Nyai Nur Chadijah: Female Ulama who pioneered the first female Islamic boarding school in Java

 

Nyai Nur Chadijah: Female Ulama who pioneered the first female Islamic boarding school in Java

The education of women in the archipelago has basically started since the 18th century, when Indonesia was still under Dutch colonialism. In Kalimantan, the name Fatima al-Banjari has made a major contribution to the education of women. Likewise in Aceh, there is the name Teungku Fakinah with her dayah, and in Java there is the name Siti Walidah with Sopo Tresno. However, in the pesantren world at that time it was still rare, even not there.

Religious education institutions or Islamic boarding schools for women exist thanks to the services of the KH couple. Bisri Syansuri and Nyai Nur Chadijah. It was these two couples who pioneered special education for women in the world of Islamic boarding schools. Unfortunately, the popular figure who pioneered the first female Islamic boarding school in Java is more attached to KH. Bisri Syansuri. Yet behind the success of KH. Bisri Syansuri became a great cleric of the archipelago and was known as a pioneer of women's boarding schools, there was the figure of Nyai Nur Chadijah who also had a big role.

Nur Chadijah was born in Jombang in 1889 AD She is the daughter of KH. Hasbullah, and much of his religious education as a teenager was spent in his own family. In addition, he had lived in Mecca. As explained in Kiai Bisri Syansuri Firmly with Flawless Flexibility , that in 1914 AD Chadijah went to Mecca with his mother to perform the pilgrimage.

While living in Mecca, Chadijah also had time to explore Islamic knowledge. In addition, it was in Mecca that his family life with Bisri Syansuri began. To be precise, not long after his arrival in Mecca, his older brother, KH. Wahab Hasbullah introduced and tried to match him with his best friend, namely Bisri Syansuri who came from Tayu. The pinnacle of being loved by ulam arrived. The match ended in marriage.

After carrying out the wedding in Mecca, the two young couples returned to Indonesia, leaving behind their brother-in-law, Wahab Hasbullah, who was still continuing to study in Mecca. Arriving in their homeland, this young couple did not return and settled in Tayu. They settled at the residence of Chadijah's parents, namely at the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School, Jombang Rice Farm. Both of them were then intensely involved in the care of this pesantren owned by Kiai Hasbullah. And this is where the ulema of the husband and wife was formed.

Nyai Chadijah herself is a wife who always prays, supports, fasts and prays for her husband. The spiritual sensitivity of a wife has a strong influence as a divine transmission. In addition, he is a simple and full of penance. Thanks to his great tirakat, every time he had a desire, God always granted it. He is also a romantic figure in his domestic life.

Nyai Chadijah is a woman who is tenacious, tough, disciplined, humble and can complement each other between husband and wife. In fact, he played a major role in the decisions taken by his husband. One of them was when he founded a women's boarding school in Denanyar.

Pioneering Mamba'ul Ma'arif Islamic Boarding School and Female Islamic Boarding School with KH. Bisri Syansuri

After four years he settled in his father-in-law's house and helped take care of the Tambakber Islamic boarding school. In 1917 AD, precisely when Nyai Nur Chadijah was 28 years old. The husband and wife started the Mambaul Ma'arif Islamic Boarding School in Denanyar, which is not far from Tambak Beras. And in 1920 AD, KH. Bisri Syansuri and Nyai Chadijah made the bold decision to open an all-girls class. A move that was very unpopular among pesantren at that time. In fact, it has attracted the attention of KH. Hasyim Asy'ari who is the teacher of KH. Bisri Syansuri.

At first, the students who studied at the women's boarding school were neighbors and their children who were taught on the back porch of their house. Slowly but surely, the pesantren which was nurtured by Kiai Bisri developed quite rapidly. KH. Bisri Syansuri then divided the supervisory authority over the students. KH. Bisri takes care of and gives daily lessons to male students, while Nyai Chadijah takes care of female students. The division of authority above is not solely caused by the development of the pesantren, but also because of the attention of KH. Bisri Syansuri, who began to be seized. Because many are preoccupied with social and political dynamics such as the early formation of NU as an Islamic organization.

As explained by Tika Ramadhini in her writing " Nur Chadijah Santriwati Kosmopolit Pioneer of the Women's Islamic Boarding School ", that according to Kiai Nasir Fattah, "it is very possible that the idea of ​​a women's class came from Nyai Chadijah, given Mbah Bisri's strong character and background in fiqh studies, which sometimes seems rigid. So the idea of ​​a female class is too spectacular if it only comes from Mbah Bisri alone, there must be a big role from Nyai Chadijah.”

With the tenacity that exists in Nyai Chadijah, the women's boarding school is developing well. The boarding school that was founded thanks to the love of KH. Bisri to Nyai Chadijah also became an inspiration for the pesantren world to open special education for women. And at this Mamba'ul Ma'arif Putri Islamic Boarding School, KH. Bisri Syansuri provides a separate identity for his students. Where the identity is also inspired by the way Nyai Chadijah dresses, namely wearing a top in the form of a kebaya and a bottom in the form of a jarik by wearing a veil as a hair cover and only wearing it as a scarf.

Although Nyai Chadijah has managed the women's class at Mamba'ul Maarif since it was first founded, her husband is mostly remembered as the person who most contributed to opening the first women's class at the traditional pesantren in Java.

Nyai Chadijah is a female cleric who has brilliant ideas, and is able to inspire her husband to make a breakthrough that transcends time. And that's how love should be, can inspire in a good direction for those who are experiencing it.