ALKHAIRAAT: A STUDY ON ITS HADHRAMI BACKGROUND AND ROLES IN EDUCATIONAL REFORM IN EASTERN INDONESIA By Umar Faruk Assegaf A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The Australian National University January 2020 i Except where otherwise acknowledged, this thesis is based on my own original research. Signed (Umar Faruk Assegaf) ii Acknowledgements Many people and institutions help me to complete this thesis. Without their help, it would have been impossible for me to finish it. I cannot mention all of them here, but I must single out a few. My most profound appreciation goes to Professor Andrew McWilliam, the chair of my thesis committee and academic adviser during my post-graduate studies at the Australian National University. With his expertise, foresight, and a strong background in Indonesia, he has given me support and encouragement. In many different ways, he has been helpful in improving the overall organisation of my thesis and clarifying my ideas. He has been instrumental in helping to shape my understanding of anthropology. Especially during the writing-up period, his suggestions have often inspired me. He has always been a sympathetic reviewer and a tireless editor of my work. Terima kasih, Pak Andrew. Professor James Fox is my murshid (Sufi teacher). This thesis would not be possible without his enthusiasm, endless patience, and tireless efforts. His deep understanding of Islamic studies and pesantren entities, especially with a concentration in eastern Indonesia and Java in general, has given me an opportunity to explore many facets of pesantren culture and rituals. I also thank him for his valuable feedback on my thesis drafts. He warmly welcomed me during my first week at the university, and critically appraised my research proposal and gave helpful feedback before my thesis proposal seminar. I believe, without his continuous support, encouragement and constructive criticism, I would not have been able to complete this thesis. My appreciation also extends to all friends and staff of the Australian National University; Etsuko, Jo Bushby and Penelope Judd, for their helpful cooperation during my candidature. My sincere gratitude also goes to the leader of Alkhairaat Habib Segaf for his understanding in letting me stay in the Alkhairaat pesantren and conduct my fieldwork in Palu. I also thank the board members of Alkhairaat and all fellow santri, who have helped and supported me in providing me with valuable data during my fieldwork. My special thank also goes to Dr Ali ibn Hasan Aljufri, the director of Pesantren Madinatul ilmi in Dolo, Central Sulawesi, who was very welcoming and supportive to my fieldwork research in his institution and helped me to find a place to stay in his pesantren. Many people helped me extensively during my fieldwork and without whom this research iii would have never been possible. I am grateful for their warmth, kindness, and good- heartedness while I was among them for one year. However, I am indebted to Saad Basaleh in Palu, Fahmi Munabari and Ahmad Mulahela in Manado, North Sulawesi, and Muhdi Assegaf in Ternate, North Maluku, to mention only a few. Also generous thanks to all of my fellow graduate students at School of Culture, History and Language ANU who have given me their friendship, advice, and support and have always made life in the Coombs more enjoyable and fun: Wahyu Halim, Muhammad Adlin Sila, Omar Pidani, Fitri Mokuoi, Fina, Gita Nasution, Rohan Shahrir and Arif Sayid. I want to acknowledge that my second fieldwork was only made possible through the financial support from the Marie Reay prize. Finally, my thesis would have never been completed without the support of my wife, and family in Jakarta. They make this life enjoyable. iv Abstract This thesis explores the roles of Alkhairaat in Palu Central Sulawesi as a modern Islamic boarding school and one of the most remarkable educational institutions in the development of Islam in eastern Indonesia. Established on June 30, 1930, by Al Habib Idrus ibn Salim Aljufri (1889-1969), locally known as Guru Tua, the institution has developed its own unique and distinctive reputation due to its leader as Hadhrami Sayyid, a man who is originally from Hadhramaut, Yemen and claims himself as a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. Like many pesantren in Java, Alkhairaat with its network in 13 provinces that consists of 1,550 schools and 49 pesantren, is shaped by local culture and moulded by values and tradition that are consistently nurtured by the founder. I argue that Alkhairaat is one of the leading Islamic educational institutions in eastern Indonesia, bringing about a significant reform into the local educational system and becoming a major recognised religious authority in the region. Guru Tua created an educational