A Brief History of the Al-Anwar Islamic Boarding School in Sarang Rembang East Java Indonesia

 

A Brief History of the Al-Anwar Islamic Boarding School in Sarang Rembang

 

Before the Sarang pesantren became big, it had been cursed by its predecessors, namely Mbah Muhdor and Mbah Syamsiyah. Mbah Muhdlor comes from Bonang (an area near Lasem) and lives in Sidoarjo. Meanwhile, Mbah Syamsiyah is the son of Kiai Misbah from Sedan who still has blood relations with Kiai Sayyid Sulaiman Mojo Agung, East Java.  

Mbah Syamsyiyah's ancestors had a higher social status than Mbah Muhdlor's ancestors. In Mbah Syamsiyah, the kiai blood has flowed from Mbah Sulaiman, who is a pious and powerful cleric from Madraguna. So it becomes an unen-enen (speech) if there is a powerful kiai, most of them are descendants of Mbah Sulaiman Mojo Agung. Meanwhile, Mbah Muhdlor is a descendant of ordinary fishermen. 

Seeing the condition of the lineage that was so far away, and because of his love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, Mbah Muhdlor vowed that if he could marry Mbah Syamsiyah who was the grandson of Kiai Sulaiman Mojo Agung, then he would do: "Speak fine language (kromo) to him (Mbah Syamsiyah). Will fulfill all requests of Mbah Syamsyiyah as long as it does not conflict with Islamic law." Mbah Muhdlor's Nadzar for Mbah Syamsiyah was carried out properly as proof of his love for Mbah Syamsiyah. Not only that, because of his love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, when the two were traveling from Sidoarjo to Sarang, Mbah Muhdlor invited his beloved wife to ride a horse, while he led her on foot. 

When the qabul consent had taken place, Mbah Syamsiyah, whose status was already Mbah Muhdlor's wife, was diligent in fasting for a full year (dahrii) and did not want to be gathered before Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsiyah went on pilgrimage. When the two of them made the pilgrimage, they were stranded on three islands because the ship was still a sailing ship. The three islands are: Jepara Mondoliko Island, Malaysia Pinang Island and Singapore Island. When Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsyiyah were blessed with sons and daughters by Allah, then their names were adjusted to the events that they had experienced during the pilgrimage. Namely as follows: The first son was named Nyai Mondolika (wife of KH Basyar Tuban who sent down the kiai of the Great Tomb of Tuban). 

The second son was named Nyai Pinang who was edited by Kiai Ghozali (Buried at Maqam Setumbun) Sarang, who brought down the kiai of Sarang. The third son was named Kiai Singgopuro (Kiai Misbah) who later brought down Kiai-Kiai Sidoarjo. Apart from Mbah Syamsiyah, Mbah Muhdlor is also married to another woman. Because at that time Mbah Syamsyiyah did not want to be invited to have a husband and wife relationship because she was still in tirakatan. Mbah Syamsyiyah prefers tirakatan than fulfilling her husband's invitation earlier. With great respect and love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, Mbah Muhdlor invited his beloved wife to pray to Allah through her tirakatan earlier. 

Mbah Muhdlor's marriage to his second wife was blessed with one daughter, Afiyah. The purpose of giving this name is so that the child is safe. Afiyah is married to Yusuf, a handsome young man. The descendants of Yusuf and Afiyah were later lodged in the Sarang Islamic boarding school. His descendants are spread in several places. There are those in Pati, Juwono and Sarang. The history of the Sarang pesantren cannot be separated from Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsyiyah. 

Because, from Mbah Syamsiyah's Riyadhoh (tirakatannya), Allah has made this Sarang pesantren a blessing. Initially, the establishment of the Sarang pesantren was pioneered by Mbah Ghazali bin Lanah (husband of Mbah Pinang bint Muhdlor) who was Mbah Syamsyiyah's son-in-law. Gradually, the Sarang boarding school was crowded. Because it was the descendants of Mbah Ghazali bin Lanah who enlivened this Sarang pesantren. 

Mbah Lanah is buried in the maqam west behind MGS. As for Mbah Ghozali being a pious person, it cannot be separated from the role of Mbah Saman bin yaman (a descendant of Mbah Serut Gresik) who financed the boarding, then after returning from the hut Mbah Saman donated the land into a hut (now the MIS cottage). Mbah Saman was buried in the Serut Cemetery (Maqam MUS behind MGS).

