Biography of KH Ahmad Dahlan : the Founder of Muhammadiyah
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Muhammadiyah is one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia. Since Muhammadiyah
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Muhammadiyah is one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia. Since Muhammadiyah was founded, until now this organization has had millions of members. His followers are not only gathered in one region, but are spread throughout Indonesia.

This organization was first founded in a village called Kauman in Yogyakarta on 18 November 1912 or 8 Dzulhijjah 1330 H by its founder, Muhammad Darwis or also known as Kyai Haji Ahmad Dahlan. So who is KH Ahmad Dahlan? Read this article until the end to find out a brief profile of KH Ahmad Dahlan!

KH Ahmad Dahlan’s Family and Educational Background

Ahmad Dahlan’s nickname is Muhammad Darwis. He is the fourth of seven children and is a descendant of Mulana Malik Ibrahin, who was one of the leading figures among the walisongo, namely the pioneers of the spread of Islam in Java.

When he was 15 years old, Ahmad Dahlan went on the Hajj pilgrimage and lived for five years in Mecca. During that five year period, Ahmad Dahlum began to interact with reforming thinkers in the Islamic religion, such as Muhammad Abduh, Rasyid Ridha, Al Afghani and Ibnu Taimiyah. After returning from Mecca in 1888, he changed his name to Ahmad Dahlan.

Then in 1903, Ahmad Dahlan returned to Mecca and stayed there for two years. When he returned to Mecca for the second time, Ahmad Dahlan also had the opportunity to study with Sheikh Ahmad Khatib who was also the teacher of the founder of Nahdlatul Ulama, KH Hasyim Asyari. Then in 1912, Ahmad Dahlan founded Muhammadiyah in Kauman, Yogyakarta.

After returning from Mecca, Ahmad Dahlan married Siti Walidah, his cousin and the daughter of kiai Penghulu Haji Fadhil, who later became known as Nyai Ahmad Dahlan, a national hero and founder of Aisyiyah.

From his marriage to Siti Walidah, Ahmad Dahlan has six children, namely Djohanah, Siradj Dahlan, Siti Busyro, Irfan Dahlan, Siti Aisyah and Siti Zaharah. Ahmad Dahlan also married Nya Abdullah, who was the widow of H. Abdullah. He is also known to have married Nyai Rum, the younger sister of Kiai Munawwir Krapayak, and married Nyai Aisyah Cianjur, the younger sister of Adjengan Penghulu. From his marriage to Nyai Aisyah, Ahmad Dahlan had a child named Dandanah.

KH Ahmad Dahlan turned 54 years old in 1923 and he was buried at the Karangkajen cemetery in Yogyakarta.

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Ahmad Dahlan’s Organizational Experience

Apart from being active in expressing his ideas regarding the Muhammadiyah da’wah movement, Ahmad Dahlan is also known as a quite successful entrepreneur selling batik.

As a figure who is active in various activities in society and has brilliant ideas, Ahmad Dahlan is a figure who is easily accepted by society. So he quickly got a place in the Jam’iyatul Khair organization, Syarikat Islam, Budi Utomo and the Committee for the Defense of Kanjeng the Prophet Muhammad.

In 1912, KH Ahmad Dahlan founded an organization called Muhammadiyah to implement the ideals of Islamic reform present in the archipelago. Ahmad Dahlan wants there to be a renewal of people’s way of thinking and doing charity, but still in accordance with the guidance of the Islamic religion.

He wants to invite Muslims in Indonesia to return to living according to the guidance contained in the Koran and Hadith. Therefore, since its inception, Ahmad Dahlan emphasized that Muhammadiyah is not an organization that has a political nature, but is social in nature and operates in the field of education.

Ahmad Dahlan’s idea regarding the founding of Muhammadiyah also received good support from his family and surrounding families. However, this good support apparently could not prevent the emergence of slander, accusations and even incitement that came to Ahmad Dahlan.

He was accused of establishing a new religion and violating Islamic teachings. There were also people who accused Ahmad Dahlan of being a fake kaiak figure, because he had imitated the Dutch who were Christians, taught in Dutch schools and even associated with the figure Budi Utomo, who at that time was mostly a priyai.

