity of FPI among Bantenese. This is possible because of
Abuya Qurthubi Jaelani’s charisma, his deep understanding of Islamic texts,
and his communication skill. Many pengajian organized by FPI always
crowded by jama’ah that come from various places to hear the abuya
Qurthubi’s sermons, dhikr, and prayers. One of the events that attracts
thousands of jama’ah was the inauguration of HRS as the Imam Besar of
Indonesian Muslims at pesantren al Futuhiyah Lebak Gedong.lxvi
Related to the curriculum of al Futuhiyah pesantren, it seems that Abuya
Qurthubi Jaelani innovates and combines the approach in managing the
content of curriculum. As we know salafiyah as the oldest Islamic boarding
school usually provides its pupils with the yellow books that should be
mastered during their study in the pesantren. However, often the kyai does
not give target, strict curriculum and specific target and level to his pupils. In
pesantren al Futuhiyyah, abuya Qurthubi Jaelani implements madrasa-like

27
curriculum. He divides his pupils into three categories or levels namely
sughro (elementary), wushtho (intermediate), and kubro (advanced) levels.
He gives different treatment and yellow books to his pupils based on their
academic level. This methodology relatively different to that of most of
salafiyah pesantrens in Banten. Due to the position of abuya Qurthubi
Jaelani that becomes the leader of FPI in Banten, his pupils to some extent
also follow their leader’s commands that is to involve in FPI movements and
agenda.
Although the central government has diluted FPI, the activists of FPI then
changed their organization’s name. FPI which formerly stands for Front
Pembela Islam (Islamic Defender Front) is replaced by Front Persaudaraan
Islam in which abuya Qurthubi Jaelani obtains more important position in
which he becomes the leader of the central organization. lxvii KH Fakhrurrozi
then replaces the position of abuya Qurthubi Jaelani as leader of FPI Banten
province.

Conclusion
In this paper, I show the development and the dynamics of pesantren in
Banten. Pesantren which was initially traditional, become modern that was
influenced by the hajj who came back to his village and the situation that
demand the founders to adapt with the modernization in the Muslim world. I
also demonstrate that the recent events related to the establishment of
pesantrens by Islamist organizations will shape the future of Islam in Banten
that rather than creating a unified community of believers, Muslim in Banten
witness a pluralization of pesantren-based Islamic movements and religious
authority. This thesis strengthens Robert Hefner’s thesis that the old division
between the Islamic modernist and traditionalist has not entirely disappeared
but the dichotomy can be useful in political and cultural analysis. lxviii The
pluralization of pesantren moreover can be beneficial for Muslim intellectual
and educational development due to the fact that each pesantren category
shows their creativity to get the hearth and Muslim minds. However, the
plurality of pesantren also has paved the way for an Islamist pesantrens to
nurture their Islamic views and interpretations that is to some extent not
compatible with democracy, nationalism, and modernity.

27
i
Recently, the Indonesian government released the law No. 18/2019 concerning pesantren that
strengthens the position of pesantren among educational institutions in Indonesia.
ii
Anis Zohriah dan Rohman, Konsolidasi Pesantren: Studi Tentang Peran Forum
Silaturrahim Pondok Pesantren Banten, Laporan Penelitian, LP2M IAIN Sultan Maulana
Hasanuddin Banten tahun 2016, p. 5-7.
iii
Zamakhsyari Dhofier, Tradisi Pesantren: Studi Pandangan Hidup Kyai dan Visinya Mengenai Masa
Depan Indonesia, (Jakarta: LP3ES, 2011), p. 61.
iv
A.H. Johns, Islam in Southeast Asia: Reflections and New Directions, in Indonesia, CMIP, No.
19, 1975, h. 40.
v
Zamakhsyari Dhofier, The Pesantren Tradition: A Study of the Role of the Kyai in the
Maintenance of the Traditional Ideology of Islam in Java, Dissertation, The Australian National
University, 1980.
vi
Moch Nur Ichwan, Islamisme, Post Islamisme, dan Reposisi Islam Mainstream: Sebuah
Pendahuluan, dalam Moh Nur Ichwan dan Muhammad Wildan, Islamisme dan Pos
Islamisme dalam Dinamika Politik Indonesia Kontemporer, (Yogyakarta: SUKA Press, 2019).

