A Glimpse of Jombang District

Jombang is a region in East Java province, which is the most densely populated province in Indonesia. From a socio-religious perspective, the East Java province is recognised as being the heartland of the biggest Islamic organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Since the 1999 general election, the NU-affiliated political party, Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB, National Awakening Party), has gained the greatest number of voters from this province. The majority of pesantrens in Indonesia have an affiliation to the NU organisation; in fact, two-thirds of the 8,445 pesantrens or 66.06 per cent of the total number of pesantrens are affiliated with NU. The number is even higher in East Java province, with 90 per cent of the pesantrens affiliated to the NU organisation.

East Java had 2,648 pesantrens (23. 4 per cent of the total number of pesantrens in Indonesia) in 2000-01, and 2,953 pesantrens (23.1 per cent) in the 2001-02 school year. In the records of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, East Java province ranks second after West Java in terms of the number of pesantren institutions. However, although West Java has a higher number compared to East Java, the most important and well-known pesantrens in Indonesia are located in East Java. Therefore, East Java has a strong association with the pesantren world. This is also supported by the fact that one area in East Java, namely Jombang, which was also the fieldwork area of this research, is popularly known as ‘kota santri’ (the region of pesantren pupils).

The title of kota santri for Jombang can be understood in several ways. First of all, this area has a concentrated number of pesantren institutions, with large numbers of pupils coming to study there. Moreover, four influential pesantrens, particularly within NU organisations, Tebuireng, Bahrul Ulum Tambak Beras, Manbaul Ma’arif Denanyar and Darul Ulum Rejoso, are located there. In addition, three well-known Indonesian figures who were leading figures of NU (Kiai Hasyim Asy’ari, Kiai Wahab Chasbullah and Kiai Bisri Syansury) also came from pesantrens in Jombang. Hence, Jombang has a strong sense of being the centre of pesantren education as well as being the centre of its affiliated organisation – Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).