Respecting Elders, Building Muhammadiyah: The Ingenious Strategy of Ahmad Dahlan
Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah
MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Budi Setiawan, Chair of the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center and a prominent figure in Kauman, Yogyakarta, mentioned the early strategies employed by K.H. Ahmad Dahlan in establishing Muhammadiyah. These strategies were deeply intertwined with K.H. Ahmad Dahlan's moral principles, particularly his respect for elders in Kauman. Budi pointed out that the initial...
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Muhammadiyah Official Website - English Version
MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Budi Setiawan, Chair of the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center and a prominent figure in Kauman, Yogyakarta, mentioned the early strategies employed by K.H. Ahmad Dahlan in establishing Muhammadiyah.

These strategies were deeply intertwined with K.H. Ahmad Dahlan’s moral principles, particularly his respect for elders in Kauman. Budi pointed out that the initial members of the Muhammadiyah Central Board (Hoofdbestuur Muhammadiyah) primarily consisted of senior figures from Kauman, even though the driving force behind it came from the younger generation.

“K.H. Ahmad Dahlan profoundly respected for the elders in Kauman, including Raden Haji Jaelani (father of KRH. Hadjid). Looking at the first Hoofdbestuur Muhammadiyah, you won’t find names like Sudja or Fachrodin, despite their pivotal role alongside their friends,” said Budi.

“However, alongside Kiai Dahlan, figures like Raden Haji Jaelani, Ketib Cendhono, or Raden Ahmad, and some elders from Kauman who initially weren’t involved, emerged,” added Budi during the Pengajian Malam Selasa (preaching) at Mu’allimin Madrasah in Yogyakarta (November 6).

Engaging senior figures from Kauman in the initial Muhammadiyah Central Board indicated the strategic intelligence of Kiai Dahlan. His approach to groups with differing opinions, including these elders who initially disagreed, was notably non-confrontational.

“Through his respect for the elders, Kiai Dahlan garnered substantial support from them,” said Budi.

KRH Hadid’s writings are references for Ahmad Dahlan’s teaching

Delving into the life of Raden Haji Jaelani’s son, KRH Hadjid, Budi Setiawan mentioned that Raden Hadjid got to know Kiai Dahlan at a later stage compared to his younger peers. This was due to KRH Hadjid’s passion for knowledge, prompting him to traverse various Islamic boarding schools.

Budi, who is the grandson of KRH Hadjid, revealed that despite the delayed introduction to Kiai Dahlan, his grandfather became a diligent student, meticulously writing notes of Kiai Dahlan’s teachings. His writings have become a reference for those seeking to grasp the vision of the founder of Muhammadiyah.

KRH Hadjid, along with his wife Nyai Siti Wasilah, was renowned for their proficiency in writing using Arab Pegon to transcribe sentences from Javanese and Indonesian languages. This unique skill resulted in KRH Hadjid’s works published in the Indonesian language.

Another awe-inspiring writing ability was demonstrated by K.H. Farid Ma’ruf, a prominent Muhammadiyah figure from Kauman. According to Budi, such writing proficiency, especially in English using the Arab Pegon script, is a skill possessed by only a select few.