27
vii
Mohammed Ayoob, Many Faces of Political Islam: Religion and Politics in the Muslim World,
(Michigan: The University of Michigan Press, 2008), p. 2.
viii
Ibid
ix
Martin van Bruinessen, Kitab Kuning, Pesantren, dan Tarekat: Tradisi-Tradisi Islam di Indonesia
(Bandung: Mizan, 1999), p. 25.
x
Ibid
xi
Abd. Muthalib Sulaiman, et. al., Sejarah Masuk dan Berkembangnya Islam di Banten, (Jakarta:
IAIN UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, 1985), p. 16-17.
xii
Ibid, p. 20.
xiii
Bruinessen, p. 26.
xiv
Bruinessen, p. 21.
xv
Ibid
xvi
Sartono Kartodirdjo, The Peasants’ Revolt of Banten in 1888: Its Condition, Course, and
Sequel, (Amsterdam: Springer Science+Business Media, B.V., 1966), p. 94-95.

xvii
Aly Mashar, Genealogi dan Penyebaran Thariqah Qadiriyah wa Naqshabandiyah di Jawa, Al
A’raf Jurnal Pemikiran Islam dan Filsafat, IAIN Surakarta 2016.
xviii
Didin Nurul Rosidin, From Kampung to Kota: A Study of the Transformation of Mathla’ul
Anwar 1916-1998, Disertasi Universitas Leiden, 2007, p. 36-37.

xix
Achmad Djajadiningrat, Memoar Pangeran Aria Achmad Djajadiningrat, (Jakarta: Paguyuban
Keturunan P.A. Achmad Djajadiningrat, 1996), p. 8.
xx
Michael Charles Williams, Communism, Religion, and Revolt in Banten, (Ohio: The Center for
International Studies Ohio University, 1990), p.52-53.
xxi
Ibid
xxii
Ibid, p. 56.
xxiii
Sartono Kartodirdjo, p. 155.
xxiv
Dhofier, Op. Cit., h. 64-65. The large number of Islamic boarding schools seems to be caused
by the absence of clear boundaries between pesantren and all the existing elements such as kyai,
Islamic boarding schools, books, mosques, and santri with other religious educational
institutions such as majlis ta'lim, recitations, etc.

xxv
Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia, Memori Serah Terima Jabatan 1921-1930 (Jawa Barat)
(Jakarta: ANRI, 1976), p. xxviii. See also, Charles Williams, Op. Cit., p. 57.
xxvi
Didin, p. 38.
xxvii
Dhofier, Op. cit. p. 11. According to Djajadiningrat, the sorogan method is a method
intended for new students where new students sit around the teacher. The teacher then reads
and explains the lesson. During teaching and after, students are given the opportunity to ask
questions. While the bandungan method is a method used for old students where they come
to the teacher individually with books. The book is then read the text, explained its meaning,
and interpreted. The santri must then read it and repeat the explanation as the teacher or kyai
explained it. See Djajadiningrat, p. 25.
xxviii
Djajadiningrat, p. 24.
xxix
Djajadiningrat, p. 24.
xxx
Djajadiningrat, p. 26.
xxxi
Martin van Bruinessen, Op. Cit p. 17.
xxxii
Martin van Bruinessen, p. 17.
27
xxxiii
Azyumardi Azra, Jaringan Ulama Timur Tengah dan Kepulauan Nusantara Abad XVII dan
XVIII: Akar Pembaruan Islam Indonesia, (Jakarta: Kencana, 2004), p. 1.
xxxiv
Ibid
xxxv
One of the rebellions that surprised the Dutch colonial government was the rebellion in
Cilegon, Banten which involved several charismatic kyai in North Banten such as Kyai Washid,
Kyai Marjuki, Kyai Arsad Tawil, and other kyais who involved in tarekat order.

xxxvi
Dhofier, p. 72.
xxxvii
Machdum Bachtiar, Kepemimpinan K.H. Syam’un (Tokoh Agama, Pendidik, dan
Militer serta Perannya dalam Perubahan Sumber Daya Manusia di Banten), Disertasi,
Universitas Negeri Jakarta, 2014, p. 192-193.
xxxviii
The name al Khairiyah is the name of a dam tributary of the Nile, namely Qanathiril al
Khairiyah in the province of Qalyubiyah, Egypt. K.H. Syam'un hopes that the al Khairiyah
madrasa can function like water that spreads benefits through this dam. Look, M.A. Tihami, Al
Khairiyah's Reality in the Midst of Transforming Indonesian Society, paper presented at the
Symposium and Congress of Al Khairiyah Student Youth throughout Indonesia, 29-31
December 1992 in Cilegon.

xxxix
Irsyad Djuwaeli, Membawa Mathla’ul Anwar ke Abad XXI, (Jakarta: PB Mathla’ul Anwar,
1996), p. 18.
xl
Saat ini Pengurus Besar MA memiliki 30 kepengurusan di tingkat Provinsi dan ribuan
madrasah di seluruh Indonesia. Wawancara dengan Dr. H. Jihaduddin, M.Pd, pengurus PB
Mathla’ul Anwar pada 28 September 2016.

