Al Kahfi Somalangu Kebumen Islamic Boarding School, Five Centuries Surviving as a Center for Islamic Education in Indonesia

Al Kahfi Somalangu Islamic Boarding School, Five Centuries Surviving as 

a Center for Islamic Education

KEBUMEN DISTRICT has around 167 large and small Islamic boarding schools spread across a number of sub-districts. Of that number, there are some pesantren that are very old. One of them is the Al Kahfi Somalangu Islamic Boarding School in Sumberadi Village, Kebumen District/Regency.

This boarding school was founded in 1475 AD by a cleric from Hadharamaut, Yemen named Sheikh As Sayid Abdul Kahfi Al Hasani. The year and time of the establishment of the pesantren is known from the Siberian Emerald Stone Inscription (Emerald Fuchsite) which is located inside the mosque in the pesantren complex. The green emerald stone inscription is inscribed with Javanese and Arabic letters.

Javanese letters with candra sengkala written "Bumi Pitu Ina" mark the year of its establishment. While the writing in Arabic letters is a description of the Candra Sengkala. The date number listed in hijaiyah letters is "25 Sya'ban 879 H" or along with Wednesday, January 4, 1475 AD. If this number is true, the Al Kahf Islamic boarding school has been established since 537 years ago.

At the age of more than five centuries, the pesantren, which is only about 1.5 km from Jalan Raya Kebumen-Kutoarjo, still survives as a center for Islamic education. From time to time, this pesantren spawned great scholars scattered throughout the archipelago. Even during the struggle, Al Kahfi pesantren became the center of the struggle of Muslims against the Dutch colonialists.

With its long history, Al Kahfi Islamic Boarding School is indeed rich in historical heritage. From the side of the building, there is still the Al Kahf Mosque which stands firmly. The mosque, which is located in the pesantren complex, is included in the list of cultural heritage buildings at the Central Java Archaeological Heritage Preservation Center (BP3). It is said that when it was first built, the Al Kahfi mosque was built with a thatch leaf roof that always emits a fragrant smell.

The uniqueness of the mosque building that can still be found is on the terracotta (mustaka mosque made of clay), written in the year 1299 Hijriyah or 1878 AD. While on the tile, there is an inscription in Dutch "Aboengamar Steen & Pannem Fabriek Sokka".

Not only mosques, boarding houses where students study, some still leave old buildings. A house on stilts below which at the same time there are pools where ablution is also still maintained. On the door of the stilt house was written the name of the complex, namely Fangkong Reang Troopsî.

In folklore, Ki Bangkong Reang is famous for his supernatural powers who always help provide knowledge, both religious knowledge and kanuragan science. Ki Bangkong Reang is a powerful character who can change his form into a frog, a toad in attacking enemies.

Learning system

Along with the times, Al Kahfi Somalangi Islamic Boarding School is led by the next generation. Currently, the pesantren is led by KH Afifuddin Chanif Al Hasani or Gus Afif, who is the next generation of the 16th generation and caretaker of the pesantren.

There are at least 700 students consisting of 500 male students and 200 female students. For five centuries, this pesantren maintains classical learning methodologies such as sorogan and bandongan. The books taught include the science of nahwu, shorof fiqh, interpretation of the Koran and hadith. Some of the fiqh books taught are Safinatun Najah, Fatkul Qorib, Fatkhul Muíin, and Fatkhul Wahab.

In addition to the classical method, in religious learning the Al Kahfi pesantren also applies the classical system through the madrasah diniyah (madin). Santri are divided according to levels, namely Ibtida (early), Wustho and Uliya. Some of the religious learning processes are carried out in the afternoon and evening until after dawn. Understandably, most of the students also study general science at Al Kahfi Middle School, Al Kahfi High School, and Al Kahfi Vocational School. Public schools which are under the pesantren foundation and the location of the building are also located within the pesantren complex.

Gus Afif, who led the pesantren from 1992-1993, initially founded SMK Al Kahfi in 1995 and now has 12 classes. Success in establishing SMK, in 2003 followed by establishing SMP Al Kahfi which now has nine classes.

Only after that, Al Kahfi High School was founded which only has three classes. Some of the school's students are currently staying at the pesantren, and some are students from around the pesantren. (Supriyanto-91)