Pesantren is the genuine institution of Islamic education in Indonesia. It has grown and increased far before independence of Indonesia and became symbol of revolution against colonial.
There are two famous kinds of Pesantren. The first is traditional Pesantren (salafiy) which only teaches the religious study, non-classical system and single Kyai. The second is the modern one (khalafiy), which teach religious study, exact and social sciences and with classical system.
Daar el-Qolam is modern Pesantren established in 1968. The establishment of Daar el Qolam was the result of a long and exhausting struggle by KH. Ahmad Rifai Arief, a graduate of Modern Pesantren Darussalam Gontor and his father, K.H. Qashad Manshur.
Unlike Gontor, his previous school, Ahmad Rifai as the founder of Daar el-Qolam, tried to combine male and female students in one class during their class activities and paid serious attention not only in religious study but in exact and social sciences by integrating local curriculum and national curriculum. His "controversial" step brought him to be pioneer of new style of modern Pesantren in Banten.
In the early of its establishment, Ahmad Rifai had 22 students who were from his family and around Pesantren and became only 12 students in the following year. After many obstacles, the advances of Daar el-Qolam can be seen in 1980-es. In 1997, Ahmad Rifai passed away and was succeeded by his brother Ahmad Syahiduddin and his son Adrian Mafatihullah Kariem.
The vision and mission of Daar el-Qolam is to be prominent Pesantren at national and international levels that produces the graduates which labeled by mukminîn, muttaqîn and râskhîna fî-l-ilmi.
To gain these aims, Daar el-Qolam bases its programs on five pillars (Panca Jiwa) and Motto of Pondok. The five pillars of Pondok are Sincerity, Simplicity, Help-self, Islamic brotherhood and Freedom. The Motto of Pondok are Noble character, Sound body, Broad knowledge and Independent mind.
Now, in 42 years of its age, Daar el-Qolam has existed with 35 hectares area and more than 4000 students and 250 teachers who live together for 24 hours and come from all provinces in Indonesia.
Besides, Daar el-Qolam has been expanding its role in education by establishing College of Islamic Study (STAI) La Tansa Mashiro, College of Economic Study (STIE) La Tansa Mashiro and Midwife Academy (AKBID) La Tansa Mashiro with hundreds students, Pondok Pesantren La Tansa Mashiro with more than 2500 students, Excellent Class program and building a new campus "Dza Izza".
Related content