A Comparative Study on the Economic Activities of
Tarekat Sadzîyyah in Kudus and Tarekat Shiddiqîyyah in Jombang
By S U D I R M A N
A. Introduction
As a kind of religions covering all aspects of life, Islam may potentially become the most complete religion since its teachings have perfectly focused on the internal and external needs. It can be obviously seen in various rituals and social activities belonging to such a religion as implementation of their beliefs to the Almighty. Simply, it is possible to say that Islam has a concept of making a balance between man-Creator ‘vertical’ relationship and man-man ‘horizontal’ relationship (habl min Allâh wa habl min al-nâs).
To get closer to God, many ways are constantly practiced by humankind. Zahri clearly mentions at least three approaches applied by muslims to seek God. First, the jurists (Fuqaha’) who prefer seeking God by implementing His laws through understanding deeply the Koran and Prophetic tradition (hadith). Next, the theologians (mutakallimîn), they tend to choose rational way to understand God by rationalizing and analyzing the God’s revelation. Finally, the Sufis (ahl al-tasawwuf) who are keen on performing rituals and spiritual experience to get closer to God.[1] The latter group commonly organize their religious activities through tarekat. That catagorization is inextricably intertwinned with their personal observation and beliefs in acknowledging the existence of God.
Tarekat is one way to realize the exixtence of God in terms of rituals and spiritual experience. Tarekat, according to Nicholson as quoted by Simuh, is a path used by Sufis to seek God.[2] Their activities concern the life in hereafter by performing purgative, comtemplative and illuminative steps. They seems to have inadequate time to think the earthly agenda.[3] The programs of this group, therefore, are basically referred to takhallî, tahallî and tajallî. Takhallî means keeping the soul far away from the bad manners whereas tahallî is to fill the empty spirit, as a result of the first step, with the admirable attitudes. Then, tajallî will be the last stage in sufis’ path by realizing God’s existence and watch in each part of life.[4]
Al-Ghazali—a prominent Sufism leader—explains in his famous book ihya’ ulum al-din, seven stations which should be done by Salik (a candidate of Sufi), i.e. taubah, wara’, zuhud, faqir, sabar, tawakal, and ridha. Taubah, as the first step, means to repent from all sins and ghaflah (forgetting God). It should be followed by wara’, avoiding all unclear law-based things (subhat), just consume the halal (allowed) ones. Zuhud is the next station, that is avoiding everything related to the worldly life. It finally leads to faqir, feeling as poor people with no eagerness to seek wealth. If Salik may reach that station successfully, he will experience another station, sabar, that is reconciling himself to sufferings. Then, tawakkal is the higher one. Tawakkal is surrenderring and submitting the soul and body to God as if a death man was lain in front of the Modin (a man who has responsibility to clean the body of death people). Finally, the last station is ridha, meaning willing and feeling happy with every decision of God. [5]
In historical point of view, many scholars believe that sufi has occurred since the beginning of Islam. In prophet era, many people called ahlu al-shuffah did not have houses nor a jobs. They slept in the mosque and dedicated all the time to God.[6] Initially, they did not have an organization in performing their rituals. Nevertheless, as time went by, some people tended to organize their rituals under a certain leader so-called Mursyîd with a particular way (tarîqah or tarekat). Since then, many types of tarekat have emerged in Islamic world.
It is worth noting that there is a clear line deviding the tarekat into two categories, i.e. before and after 11th century. Tarekat before 11th century was defined as the way to guide people to get closer to God. No certain rule nor organization was there in this stage. But then, tarekat has had a wider meaning as an organization of Sufi people who do certain ritual under their mursyîds. Consequently, the position of mursyîds is very inportant to shape the beliefs and understanding of their followers (murîds).[7] For instance, Mursyîds may forbid the murîd getting involved in political arena or governments in order to keep their heart clean from thinking of earthly life.
But in this era, there are kinds of tarekat with their own characters numbering at least 44 groups.[8] Some of them are involved in economic, social, even political activities. Tarekat Sadzîliyyah and tarekat Shiddîqiyyah for instance, pay more attention to social activities modified in economical one. But, the former is considered as mu’tabarah and the latter is often said as ghairu mu’tabarah. The other interesting thing to note is that people of Sadzîliyyah perform their economic activities by their own selves whereas those of Shiddîqiyyah is still centered in Ploso. However, it is possible to compare between both to know the characterictic of their economic activities. To avoid the misperception between both, it is better to put these tarekats as ‘piety groups’ promoting the economic activities in worldly life.