At that time, Ahmad Dahlan actually taught Islamic religious lessons at the OSVIA school in Magelang, which is a special Dutch school and a special school for priyayi children. There were even several people who wanted to kill Ahmad Dahlan at that time. Despite receiving various slander, incitement and threats, Ahmad Dahlan at that time remained steadfast and continued his ideals and struggle for Islamic reform in Indonesia.

Ahmad Dahlan also continued his struggle to form Muhammadiyah by submitting a request to obtain a legal entity to the Dutch East Indies government on December 20 1912. This request was only granted by the government in 1914. This permission also only applied to the Yogyakarta area, and Muhammadiyah was only allowed to operate only in the licensing area, namely Yogyakarta.

This restriction on Muhammadiyah’s movements was because the Dutch East Indies government at that time was worried that the organization promoted by Ahmad Dahlan would grow. Even though movement is restricted, other areas such as Imogiri, Wonosari and Srandakan have established Muhammadiyah branch offices.

However, because this was against the wishes or regulations set by the Dutch East Indies government, Ahmad Dahlan also proposed that branch offices in other cities use different names instead of Muhammadiyah, such as the name Nurul Islam in Pekalongan, the name Al Munir in Ujung Pandang and Ahmadiyah in Garut.

Ahmad Dahlan spread his ideas about Muhammadiyah through tabligh he held in various cities. Apart from that, he also helped spread Muhammadiyah through his trade relations. Ahmad Dahlan’s idea apparently received quite a big response from people in various cities in Indonesia. So, several ulama from various regions came to Ahmad Dahlan to express their support for the Muhammadiyah movement.

Therefore, on May 7 1921, Ahmad Dahlan finally submitted another application to the Dutch East Indies government to establish Muhammdiyah branches in cities other than Yogyakarta. The Dutch East Indies government agreed to the request on September 2 1921.

As someone who is democratic in carrying out the activities of his da’wah movement, Ahmad Dahlan also provides facilities for Muhammadiyah members to process job evaluations and carry out leadership elections in Muhammadiyah. As long as Ahmad Dahlan was alive, Muhammadiyah had held twelve member meetings every year and at that time used the term Aldemeene Vergadering or general trial.

The figure of Ahmad Dahlan, apart from being known to be close to the community and the ulama, he is also close to other religious figures. Like Father Van Lith in 1914-1918. That year, Pastor Van Lith was the first priest Ahmad Dahlan spoke with and at that time, he did not hesitate to enter the church wearing Hajj clothes.

Ahmad Dahlan’s Services

KH Ahmad Dahlan is a national hero who has many services. One of them is that he was instrumental in raising awareness of the Indonesian people through his ideas regarding Islamic reform and education. Apart from that, the government also considers Ahmad Dahlan to have other services for the progress of the Indonesian nation. Here are some of the services.

Ahmad Dahlan has spearheaded the awakening of Muslims in Indonesia to realize their fate as a colonized nation and still have a lot to learn and do a lot.

Through the Muhammadiyah organization which he initiated, Ahmad Dahlan has provided many pure Islamic teachings to the Indonesian people. Apart from that, the teachings brought by Ahmad Dahlan can demand progress, intelligence and charity for the Indonesian nation and people without forgetting the basics of faith and Islam.

Through the Muhammadiyah organization which he founded, Ahmad Dahlan has pioneered social business charities and education which are very necessary in the revival and progress of the nation with the spirit and teachings of Islam.

Through its organization, Muhammadiyah for women or Aisyiyah has pioneered the awakening of Indonesian women to be able to receive education and function socially, at the same level as men.

These are some of Ahmad Dahlan’s services in advancing the Indonesian nation. These four points were stated in Presidential Decree no. 657 in 1961 which became a decree that Ahmad Dahlan was a national hero.

Background to the Establishment of Muhammadiyah

Muhammadiyah was founded on November 18 1912. Muhammadiyah is one of the largest Islamic organizations in Indonesia and this organization is the originator of Islamic reform in Indonesia.

