Pesantren, Piety, and Power: Madurese Ulama and the Shaping of Islamic Educational Institutions

Ali Nasith; Asnawan; Mohtazul  Farid; Moh Ferdi Hasan

doi:10.15408/tjems.v12i2.52124

Authors

Ali Nasith State Islamic University Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang, Indonesia.
Asnawan Al-Falah As-Sunniyah University, Jember, Indonesia
Mohtazul Farid Trunojoyo University, Madura, Indonesia
Moh Ferdi Hasan Al-Falah As-Sunniyah University, Jember, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15408/tjems.v12i2.52124

Keywords:

Islamic educational leadership, pesantren governance, Ulama patronage, religious authority, Madurese Muslim society, institutional sustainability, kepemimpinan pendidikan Islam, , tata kelola pesantren, patronase Ulama, otoritas keagamaan, masyarakat Muslim Madura, keberlanjutan kelembagaan

Abstract

Abstract

Madura, East Java, provides a distinctive setting for examining how ethnic identity and religious patronage shape Islamic educational governance. In Madurese society, Kiai occupy a central position; their authority extends beyond religious instruction to leadership, curriculum balance, discipline, succession, and mosque-based education. Previous studies have discussed Kiai authority mainly as a social, cultural, or political phenomenon, but its institutionalisation within pesantren governance remains insufficiently examined. Using a sociological-ethnographic approach, this study draws on fieldwork conducted from early 2023 to late 2024 in three pesantren representing traditional-federal, modern-integrated, and classical-salafiyah governance models. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with nine students and alumni, and documentary analysis, and were analysed using Spradley’s domain-analysis framework. The study identifies three patronage-governance models: cluster, pyramid, and network. These models explain how authority over teaching, discipline, and institutional management is exercised and delegated. It also identifies patronage of interest, through which political actors use Ulama client networks, creating opportunities for support but risks for institutional autonomy. The findings highlight succession dependency, weak professional governance, and gender imbalance as key challenges for institutional sustainability.

Abstrak

Guru di pesantren sering bekerja pada persinggungan antara kewajiban institusional, pengabdian keagamaan, dan kehidupan pribadi, sehingga kesejahteraan psikologis mereka rentan terhadap tekanan emosional dan kaburnya batas antara pekerjaan dan kehidupan pribadi. Meskipun penelitian tentang kepemimpinan pendidikan telah banyak membahas manajemen formal dan dukungan organisasi, masih sedikit kajian yang menjelaskan bagaimana praktik kepemimpinan sehari-hari melindungi kesejahteraan psikologis guru di sekolah berbasis pesantren. Penelitian ini mengkaji bagaimana perilaku kepemimpinan mempertahankan dan meningkatkan kesejahteraan guru di dua pesantren di Indonesia. Dengan menggunakan desain studi kasus ganda kualitatif, data dikumpulkan dari 18 partisipan, yang terdiri atas pimpinan sekolah, guru, dan staf administrasi, melalui wawancara semi-terstruktur, observasi partisipatif, dan analisis dokumen pada periode Januari hingga April 2025. Data dianalisis menggunakan analisis tematik induktif dan perbandingan lintas kasus. Temuan penelitian mengidentifikasi tiga dimensi kepemimpinan yang saling menguatkan, yaitu kepemimpinan relasional melalui keteladanan, kolegialitas, dan interaksi yang penuh kepedulian; kepemimpinan spiritual melalui penguatan makna religius dan profesional; serta kepemimpinan manajerial melalui pemberdayaan, pengakuan, pengaturan beban kerja, dan tanggung jawab kolektif. Penelitian ini mengusulkan kepemimpinan penetapan batas kerja sebagai model terpadu yang menggabungkan praktik relasional, spiritual, dan manajerial untuk menopang kesejahteraan psikologis guru di sekolah berbasis pesantren. Model ini berkontribusi pada diskursus kepemimpinan pendidikan di lembaga berbasis keagamaan dengan menunjukkan bagaimana para pemimpin menegosiasikan komitmen institusional dan kebutuhan guru akan keberlanjutan psikologis.

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