Teachers with Ulul Albab Characteristics Rosihon Anwar, Izzah Faizah Siti Rusydati Khaerani and Medina Chodijah Ushuluddin Faculty, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Jl.AH Nasution No.105, Bandung, Indonesia {rosihonanwar, izzahfaizahsiti, medinchodijah}@uinsgd.ac.id Keywords: teacher, ulul albab, intellectual values. Abstract: Teachers are important components in educational process. The success of the educational process is strongly influenced by the quality of the teachers. One of teacher qualification is to have intellectual values . The intellectual are termed in the Holy Quran as ulul albab. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of teachers with ulul albab values in Bandung. To achieve this aim, this study used a mixed-method approach to analyze 300 teacher samples. The results of the study revealed (1) that the Holy Quran mentioned three aspects of ulul albab: dhikr (remembrance of Allah), fiqr (reflection), and amal salih (good deeds) and (2) that the majority of the teachers in Bandung were moderately characterized with ulul albab values, and only few of them could be said to display a high level of characteristics of ulul albab. No teacher was found to display a very high, low, and very low level of characteristics of ulul albab. 1 INTRODUCTION Ulul albab refers to those of the intellectual with good personality (Yaqin, 2015). They are at least In the perspective of modern psychology, ulul albab characterized by the following traits: (1) refers to those who are able to optimally synergize hardworking, (2) creative, innovative, and critical, (3) their intelligent (IQ), emotional (EQ), and spiritual religious, (4) excellent, and (5) intelligent (Walid, (SQ) potentials (H.D Bastaman, 2007). A teacher is 2011). In the perspective of mufassir (Quranic valued not only by his academic proficiency, but also exegetes), ulul albab refers to people of faith who can his communication skills because communication can optimally function their intelligent potentials (Faizah, optimize the teacher-student relationship (Raufelder 2014). et al., 2016; Rusu, Soitu, and Panaite, 2012). A Considering the importance of ulul albab teacher with a high emotional quotient (EQ) can bring characteristics, this study was focused on figuring out about an extraordinary performance (Mohamad and to what extent teachers display the aforedescribed Jais, 2016). The EQ is one of contributing factors to traits of the ulul albab. The teachers being studied the personal development of an excellent teacher. It was at different educational level in eastern Bandung. plays a role in self-management skills, emphatic skills, interpersonal skills, and all skills to successfully interact with the environments and to 2 METHODS boost the performance (Yusof, Ishak, Zahidi, Abidin, and Bakar, 2014). According to Atiyah Al-Abrasyi, To answer the research problem, this study used a an ideal teacher has a spiritual quotient (SQ), qualitative/quantitative mixed method approach. The characterized by the likes of zuhd (living a simple life qualitative method began with reviewing literature on as opposed to hedonism), respectfulness, sincerity, the characteristics of ulul albab as described in the forgivingness, sabr (patience), dedication, and Quran using the maudhui tafsir (thematic Quranic observant towards his students’ characters and exegesis) approach. The results of literature review potentials (Sa’diyah, 2012). The Quran speaks of the became a basis for designing the instrument of a perfect human personality typology in the term ulul quantitative survey. The survey was conducted to see albab (Quran 3:190-192). to what extent the research subjects display the characteristics of the ulul albab (Creswell, 2008:552; 481 Anwar, R., Khaerani, I. and Chodijah, M. Teachers with Ulul Albab Characteristics. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 481-485 ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2 Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education Oktaviavo, 2008:22). (5) to act mindfully and always take lesson from the The survey data were then analyzed descriptively history of the past ummahs, (6) to not fear other than to obtain an overview of the ulul albab characteristics Allah (Jalaluddin Rahmat, 1994, p. 213-215). displayed by teachers at various levels of education in The characteristics numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5 speak Indonesia including kindergarten, primary school, of fiqr and dhikr. It goes to show that the ulul albab junior high school, senior high school and pondok always try to feel the existence of Allah in their souls. pesantren (Islamic boarding school). Number 4; meanwhile, speaks about being productive The quantitative approach was chosen to enable a and the importance of values in the context of their statistical data analysis. In addition, the reason for benefits for human beings. Thus, those with the ulul choosing a quantitative approach was that the albab characteristics have a profound effect on social researchers