xli
Abdul Rashid Khan, Dalam Lintasan Sejarah: KH Abdul Lathif bin KH Ali, (Cilegon: Yayasan
Perguruan Islam al Jauharotunnaqiyyah, 2008), p. 4-5.
xlii
Currently, the pesantren is managed by the great-grandson or 3rd generation of KH Abdul
Lathif, namely H. Akrom Lathify.
xliii
Subhan, Mempertahankan Tradisi di Tengah Arus Globalisasi: Studi Kasus Pondok
Pesantren Pelamunan Serang Banten, Laporan Penelitian IAIN SMH Banten, 2008, p. 31.
xliv
Ibid
xlv
In the official website of the Gontor Islamic boarding school, there is information that the
Gontor Islamic boarding school is divided into two phases, namely the Old Gontor phase where
the founder is the grandfather of the three brothers who founded the New Gontor phase. The
founder of the Gontor Lama Islamic Boarding School is Kyai Sulaeman Jamaluddin, who is
a student and son-in-law of the caretaker of the Tegalsari Islamic Boarding School, one of
the oldest Islamic boarding schools in Java. See http://www.gontor.ac.id/pondok-tegalsari.
Accesed on 30th October 2022.

xlvi
Hafid Hardoyo, Kurikulum Tersembunyi Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor, At Ta’dib,
2009, p. 1-18.
xlvii
Abdullah Syukri Zarkasyi, Gontor dan Pembaharuan Pendidikan Pesantren (Jakarta: PT. Raja
Grafindo Persada, 2005), p. 87-88. See also, Miftahul Munir, Manajemen Pesantren, Studi
Telaah Tentang Kurikulum dan Pembelajaran di Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor
Ponorogo, Didaktikareligia, 2015, p. 1-27.
xlviii
Abdullah Syukri Zarkasi, p. 89.
27
xlix
Moh. Nurhakim, Kyai Imam Zarkasyi dan Pembaruan Pesantren: Rekonstruksi Aspek
Kurikulum, Manajemen, dan Etika Pendidikan, Progresiva Vol. 5, No. 1, Desember 2011, p.1-
14.
l
Due to the limitations of this study, I have not been able to trace santri who came from
Banten studied at the Gontor Islamic boarding school earlier than Ahmad Rifa'i Arif.

li
http://www.daarelqolam.ac.id/Pages/Sejarah.aspx. Accessed on 8th August 2016.
lii
Ibid
liii
Ibid
liv
Tihami, Unpublished paper presented in international seminar “Pesantren, Madrasah and
the Future of Islamic Education in Indonesia” organized at UIN SMH Banten.
lv
Oliver Roy, The Failure of Political Islam, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1994), p.
12- 13.
lvi
Rohman, The Discourse of Shariah Implementation in Banten 1999-2015, Al Qalam, Vol. 38,
No. 1 (January-June 2021). DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.32678/alqalam.v38i1.4177.
lvii
https://www.slideshare.net/indradin/proposal-pembangunan-mahad-al-abqary-
berbeasiswa?from_action=save. Accessed on 30th October 2022.
lviii
Chris Chaplin, Salafi Islamic Piety as Civic Activism: Wahdah Islamiyah and Differentiated
Citizenship in Indonesia, Citizenship Studies, 22:2, 208-223, DOI:
10.1080/13621025.2018.1445488.
lix
Moh. Salim Al Jufri, Wahdah Islamiyah di Gorontalo: Studi tentang Corak Pemikiran dan Respon
Masyarakat, (Jakarta: Kementerian Agama RI, 2011), p. 118-125.
lx
Ibid.
lxi
https://wahdah.or.id/5-tahun-wahdah-islamiyah-hadir-di-banten-ini-capaian-dakwahnya/
diakses pada tanggal 30 Oktober 2022.
lxii
Ibid
lxiii
https://www.fajarbanten.com/kab-serang/pr-1331118232/hadiri-peresmian-ponpes-
wahdah-islamiah-banten-walikota-serang-ini-membawa-manfaat-dan-berkah. Accessed in 30th
October 2022.
lxiv
https://wahdah.or.id/tahfidz/. Accessed in 30th October 2022.
lxv
Jamhari dan Jajang Jahroni, Gerakan Salafi Radikal di Indonesia, (Jakarta: PT RajaGrafindo
Persada, 2004), p. 129-140.
lxvi
https://kabar6.com/malam-ini-habib-rizieq-dikukuhkan-jadi-imam-besar/ Accessed on 31st
October 2022.
lxvii
https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20210907101015 -20-690719/eks-imam-fpi-
banten-jadi-ketum-front-persaudaraan-islam. Accessed on 31st October 2022.
lxviii
Robert W. Hefner, Islamic Schools, Social Movements, and Democracy in Indonesia in
Making Modern Muslims: The Politics of Islamic Education in Southeast Asia, (Hawai’i: University of
Hawai’I Press, 2009), p. 96-98.

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28