The main source of Sadzîliyyah will be the work of Mu’tashim and Mulkan while the Shiddîqiyyah will be based on preliminary research of mine since I will do research deeply for my thesis. Mu’tashim and Mulkan have seriously conducted research on the tarekat Sadzîliyyah’s disciples in Kudus, Central Java written in their book “Bisnis Kaum Sufi, Studi Tarekat dalam Masyarakat Industri” whereas I just did interview with the successor of tarekat Shiddîqiyyah and some adherants in Ploso as a brief observation to that tarekat. However, this paper will be useful for me to know further about the activities of both tarekats in economy as well as the basic concept of tarekat, Social Change and Economic Acitivities.
B. Tarekat, Social Change, and Economic Activities
1. Tarekat
The meaning of tarekat is a way, path, method, or system of belief. According to Nicholson as quoted by Simuh, tarekat is a path used by Sufis to seek God. Sufis who set out to seek God call themselves as “travellers”, they advance by slow “stages” (maqâmat) along a”path” (tarîqah) to the goal of union with the Reality (fanâ’ fi al-haq). [9] Another definition is stated Fuad Saidi saying that tarekat is the way to get closer to God by performing the teology, laws, and sufism.[10]
Tarekat always consists of Mursyîd, Murîd, and teachings.[11] Mursyîd has a specific role and position in tarekat. Becoming a mursyîd is not an easy job since he should fulfill some qualification, for example, he has to have a high level of morality, tolerance, patience, scholarship, honesty, and trusteeship. On the other hand, murîd has to devote himself, body and soul, to his mursyîd in order to guide him to seek God. It is forbidden for murîd, therefore, to refuse or deny the mursyîd’s order.
2. Social Change
The phrase of Social change can be defined through literal and terminological perspectives. Literally, it comprises two words, “social” and “change”. Social means living in group, or people living in communities[12] whereas change is defined as different condition or move from one place to another.[13] But the meaning of social change according to social scientist such as David Jarry and Julia Jarry is “the different between the current and the antecedent condition of any selected aspect of social organization or structure, for example, the family voting patterns, religious attitudes, economic activity”. Furthermore, both Jarry explain the sources of social change, for instance, social conflict, the need of adaptation within social systems, and the impact of ideas and belief system on social action.[14]
Dealing with sufism, many literature focus on the movement generated by sufi leaders (clergy). In Banten and Iranian Revolution, for instance, sufism had an significant role in shaping opinion and belief that eventually might motivate people to move against the colonials and enemies. In these cases, we may draw a brief conclusion that tarekat is not only a tool related to the devine happiness in the next life but also a huge power to persuade people in doing the earthly activities.
3. Economic Activities
Economic activities means all activities done by people to earn money and make a living. These activities are related to economic development defined by two Jarry as ‘any change that results in increased economic productivity and prosperity.[15]’ Economic activities may also promote social welfare which can be measured from two parameters: real income and its distribution.[16]
In the paper, the economic activities are limited only in Shiddîqiyyah’s economic activities including agriculture, handicraft home industry, and drinking water manufacture. This economic activities is distinguishing aspect of such a tarekat among others. In addition, this paper portrays the economic activities of tarekat Sadzîliyyah’s disciples in Kudus, Central Java. They usually works as traders or workers of garment industries possessed by a couple of the tarekat’s adherents.