wished to obtain accurate field data based transformation. Their excellent personality is on empirical and measurable phenomena (Naila reflected in spiritual depth (dhikr), sharpness of Hayati, 352), which in this case was the ulul albab analysis (fiqr), and profound effect on social life characteristics displayed by the teachers. (amal salih). In brief, the research was conducted through the Dawam Rahardjo (2002:557) mentioned some following steps: (1) sorting Quranic verses on the ulul definitions of ulul albab as described in the Quran: albab characteristics, (2) carrying out the maudhui (1) open- and deep-minded people, (2) people with an tafsir of the sorted verses, (3) classifying the verses emphatic heart, (3) sharp- and strong- minded people, based on the results of tafsir, (4) arranging the (4) knowledgeable people, (5) people with accurate research instrument based on the result of tafsir, (5) and wide understandings, and (6) wise and just collecting the research data, (6) analyzing the people. obtained data, and (7) analyzing the result of study. It has been agreed upon among mufassirs that the The research population were all teachers in term ulul albab refer to ashhâbu al-uqûl (people of eastern Bandung. Based on population data of reason). This indicates that ulul albab are individuals Bandung in 2015, the total number of teachers from with great intellectual potentials (Thabari, n.d., 240). kindergarten to high school level was 16,045 (Kota Therefore, they (1) are able to think critically (Quran Bandung dalam angka, BPS 2015), and those in 2:269; 39:18), (2) are knowledgeable (Quran 12:11), eastern Bandung was 3,697. Referring to Slovin’s (3) hunger for knowledge (Quran 3:7), (4) always do formula, the researchers needed at least 98 samples. a deep reflection of Allah’s creations (Quran 3:191), However, to obtain a greater picture, the researchers (5) are hardworking (Quran 5:100; 39:9), (6) have distributed the instruments to approximately 300 good communication skills (Quran 14:52), (7) always teachers and obtained 299 analyzable respondent keep promises (Quran 13:19-20), (8) are generous data. (Quran 35:29), and (9) fear Allah (Quran 2:197) The research instrument was designed with the (Faizah St Rusydati Khaerani, 2014). basis of the results of tafsir Quranic verses on ulul The ulul albab characteristics were studied in albab characteristics. It consisted of 28 items whose three aspects: fiqr, dhikr, and amal salih. validity coefficients were quite high, ranging from In the research instrument, fiqr is represented by 22 0.716 to 0.754, and its reliability coefficient was items and dhikr by 6 items. 0.739. The indicators for fiqr were visionary, analytical, thinking, researching, understanding, tolerant, confident, tazkiah al-nafs (self-purification), honest, 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION disciplined, responsible, and creative. Analyzing is very important to strengthen fiqr. Teachers are expected to always be creative and innovative in The Quran does not explicitly define the term ulul delivering the lesson (Soobik, 2012) but with albab; however, their characteristics can be found in 16 verses as follows: (1) to sincerely seek, explore, reference to the Islamic values .(Al-Karasneh and understand and discover the secrets of science and Saleh, 2010). The indicators for dhikr were praying, salah, knowledge taught by Allah the Most Holy (Quran hardworking, generous, and obedient to Allah the 3:190), (2) to be willing to transfer his knowledge to Most Holy. others in order to improve social condition and Dhikr is one of intensive devotional practices by willing to give warning (Quran 14:52), (3) to stand up for the right after telling them apart from the wrong remembering God in order for an individual’s to find rest (Quran 13:28). This practice combines praying, (Quran 5:100), (4) to be critical about incoming meditation, and various ritual activities with the main information and make sure if it is true (Quran 39:18), 482 Teachers with Ulul Albab Characteristics purpose of remembering and acquiring the spirit of Table 1 shows that ulul albab are highly God represented in His 99 beautiful Names (asmāʾu intellectual people who always stay devoted to the l-ḥusnā). Through dhikr, one is expected to go Creator. This intellectual quality brings about EQ, IQ, through an intense spiritual experience and to rely and SQ. A hard worker (Quran 5:100; 39:9) are upon God (Newberg, Wintering, Yaden, Waldman, demanded to display good EQ and IQ in order for him and Reddin, 2015) to stay motivated to complete his works, be creative, The result of Newberg’s study that investigated work collaboratively, and have good interpersonal the correlation of dhikr and neurophysiological skills (Mohamad and Jais, 2016). And with SQ, can activities revealed that there was an substantial one reduce depression and anxiety (Koenig, Zaben, increase in the frontal lobe activity and at the same and Khalifa, 2012). This can bring about social time a decline parietal lobe activity.