RAMADHAN 1447 AH: GETTING TO KNOW THE DARUL MAARIF KAPLONGAN ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOL IN INDRAMAYU
By: H. Adlan Daie
Political Analyst, General Secretary of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of Indramayu Regency
In Indonesian sociology, Ramadan is not just a “fasting month,” but a month for reviving Islamic cultural traditions, including Islamic boarding schools (pesantren). To paraphrase Gus Dur, pesantren are a “subculture” of Islam in Indonesia.
This Ramadan 1447 AH (2026 AD) brings you a closer look at the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school. In my observation, it successfully articulates the balance of the principles and rules of NU Islamic boarding schools in line with the challenges and needs of the times.
The principles and rules of the Islamic boarding school in question are “Al muhafadloh ”ala Al qodimish Sholih, wal Al akhdu bil jadilil Aslah,” upholding the good traditions of Islamic boarding schools (NU) while being “open-minded,” open to new, contextual innovations that meet the educational needs of modern middle-class students.
The founder and patron of the foundation that oversees the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school is H. Dedi Wahidi, an alumnus of the Babakan Islamic boarding school in Ciwaringin, Cirebon Regency, one of the strongest NU cultural anchors in West Java. Over time, it formed a social ecosystem in two important ways:
First, the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school, founded by H. Dedi Wahidi, not only maintained its traditions and religious practices within the school, but also consistently followed NU traditions, such as the qunut (prayer) for dawn prayers (shubuh), tahlilan (recitation of the Qur’an), salawat (prayer), 20 rak’ahs of tarawih prayers plus 3 rak’ahs of witr (witr prayer), grave visits, etc.
In fact, the educational complex he founded in 1983, when the New Order regime was still strong and NU had not yet declared its “return to its original principles” in 1984 (meaning NU was still part of the United Development Party (PPP), openly and legally named its institution “NU.”
This historical courage determined his future, leading to the rapid growth of his educational complex, which covers approximately 40 hectares, all under the names “NU” and “Darul Ma’arif,” from kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, maritime vocational school, to Darul Ma’arif University (UDM).
Second, the NU social ecosystem also deeply influenced H. Dedi Wahidi’s organizational journey, from the leadership and chairmanship of the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) and the chairmanship of the “Ma’arif” institution, the NU education division at the Indramayu district level, to the chairmanship of the West Java NU Regional Executive.
Politically, his career, from serving in the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) and as Deputy Regent of Indramayu to serving four consecutive terms in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), all began with the National Awakening Party (PKB), a party whose historical founding, ideological struggles, and constituency aspirations are entirely rooted in the NU ecosystem.
These are the variables of the principle of “Almahafadloh ala Al qodimish Sholeh,” which forms the steadfast ecosystem for nurturing NU religious traditions within the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school.
On the other hand, the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school is contextual in its balanced application of the pesantren principle, namely “Al akhdu bil jadilil Aslah,” accommodating to the new needs of the pesantren in response to the dynamic needs of the times.
The “newness” and innovation of the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school include its well-organized physical layout. Each unit and level of education does not exist autonomously but rather as substitutions embedded within a single, authoritative, integrated control system.
In other words, the Darul Ma’arif Islamic boarding school does not have a federal structure, unlike most “Salafiyah” NU Islamic boarding schools, where each has its own autonomous sub-regions with its own management patterns.
Because of its “integrative system” nature, the Darul Ma’arif Islamic boarding school is more easily able to implement modern management systems. From planning and implementation, to evaluation targets, the budget system, both input and output, almost entirely follows modern management patterns, resulting in relatively measurable progress indices from year to year.
This means that there is no overlap in management across all aspects, which, according to Gus Dur’s perspective, in his writings compiled in the book “Bunga Rampai: Pesantren dan Perubahan Sosial” (editor: Dawam Rahardjo), is generally a stumbling block for NU Salafiyah Islamic boarding schools in responding to the dynamics of the social environment and adapting to the needs of the times.
The above descriptive account of the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school is certainly still “outwardly” and does not delve into the depth of the pesantren’s spiritual atmosphere, except through the process within it. However, the author’s point here is not to “dichotomize” or categorically distinguish between NU Islamic boarding school models.
Indeed, each Islamic boarding school has its own unique model, each with its own advantages and targeted social segments. They complement each other in different spectrums but are bound by the NU ecosystem. This is the rich treasure trove of NU Islamic boarding schools in their dynamic times.
The author places Darul Ma’arif Islamic Boarding School in Kaplongan without excessive branding on social media.It’s more of an effort to preserve NU values and traditions in the context of responding to the dynamic needs of the middle-class NU community regarding the orientation and educational trends of their children.
This is a tactical yet “soft” move to provide an alternative for NU families to prevent their children from fleeing to non-NU Islamic boarding schools, which are frankly growing rapidly in West Java and are popular with NU members due to their modern management, facilities, and quality control systems.
This concludes our brief introduction to the Darul Ma’arif Kaplongan Islamic boarding school. May it continue to spread blessings during the holy month of Ramadan.
Wassalam.**
Indramayu, February 24, 2026
——–
