The Significance of Kiai in Traditional Pesantren
Pesanteren has been significance institution in Indonesia since long time ago in serving religious education for Muslim. Its help in keeping and drawing Islam in the heart of society since early comes until now. No one doubts that Islam will not be a majority in Indonesia without the system of education which is capable to transform Islamic teaching to the society in changing world.
Many research has been done by scholar, especially western, to see the uniqueness the pesantren. They are Clifford Geertz, Hiroko Hirikosi, Kenneth Or, Martin van Bruinessen, Doffier etc. The focus of study many about the system of education, system of Kiai kinship and its patronage, the life of santri, the curriculum, the relationship among pesantren, society around and state, etc.
Almost all scholars believe that pesantren was genuinely unique system of education developed by Muslim in Indonesia. There is no similar system like pesantren in other continent. Such scholar argues that it have similar to monastery in Christianity or concept “mandala” in Buddhist and Hindus in India. The first was rejected by Geertz who sees that pesantren and monastery completely different. Pesantren is not for educated minister or monk, everyone can join the system and leave it if one wish. He said: “A pesantren is only superficially like a monastery, for the santris are not monks; they have made no vows. They come to the pesantren when they wish, and they leave it when they wish.” Whereas, seminary took one to be monk or minister and one cannot leave without church permission.
The most important figures in pesantren were Kiai. Kiai is leader and figure of pesantern who trough him pesantren exist. In early establishment, pesantren is always private project of Kiai. He builds pondok and at the time santri came. Almost all policy in the pesantren, both spiritual matter and wordly matter is Kiai responsibility. The centrality of Kiai in some extent is similar with Hinduism and Buddhism mandala where monk is very center in teaching and giving role for the follower. Djajadiningrat writes how santri and Kiai relation in pesantren, "…unlimited obedience to the Kiai, a regulated life, equality and brotherhood among the pupils are laws that are maintained unchanged by the Kiais.”
Geertz says that each kijaji had run his own pesantren in his own way, and had competed with other kijajis for reputation as a learned scholar, powerful curer, or adept mystic. Pesantern is capital for Kiai in spreading influence. Bigger pesantern, have many santries, and have big “pondok” or dormitory could escape the position Kiai as great Kiai. Between one pesantern to other today was actually in competing in getting respect of people and getting much follower. It is because some Kiai also compete in political practice which maybe did not happened in early pesantren development.
In process of education, especially traditional pesantren, usually Kiai did not take paid to santri. Education held by free, even santri who came to study and he did not have any capital to life in pesantren can work, like be servant of Kiai home, to survive. Education approach is not held by material, but moral or akhlaq. Santri required being humble in worldly matter and focusing for a while to study. Because the life of santri depends on Kiai the relationship between Kiai and santri was formed as leader and follower. Santri should respect for Kiai because he/she is teacher and he/she also respect to the life of santri in pesantren. The relationship even link by the Barakah, or blessing concepts where devotion to Kiai also means in getting good Kiai’s bless.
The aim of pesantren is da’wa to spread Islam. Da’wa is Islamic obligation for whole Muslim. Pesantren is effective way for dakwa, for that ways alumna of pesantren usually establish new pesatren where he/she back to the village. The new pesantren will be link of old pesantren. The relationship will be in system because one pesantren relates to others. This linkage can be political and social strange which effective in leading society toward every problem of life.
As effect of the linkage many Kiai was fortunate in pursuing political matter. Because of last service of Kiai the link can easily support if some Kiai want to be member of legislative for example. In the other hand, the role of Kiai also can be effective ways in extending government program to the society. Geertz say about cultural broker of Kiai because the fact that Kiai is broker of the society to change habbit and culture of society to be better. Probably Geertz right that Kiai stand guard over the crucial junctures of synapses of relationships which connect the local system to the larger.[]