 

Before the Sarang pesantren became big, it had been cursed by its predecessors, namely Mbah Muhdor and Mbah Syamsiyah. Mbah Muhdlor comes from Bonang (an area near Lasem) and lives in Sidoarjo. Meanwhile, Mbah Syamsiyah is the son of Kiai Misbah from Sedan who still has blood relations with Kiai Sayyid Sulaiman Mojo Agung, East Java. 

Mbah Syamsyiyah's ancestors had a higher social status than Mbah Muhdlor's ancestors. In Mbah Syamsiyah, the kiai blood has flowed from Mbah Sulaiman, who is a pious and powerful cleric from Madraguna. So it becomes an unen-enen (speech) if there is a powerful kiai, most of them are descendants of Mbah Sulaiman Mojo Agung. Meanwhile, Mbah Muhdlor is a descendant of ordinary fishermen. Seeing the condition of the lineage that was so far away, and because of his love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, Mbah Muhdlor vowed that if he could marry Mbah Syamsiyah who was the grandson of Kiai Sulaiman Mojo Agung, then he would do: "Speak fine language (kromo) to him (Mbah Syamsiyah). Will fulfill all requests of Mbah Syamsyiyah as long as it does not conflict with Islamic law." Mbah Muhdlor's Nadzar for Mbah Syamsiyah was carried out properly as proof of his love for Mbah Syamsiyah. 

Not only that, because of his love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, when the two were traveling from Sidoarjo to Sarang, Mbah Muhdlor invited his beloved wife to ride a horse, while he led her on foot. When the qabul consent had taken place, Mbah Syamsiyah, whose status was already Mbah Muhdlor's wife, was diligent in fasting for a full year (dahrii) and did not want to be gathered before Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsiyah went on pilgrimage. When the two of them made the pilgrimage, they were stranded on three islands because the ship was still a sailing ship. The three islands are: Jepara Mondoliko Island, Malaysia Pinang Island and Singapore Island. 

When Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsyiyah were blessed with sons and daughters by Allah, then their names were adjusted to the events that they had experienced during the pilgrimage. Namely as follows: The first son was named Nyai Mondolika (wife of KH Basyar Tuban who sent down the kiai of the Great Tomb of Tuban). The second son was named Nyai Pinang who was edited by Kiai Ghozali (Buried at Maqam Setumbun) Sarang, who brought down the kiai of Sarang. The third son was named Kiai Singgopuro (Kiai Misbah) who later brought down Kiai-Kiai Sidoarjo. 

Apart from Mbah Syamsiyah, Mbah Muhdlor is also married to another woman. Because at that time Mbah Syamsyiyah did not want to be invited to have a husband and wife relationship because she was still in tirakatan. Mbah Syamsyiyah prefers tirakatan than fulfilling her husband's invitation earlier. With great respect and love for Mbah Syamsyiyah, Mbah Muhdlor invited his beloved wife to pray to Allah through her tirakatan earlier. Mbah Muhdlor's marriage to his second wife was blessed with one daughter, Afiyah. The purpose of giving this name is so that the child is safe. Afiyah is married to Yusuf, a handsome young man. The descendants of Yusuf and Afiyah were later lodged in the Sarang Islamic boarding school. His descendants are spread in several places. There are those in Pati, Juwono and Sarang. 

The history of the Sarang pesantren cannot be separated from Mbah Muhdlor and Mbah Syamsyiyah. Because, from Mbah Syamsiyah's Riyadhoh (tirakatannya), Allah has made this Sarang pesantren a blessing. Initially, the establishment of the Sarang pesantren was pioneered by Mbah Ghazali bin Lanah (husband of Mbah Pinang bint Muhdlor) who was Mbah Syamsyiyah's son-in-law. Gradually, the Sarang boarding school was crowded. Because it was the descendants of Mbah Ghazali bin Lanah who enlivened this Sarang pesantren. 

Mbah Lanah is buried in the maqam west behind MGS. As for Mbah Ghozali being a pious person, it cannot be separated from the role of Mbah Saman bin yaman (a descendant of Mbah Serut Gresik) who financed the boarding, then after returning from the hut Mbah Saman donated the land into a hut (now the MIS cottage). Mbah Saman was buried in the Serut Cemetery (Maqam MUS behind MGS).