Charisma and Rationalisation in a Modernising Pesantren: Changing Values in Traditional Islamic Education in Java Achmad Zainal Arifin A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Religion and Society Research Centre University of Western Sydney, Australia 2013 Principal Supervisor: Professor Dr. Julia Day Howell Associate Supervisor: Professor Dr. Bryan S. Turner Dedication My beloved wife, Irfatul Hidayah, and my children, Muhammad Zeva Wagiswari and Athifa Ramaniya, for your patience and support during my study My parents, Bapak Tholchah Aziz (Alm.) and Ibu Aisyah, and brothers and sisters, Mbak Iva, Mas Barok, Mas Mus, Mbak Ema, Yuni and Nuk, for your sincere prayers for my success Bapak Syamsuddin (Alm.) and Ibu Jauharoh, and all families in Tebon, for kindly support and help to me and my family Phd Thesis | Achmad Zainal Arifin | ii Acknowledgements My study would never have been undertaken without support from a number of people and institutions. First of all, I would like to thank AusAID officers, who granted me the Australian Leadership Award Scholarship (ALAS) and the Allison Sudrajat Award (ASA) to start my PhD program at Griffith University and finish it at University of Western Sydney (UWS). I also thank the Dean of the Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty (FISHUM) and staff, for their understanding in letting me finish this study, though I joined the faculty only a couple of months before, and KH. Ahmad Munawwar (Gus Tole), the board members of Komplek L, Pesantren al-Munawwir Krapyak, and all fellow santri, who helped and supported me in my application for the scholarship, as well as providing me with valuable data during my fieldwork. My sincere gratitude also goes to Professor Dr. Julia Day Howell, my principal supervisor, who has devoted her time and guided me patiently to the completion of this thesis. Her patience in helping me to improve my academic skills is like the Javanese saying: “luwih njowo ketimbang wong jowo” (knows better how to be a good Javanese person than the Javanese people). Amid her busy schedule, she also made a visit to Komplek L and had a warm discussion with santri. I believe that I, and other fellow santri, learned a lot from her visit. Professor Dr. Bryan S. Turner, my associate supervisor at the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies (CSCMS), University of Western Sydney, recently renamed Religion and Society Research Centre (RSRC), has given valuable feedback on my thesis drafts. Associate Professor John Butcher, my former co-supervisor at Griffith University, warmly welcomed me during my first week at the university, and critically appraised my research proposal and gave helpful feedback before my confirmation. I believe, without their continuous support, encouragement and constructive criticism, I would not have been able to complete this thesis. I am also truly thankful to Ms. Vanessa Goldie-Scot for her patient assistance with my writing skills, and Rhubarb Academic Editing who carried out the tedious work of correcting the language of this thesis. Without their careful reading of earlier drafts, this thesis might still be unintelligible to English readers. Phd Thesis | Achmad Zainal Arifin | iii Scholars and staff of the RSRC have helped me to complete this work. Among them, Associate Professor Dr. Adam Possamai, Acting Director of the Centre, and Ms Eva Gracia, Centre Coordinator, have provided both academic and administrative support during my program. I would also like to thank Dr. Jan Ali and Dr. Steven Drakeley, and my colleagues Daus, om Taqin, mbak Juni, om Godo, Faroque, and mbak Alim, for their friendship and for the academic milieu they have created in the Centre. I am indebted to the big family of Komplek L, to Bu Nyai, Gus Munawwar, Gus Hafidh, Gus Moeh, Pak Hadi, the board members, and other fellow santri for their support during my fieldwork. Last, but not least, I offer both my thanks and apologies to those who have assisted me, but who are too numerous to be listed here. Phd Thesis | Achmad Zainal Arifin | iv Statement of Authentication The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. ………………………………………….. Achmad Zainal Arifin 18 December 2012 Phd Thesis | Achmad Zainal Arifin | v Contents List of Tables and Figures…………………………………………………………...…viii Notes for Non-English Words and Transliteration…………………………...………….ix Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..…….…x Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Weber, Authority and the Routinisation of Charisma ...................................................... 5 1.2. Weber’s Concept of Authority and the Authority of Kyai .............................................. 12 1.3. Thesis Objectives ......................................................................................................... 14 1.4. Kyai as Focal Figures in Changing Javanese Islam ........................................................ 15 1.4.1. Kyai: from ‘Medium,’ Cultural Broker, to Presidency ........................................... 16 1.4.2. Traditional Islam of the NU ................................................................................... 19 1.4.3. Kyai and Pesantren ................................................................................................ 25 1.5. Methodology ................................................................................................................ 28 1.6. Overview of Following Chapters .................................................................................. 31 Chapter Two: Transformation of Pesantren in Modern Java......................................... 34 2.1. Langgar, Pesantren and Madrasah: A Historical Account of Islamic Educational Institutions .......................................................................................................................... 37 2.1.1. Institutional Transformation: From Langgar to Pesantren ....................................... 39 2.1.2. The Shift of Islamic Knowledge in Pesantren: From Sufism to Fiqh ....................... 46 2.2. Pesantren and the Diversification of Islamic Education................................................. 51 2.3. The Current Features of Traditional Pesantren .............................................................. 56 2.4. The Value System of Traditional Pesantren .................................................................. 59 2.5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 62 Chapter Three: Transmitting Charismatic Power .......................................................... 65 3.1. Kyai in Modern Java ..................................................................................................... 65 3.1.1. Kyai Langgar and Kyai Pesantren .......................................................................... 67 3.1.2. Kyai Tarekat and Kyai Shari’ah ............................................................................. 68 3.2. Understanding Barākah and Karāmah among Traditional Muslims in Java ................... 73 3.2.1. Ngalap Berkah: A Tradition among Indonesian Traditional Muslims ..................... 73 3.2.2. The Karāmah of Kyai ............................................................................................ 76 3.3. Transmitting Charismatic Qualities ............................................................................... 79 3.4. Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 85 Phd Thesis | Achmad Zainal Arifin | vi Chapter Four: Social Structure of Komplek L .............................................................. 87 4.1. Current Features of Pesantren Al-Munawwir ................................................................ 88 4.2. Social Structure of Pesantren ........................................................................................ 97 4.2.1. Kyai ....................................................................................................................... 97 4.2.2. Ndalem ................................................................................................................ 103 4.2.3. Ustadz ................................................................................................................. 105 4.2.4. Santri ................................................................................................................... 108 4.3. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 115 Chapter Five: Portrait of a Charismatic Kyai .............................................................. 117 5.1. Barākah and Karāmah of the Late KH. Ahmad Munawwir ......................................... 118 5.2. Waiting for Putera Mahkota: A Transition Process ..................................................... 126 5.3. Gus Munawwar: Slowly but Surely ............................................................................. 130 5.4. Under the Shadow of Kyai Ahmad's Charisma…………………………………………135 5.5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 138 Chapter