system not only to address the educational needs of the rural community but also to appropriate the materials, views, and attitudes of modernity in the society. This thesis further claims that Guru Tua has been a significant figure in the formation, transmission and reproduction of Islamic knowledge and authority in the region. The way Guru Tua has expanded the network of his school shows that his charisma was not only transferable through kinship ties (hereditary) to his progeny for subsequent leadership roles, but also via a scholarly connection expressed through the teacher-student relationship. Through his teachings and religious programs in his institution, he has nurtured many young Muslims with religious knowledge as they accumulate cultural capital essential for the establishment of their religious authority in their respective villages. Analysing Alkhairaat and its network, I reflect Bourdieu’s concept; capital, field and habitus as a means of understanding the way in which Alkhairaat and its networks with all components intertwined. This study also draws on the Weberian notion of charisma to illuminate the leadership of Guru Tua. The use of Bourdieu’s capital permits us to develop charisma as religious capital as an object of struggle as a valued resource. Therefore, by the combination of Weber and Bourdieu, we can see charisma to be a more secular power rather than God’s grace and blessings or divine gift. v Based on 12-month multi-sited research in Palu, Central Sulawesi and three other provinces: Gorontalo, North Maluku, and North Sulawesi, the study utilised participant observation methods, staying in the Alkhairaat pesantren for some time as well as engaging with local people. I interviewed prominent local figures, students, former students and dignitaries who were graduates of this institution. In sum, the thesis demonstrates that the school network offers a locally affordable but more reliable religious tutoring, making up a vibrant web of an educational institution with the support of local patronage. It is like a family network in which a sense of identity and a similar religious orientation has been produced and reproduced. The unchallenged Guru Tua’s religious competence and teachings have become a tick of approval, providing peace of mind and a favourable point of consideration for local people to send their children joining this network. vi Table of Contents Acknowledgment iii Abstract v Table of Contents vii Notes on style viii List of Maps and Illustrations ix Glossary xi Chapter One: INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter Two: THE HAUL OF GURU TUA 27 Chapter Three: THE LEGACY OF GURU TUA 51 Chapter Four: IN SEARCH OF PUBLIC RECOGNITION 75 Chapter Five: THE LOCAL PESANTREN AS A SITE OF CULTURAL REPRODUCTION 98 Chapter Six: BEYOND CLASSROOM AND DORMITORY 120 Chapter Seven: CONTINUITY AND CONFLICT 147 Chapter Eight: CONNECTING THE CENTRE AND PERIPHERY 175 Chapter Nine: CONCLUSION 199 Bibliography 209 vii Notes on Transliteration and Spelling The system of Arabic transliteration used in this thesis fol1ows that of the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. The table from Arabic to English and Indonesian is listed as follows: ف = f ز = z ب = b ق = q س = s ت = t ك = k ش = sh ث = th ل = l ص = s ج = j م = m ض = d ح = h ن = n ط = t خ = kh ه = h ظ = z د = d و = w ‘ = ع ذ = dh ي = y غ = gh ر = r Vowels: Short: a = ´; i = ; u = ي ; = و = <Long: a< = ; i و ا = aw ; ي = Diphthong: ay I use single quotation marks when citing any written works and interviews. I spell out numbers under 10 (zero through nine) and for calendar years, dates, times, ages of people, monetary amounts, percentages and ratios, except for all numbers that begin a sentence. In general Indonesian names and terms, including words in Arabic of Arabic origin, are written according to Ejaan Yang Disempurnakan, abbreviated EYD or the Perfected Spelling System (PSS), the latest system of Indonesian spelling (1972). Where it is cited from its Arabic version, follows the Indonesian transliteration; and where it is cited from its Romanized version, no diacritic symbols are used, and it follows the source unless otherwise stated. For example, the word ‘haul’ is an Indonesian word written in Latin letters without the diacritic symbol, and this is retained, as opposed to hawl in Arabic when cited. Similarly the word Shari'at, I retain its Arabic transliteration, when the Indonesian word is referred I use the standard version in Modern Indonesian: syari'at (without diacritic symbols); otherwise, by default, the Arabic Shari'ah is used. However, in earlier Indonesian (and Malay) spelling system, this may be written as shariat, or shari'at. This will be cited as written in the referred sources without change. viii List of Illustrations