From a cramped living room in Kauman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, a young cleric named Ahmad Dahlan planted the seeds of change that he never knew would become a major movement across generations and national borders.
More than a century after he began, Kiai Dahlan's legacy continues to light the torch of progress in education, health and social proselytizing. But how did that long journey begin? And what happened after the founder passed away?
Background of K.H. Ahmad Dahlan
Muhammad Darwis, the diminutive name of K.H. Ahmad Dahlan, was born on August 1, 1868 in Yogyakarta. His father, K.H. Abu Bakar, was known as a respected scholar, while his mother, Siti Aminah, came from an educated family. This provided a solid foundation for Ahmad Dahlan to explore Islamic knowledge from an early age.
At the age of 10, he began studying at the Kauman boarding school, which was known for its strict religious education. At this boarding school, Ahmad Dahlan not only learned religious knowledge, but also Arabic and other sciences.
At the age of 15, he went to mecca to perform the hajj pilgrimage and stayed in mecca for 5 years. On this occasion, Ahmad Dahlan began to interact with the thoughts of reformers in Islam, such as Muhammad Abduh, Al-Afghani, Rasyid Ridha and Ibnu Taimiyah.
This experience opened Ahmad Dahlan's insight into the importance of renewal in Islam.
When he returned to his village in 1888, he changed his name to Ahmad Dahlan. In 1903, he traveled back to Mecca and stayed for two years. During this time, he studied with Syeh Ahmad Khatib, who was also the teacher of NU founder KH Hasyim Asyari.
Founding Muhammadiyah and Igniting Big Ideas
For K.H. Ahmad Dahlan, education was not just a way out of the backwardness of the people. He believed that when the way of thinking of Muslims was enlightened, then progress would come naturally – because Islam is actually in harmony with progress.
K.H Ahmad Dahlan's determination to pioneer a school that integrated religious knowledge and Western science was realized through an idea called the Madrasah System.
But before the big step was realized, his teachers gave one important message: first establish a permanent organization that could become an umbrella for these great ideals.
Because of his great determination to build a more progressive Islamic education, Kiai Ahmad Dahlan founded Muhammadiyah in 1912 as an Islamic organization oriented towards renewal.
The Role and Contribution of K.H Ahmad Dahlan
The main purpose of establishing Muhammadiyah was to realize a truly Islamic society. However, over time, the values carried by Muhammadiyah have actually spread wide benefits, reaching across religions, ethnicities, and communities. This is in line with the spirit of rahmatan lil 'alamin which is rooted in moderate Islam.
In addition to being a forum for renewal, the establishment of Muhammadiyah was also intended to avoid dependence on a single figure, as is often the case in Islamic boarding schools - which then died out after the founder died.
The organization was born from Kiai Dahlan's anxiety and awareness that Muslims needed a systematic and sustainable platform to rise. For him, education was the key.
So it is not surprising that Muhammadiyah from the beginning focused its attention on integrative education - combining religious knowledge with modern science. He wanted the nation's children not only to understand the faith, but also to be able to face the times.
The forerunner of this organization began with the establishment of a Folk School called Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Diniyah Islamiyah which Kiai Dahlan pioneered in early 1912 without the help or donation of funds from others and only relied on his own property.
With all the limitations, the teaching-learning process first took place in the living room of his house which only measured 6 x 2.5 meters. In that simple room, there were three tables, three long chairs, and a blackboard.
Developing Da'wah in Various Aspects of Life
Kiai Ahmad Dahlan's struggle was not only focused on the world of formal education. For him, aspects of health and social welfare are an integral part of holistic Islamic preaching.
Therefore, Muhammadiyah then grew into an organization that took part in establishing various social services, from hospitals to orphanages. Da'wah, according to Kiai Dahlan, is not just a matter of lecturing at the pulpit, but real actions that answer the needs of society.
Kiai Ahmad Dahlan's specialty lies in his dynamic perspective on da'wah. He left a rigid approach and brought Islamic values into a more contextual realm-modern, progressive, and solutive.
Islamic teachings must be able to be the answer to the problems of everyday life. This view is a strong foundation that the Muhammadiyah movement continues to live by today.
But more than that, the most important legacy left by Kiai Dahlan is the spirit to empower people through education and knowledge. He believed that change could only be achieved when people's way of thinking changed.
Muhammadiyah's Struggle After Reformer's Death
K.H. Ahmad Dahlan died on February 23, 1923. Eleven years after founding Muhammadiyah, he succeeded in laying a solid foundation for the progress of modern Islam in Indonesia. Despite his death, his struggle did not stop. In fact, after his death, Muhammadiyah showed its resilience as a solid and growing organization.
Entering the 1930s, the Muhammadiyah branch network began to spread outside Java. After Indonesia's independence, Muhammadiyah took an active role in national development, especially in the fields of education and health services.
Entering the 2020s, Muhammadiyah has managed more than 170 universities, thousands of primary and secondary education units, as well as hundreds of hospitals and social institutions. All of these achievements are the fruit of the spirit of renewal and social care that Ahmad Dahlan instilled from the beginning.
Muhammadiyah's Gait on the International Scene
More than a century since its birth, Muhammadiyah has now penetrated geographical boundaries. Muhammadiyah educational and social institutions are established in various countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Australia, and Egypt.
In these places, Muhammadiyah is present bringing an inclusive, intelligent, and solution-filled face of Islam-realizing Kiai Dahlan's progressive vision in a global context.
A Flame that Never Goes Out
From a cramped living room in Kauman to an international network, K.H. Ahmad Dahlan's journey with Muhammadiyah is proof that great change can begin with sincere intentions and a far-reaching vision.
Today, the spirit of his struggle lives on in the steps of Muhammadiyah educators, social volunteers, medical personnel, and the younger generation. He is not just the founder of the organization, but the builder of the foundation of a civilization that upholds science and faith as the main pillars of the nation's progress.
Source:
- https://www.gramedia.com/literasi/profil-kh-ahmad-dahlan/?srsltid=AfmBOorSJDbnivPdF4HGVdJXtDytQOW7Ykvi78UAyJIw3tYtuHS293UH
- https://math.uad.ac.id/berita/al-islam-dan-kemuhammadiyahan/k-h-ahmad-dahlan-masa-kecil-yang-membentuk-pemimpin-pembaruan-islam/
- https://muhammadiyah.or.id/2022/09/kh-ahmad-dahlan-pencetus-madrasah-modern-di-nusantara/
- https://muhammadiyah.or.id/sejarah-muhammadiyah/
- https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2024/04/17/080000765/ramai-soal-sekolah-muhammadiyah-di-luar-negeri-ada-di-mana-saja-?page=all
