The History of the Babakan Ciwaringin Islamic Boarding School, Cirebon Indonesia, The Golden Age of Kiai Amin, the Grandson of Sunan Gunung Jati

 

The History of the Babakan Ciwaringin Islamic Boarding School, Cirebon, The Golden Age of Kiai Amin, the Grandson of Sunan Gunung Jati

It is very interesting to reveal the history of the development of Islam in the Pasundan level, one of which is the Babakan Ciwaringin Islamic boarding school , Cirebon.

Pondok Pesantren Babakan Ciwaringin Cirebon is one of the oldest Islamic boarding schools in Java.

Pondok Pesantren Babakan Ciwaringin Cirebon also has a very long history in its development.

Initially there was only one Pondok Pesantren Babakan Ciwaringin Cirebon, namely Pondok Gede Raudlatul Tholibin. Pondok Pesantren Babakan Ciwaringin Cirebon was founded around the year 1127 H/1705 AD by Kiai Jatira.

Kiai Jatira is the title of KH Hasanuddin who is the son of KH Abdul Latief from the village of Pamijahan Plumbon Cirebon. He is part of the Cirebon Palace.

KH Hasanuddin or Kiai Jatira is a religious fighter who is very close to the poor.

Babakan village at that time was a resting place away from the crowds, especially from the influence of Dutch power and colonialists.

Then pioneered a simple boarding school which was named Pesantren Babakan. The stagnation of leadership in the pesantren occurred when Kiai Jatira died.

The step of regeneration at the Babakan Islamic Boarding School resulted in the pesantren's activities being interrupted until the physical facilities were not traced.

Until then, KH Nawawi, the son-in-law of Kiai Jatira, rebuilt the Babakan Islamic Boarding School , which was located one kilometer to the south of its original location.

In caring for the pesantren he was assisted by KH Adzro'i. After that the pesantren was held by KH Ismail son of KH Adzro'i in 1225 H/1800 AD.

Starting in 1916 AD the pesantren was taken care of by KH Amien Sepuh bin KH Arsyad, who was still an ahlul bait from the lineage of Sunan Gunung Djati.

The lineage is contained in the genealogy book of KH Amin Sepuh, which was compiled by KH Mudzakkir in 2007.

KH Amien Sepuh in 1893 studied at KH Cholil Bangkalan, together with KH Hasyim Asy'ari, Gus Dur's grandfather and is included in the book Stories of Wisdom: KH Abdurrahman Arroisy.

During the upbringing of KH Amin Sepuh, Pondok Gede Babakan reached a golden age and played a major role in producing reliable religious figures.

Almost all of the elderly kiai in the Cirebon area and even spread to remote parts of Indonesia are his students.

For example, Kang Ayip Muh (Cirebon City), KH Syakur Yassin, KH Abdullah Abbas (Buntet), KH Syukron Makmun, KH Hannan, KH Sanusi, KH Machsuni (Kwitang), and there are still many students of Kiai Amin Sepuh scattered throughout the archipelago.

KH Amien Sepuh studied the Babakan Islamic Boarding School as a place of his service to the Islamic community in particular.

After 25 years of developing the Babakan Islamic Boarding School, in the 1940s, namely post-independence, he also fought for the independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

Even in the war on November 10, 1945 in Surabaya, the kyai khos including KH Hasyim Asy'ari waited for news from KH Amin Sepuh before issuing the Fatwa Jihad.

KH Amin Sepuh together with several of his children, the kiai of Cirebon and West Java as well as the ustadz, santri and the community really fought for Surabaya, East Java.

It was even reported that the one who shot General Mallaby from England on a Dutch ride (NICA), was a subordinate of KH Amin Sepuh named Kiai Sholeh who died there.

After the independence revolution, he was assisted by his brother-in-law as well as his student KH Sanusi who continued to develop the pesantren with various challenges.

Even worse, when the Dutch Aggression II, precisely in 1952, attacked the Islamic boarding school by the Dutch.

The elder KH Amin is considered an elder from Cirebon, who is a fighter against the invaders. The huts were burned and surrounded. the students left and the caregivers and their families fled.

Two years later, in 1954, Kiyai Sanusi, who was still a student of KH Amin Sepuh, was the first to come from his refugee camp.

The remnants of the holy book were in disarray, including the works of KH Amin Sepuh that were burned down. The building is destroyed and looks haunted. All of that was gradually cleared up again.

In 1955 KH Amin Sepuh returned to Babakan, then many students came from various corners.

The elderly KH Amin who became the caretaker of Pondok Gede again gave religious lessons to his santri which were increasingly overflowing.

The Raudhatul Tholibin boarding school could not accommodate the students, so the students were placed in the homes of religious teachers such as KH Hanan, at the house of KH Sanusi, and several other kiai.

Until later, his children and grandchildren formed and developed the pesantren as they are today. So that initially there was only one hut (Ponpes Raudlotut Tholibin) now many. *