The name Muhammadiyah itself was chosen because it literally means people who believe in the Prophet Muhammad. Then, the use of the word Muhammadiyah as the name of the organization is interpreted to connect the teachings and traces of the struggle of the Prophet Muhammad.

Meanwhile, according to H Djarnawi Hadikusuma, the name Muhammadiyah can be interpreted as ‘the goal is to be able to understand and practice Islam as a teaching and example of the Prophet Muhammad, so that he can live life in the world as long as he wants. Therefore, pure and true Islamic religious teachings can inspire the progress of Muslims and Indonesian society in general.’

The background to which Muhammadiyah was founded was the result of interactions between Ahmad Dahlan and his friends at Budi Utomo who were interested in religious themes. The idea to establish Muhammadiyah arose from a suggestion from one of the students from Kyai Dahlan at Kweekschool Jetis.

At this school, Ahmad Dahlan taught Islam outside of school and at home. Seeing this, the student also suggested that the educational activities carried out by Ahmad Dahlan should not only be carried out by him alone, but also through organizations so that there would be continuity after Ahmad Dahlan died.

Thanks to these suggestions, Ahmad Dahlan finally had the idea to establish Muhammadiyah which ultimately received a lot of support from various parties, until it had many members spread throughout Indonesia.

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Aims and Objectives of the Establishment of Muhammadiyah

Muhammadiyah had aims and objectives when it was founded by Ahmad Dahlan, here are the aims of establishing Muhammadiyah.

To spread the religion of Islam in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad to all residents of the Dutch East Indies in residence in Yogyakarta.

In order to advance religious issues among its members, including in advancing religious education and learning in the Dutch East Indies.

To advance and enjoy life or way of life as long as the will of the Islamic religion reaches its end.

Djarnawi Hadikusuma explained that even though these words sound simple, they have a broad and deep meaning. This means that at that time, Muslims in the Dutch East Indies were weak and backward, because Muslims in the Dutch Indies at that time did not understand the true teachings of Islam. Therefore, Muhammadiyah was present as an organization that expressed and emphasized the pure teachings of Islam to the residents of the Dutch East Indies.

Apart from that, Muhammadiyah also exists as an organization that encourages Muslims to study Islamic religious knowledge in general. Ulama who are members of the Muhamadiyah organization are also looking for an atmosphere and various interesting things to encourage people in the Dutch East Indies to want to learn in a more advanced way. Then in 1985, the Civil Society Law in Indonesia was issued, so that the principles of Islamic organizations were replaced with the principles of Pancasila.

Muhammadiyah itself has the aim of changing society to become greater, fairer, more prosperous and blessed by Allah by implementing the teachings of the Islamic religion. At the age of 44, Muhammadiyah also formulated the organization’s goal to restore the foundations and goals of Islam to a true Islamic society.

Muhamamdiyah had a management office which was originally in Yogyakarta, because at that time Ahmad Dahlan founded Muhammadiyah in Kauman, Yogyakarta and the Dutch East Indies government also restricted the movements of this organization.

However, around 1970, the education, economic, health and welfare committee of Muhammadiyah moved its office to the capital city, namely Jakarta. The structure of Muhammadiyah’s central leadership from 210 to 2015 consisted of five advisors, one general chairman who was assisted by 12 other chairmen, one general secretary and two members, and one general treasurer and one member.

Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah also has regional leaders at the provincial level, regions at the district or city level, branches at the sub-district level, branches at the village or sub-district level and finally special branch leaders for Muhammadiyah abroad.

As an organization operating in the field of education, Muhammadiyah has several fairly large educational institutions spread across all regions in Indonesia. Starting from universities, high schools, institutes, polytechnics to academies.

Muhammadiyah also does not only focus on one area of ​​education, but spreads widely from health, technology, agriculture to religion.

Apart from education, Muhammadiyah is also active in the social and health sectors. In the health sector, Muhamamdiyah has general hospitals and maternity hospitals, health centers, medical centers and pharmacies.

Meanwhile, in the social sector, Muhammadiyah has orphanages, nursing homes, social health centers, nursing homes, homes for the blind, compensation, Muhammadiyah education and skills centers, special schools and Islamic boarding schools.