Halaqah Aswaja Tebuireng: Strengthening Education in the Era of the Character Crisis

Tebuireng.online— Right on Thursday, June 26, 2025, the new history was recorded by the Aswaja Center Tebuireng together with the Alumni Association of the Tebuireng Islamic Boarding School (Ikapete) PC Jombang. For the first time, the two institutions held Halaqah Aswaja with a very basic but urgent theme, namely “Faith -Based Education, Islam, Ihsan ‘Ala Manhaj Ahlussunnah Wal Jama’ah.” The event was held at the Mambaul Hikam Putri Islamic Boarding School, Kwaron, Diwek, Jombang.

This event is not just a discussion forum, but rather a space of encounter between theory and experience, between the traditions and challenges of the times. Present in this halaqah were the administrators of the Aswaja Center and Young Tebuireng alumni who care about the fate of Islamic education amidst the current globalization of values.

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The forum was guided by the Chairman of the Jombang PC Aswaja Center, Abdul Malik, S.Ag., M.Pd.I., with a discussion method that presented three speakers who unfurled three main foundations of Aswaja -based education: Faith, Islam, and Ihsan. They are KH. Bey Arifin, S.Ag. (Deputy Chairperson of Jombang PC IKAPETE), KH. Abdul Majid (Chair of the Aswaja Center of PC Jombang), and Hj. Ika Maftuhah Stiqowati, S.Ag., M.Pd. (Caretaker of Mambaul Hikam Putri Islamic Boarding School).

Education without faith: the path to moral vacuum

As the first speaker, KH. Bey Arifin opened with a subtle criticism of the modern education system, especially those that developed in the Western world. “Education that is not built on the foundation of faith will lose direction. One of the indications is that there is no respect for teachers not called the father or mother but only mention the name. This is not a matter of custom, but about the relationship between science, manners, and blessings,” he said.

Furthermore, KH. Bey Arifin explained that faith is the root of all charity. “Without faith, Islamic education and ihsan will only be an empty decoration,” explained Deputy Chairman of IKAPETE PC Jombang.

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In his view, Islam and Ihsan are a real expression of faith. Therefore, Islamic education cannot only focus on cognitive aspects, but must foster solid faith and consistent good deeds (ihsan).

KH. Bey Arifin also explained the urgency of Manhaj Ahlussunnah Wal Jama’ah as the foundation of Tebuireng Education. This manhaj includes moderate aqeedah ala Imam Abu Hasan al-Ash’ari and Imam al-Maturidi, Jimah Fihab FiMhab with the dominance of Shafi’iyyah, as well as Sufism Aklaki outlined by Imam Al-Ghazali and Imam Junaid al-Baghdadi. He emphasized that without Aswaja, education would be vulnerable to being infiltrated by misguided ideologies such as radicalism, termination of scientific sanad, and removal of the identity of the archipelago.

Food and Blessing: Morals start from the stomach

KH. Abdul Majid then strengthens the idea of ​​the importance of faith by highlighting aspects that are often forgotten: food and sources of sustenance in the educational process. “Many failures in moral education are caused by consumption of foods that are not clear halal-haram status. If food comes from a source that is doubtful, then the heart will be dark and cannot receive advice,” he did.

Menukil from a history that “Anyone who eats from an illegitimate source, then his prayer will be rejected and his heart will be hard,” he said.

In family practice, he got used to reading the chair verse before eating, even if the food came from a kiai, because we did not know the process of acquisition in the market. This is a very deep inner education. Faith education, said Kyai Majid, is not enough just to teach subject matter, but must be accompanied by maintaining purity of food. Because halal food and Thayyib will give birth to clear morals and noble behavior.

Ihsan and ecological fiqh: education that touches nature and soul

The third resource person, Hj. Ika Maftuhah Sustqowati, conveyed the perspective of Ihsan from the Dimensions of Ecology Fiqh. In his view, Ihsan is not only a matter of solemn or soft heart prayer, but also concerns the way humans treat the environment and others.

He stressed the importance of exemplary in the family. “Children who are only handed over to educational institutions without strengthening value at home will not grow intact. Parents must consistently carry out the values ​​of IHSAN taught in schools,” said the caregiver of the Mambaul Hikam Putri Islamic Boarding School.

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Hj. Ika raises the educational values ​​of her father. As a child, he was not allowed to spend rice carelessly. He was told to reflect on how long the process of growing rice to become rice. Even before being given pocket money, he was asked to sweep or water the plants first. This is not just discipline, but mental education and manners of God’s blessings.

Conclusion: Aswaja’s education as a way of national security

This halaqah forum confirms that education based on faith, Islam, and Ihsan ala Manhaj Aswaja is an ideal model for saving the nation’s generation from the moral crisis, spirituality, and character. This model does not just produce intelligent people, but a whole human being: intelligent, heart, and civilized.

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The Islamic education curriculum in the future must make faith a foundation, Islam as a system, and Ihsan as a moral. These three dimensions must be integrated and maintained in all levels of education, ranging from families, madrassas, pesantren to Islamic campuses.

This Halaqah was closed with a joint discussion and reflection, which will be continued at the next routine meeting by the Aswaja Center and Ikapete PC Jombang. A first step that promises a new direction in grounding Aswaja’s values ​​in the world of education.

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Reporter: Bakhit
Editor: Rara Zaryry