C. Sadzîliyyah and Shiddîqiyyah : A Comparative Study
1. Sadzîliyyah
a. Historical Background
Sadzîliyyah was a kind of tarekat established in 13th century by Syekh Abu Hasan Ali bin Abdullah bin abdul Jabbar bin Hormuz al-Syadzili al-Maghribi al-Husaini al-Idrisi, a descendant of Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Thalib. He was born in 1195 AD in Grahamah, a small village near Sabtah, Africa. He developed his knowledge about tasawwuf in Tunis. Since he lived in Sadzili, his tarekat was popularly called ‘Sadzîliyyah’. After along journey through out eastern countries, doing pilgrimage, and visitting Iraq, he finally lived in Iskandariyyah and passed away in 1219 AD (615 AH). Syekh Abu hasan Ali Al-Sadzili left some memorable ‘inheritance’ such as a party entitled ‘hizbu al-Syadzîli’ and some books i.e. ‘Al-Amîn’ and ‘Al-Sir Al-Jalîl Fi Khawâshi Hasbun Allâh Wa Ni’m Al-Wakîl’.[17]
Related to the emergence of Sadzîliyyah in Kudus, it was started in early 1980s, as reported by Syariq—a member of Sadzîliyyah, and now as a leader accompanying khalîfah (successor). But some of members, for instance H Maskub and H Mukhlas, admitted that they became Sadzîliyyah adherent in 1979., Sadzîliyyah, compared with other tarekats, may be regarded as a ‘new comer’ in Kudus besides its narrowly spreading regions in Java. Tarekat Khalidiyyah wa Naqsabandiyyah, for example, has developed in this area since 1955 under its current Mursyid, KH Marwan. In addition, tarekat Qâdiriyyah wa Naqsabandiyyah was folowed by people in this region some year earlier. Its Mursyid, Kyai Sidiq claims that he has become a follower of such a tarekat since 1951.[18]
Based on Mu’tashim and Mulkan’s work on which most of data of Sadzîliyyah in this paper rely, Syariq—that time a young man who often travelled to several places such as Jakarta and Lampung, tought a ‘misleading’ teaching, which consist of tawassulan through reciting Yâsîn and other sacred recitation resulting in jadzab or crying. They believe that these tears may heal various diseases. Since surrounding people consider that this activity was categirzed as black magic (sihir), Syariq and his followers were expelled from the village and they finally went to Habib, a mursyid of Sadzîliyyah in Pekalongan. They were suggested by Habib to be disciples of such a tarekat. After getting adequate information about this tarekat, they finally did initiation (bay’at) and became faithful adherants of Sadzîliyyah.[19]
b. The economic activities
As mentioned earlier, it is quite unusual for tarekat to participate in worldly agenda particularly in economic activities since they are suggested to spend all their time on remembering Almighty God and increasing the spiritual levels. However it is the fact that tarekat Sadzîliyyah has promote their adherants to get involved in economic activities for the sake of their welfare and prosperity.
The basic idea which may cause the to become a good traders, for instance, is the spirit showed by Abu Hasan al-Sazily by his attractive performance. He was famous for his good clothes and perfume since he did not want the Sufis to be percieved as the poor and weak.
Therefore, the disciple of Sadzîliyyah in Kudus, or partly in Damaran, attempt to work hard whatever they may do. Since the popular job in that area is garment industry, they function their house as the place for making a variety of clothes, designs and models. In Mulkan’s notes, there are 10 people working as garment bussinessmen in this area. In addition, there are some disciples working as ‘Jenang’ maker and food producer. None of them, nevertheless, are interested in being civil servant. This situation is strongly caused by their tradition as traders and also related to the rate of income. According to them, being traders is more promising rather than being civil servants. They also may freely manage the time based on their own schedules. It can be assumed as, perhaps, a matter of independence.
Most people joining in this tarekat feel safer when doing their job due the ‘barakat or restu (blessing) from the mursyîd that usually belong to Haba’ib (descendants of the prophet Muhammad) group. They realize that their life pattern is uncertain, everything can change fast that may possibly cause bankruptcy. When the situation of their economy is stable, they still visit their mursyid in Pekalongan to ask the blessing, moreover when they face problems in their life, they of course increase their visit to the mursyid to get some ‘amalan’ (kind of prayer).
2. Shiddîqiyyah
a. Historical Background
Tarekat Shiddîqiyyah is one kind of developing tarekats in Indonesia. Expanded by Kyai Mukhtar Mu’thi—after getting a will from Sheikh Syuaib Jamal from Banten who was the spiritual heir of Sheikh Yusuf Makasar--since 1958 in Losari, Ploso, Jombang, tarekat Shiddîqiyyah has had a distinguishing aspect which can be identified as its character, i.e. various economic programs implemented by this tarekat.[20] It may be regarded as a new phenomenon in sufi world.
The name “Shiddîqiyyah” is closely related to the prophet’s companian, Abu Bakar Al-Shiddîq, as the main source of this tarekat. As mentioned in “Tanwîr al-Qulûb”,[21] this tarekat was established by Abu Bakar Al-Shiddiq then developed by a number of faithful disciples until spreaded in Indonesia by KH Muhktar Mu’thi as an official founder of this tarekat. However, some people say that this tarekat is not really accounted as “mu’tabarah” because of its missing chain in “silsilah” (transmission).
b. Economic Activities
Different from common tarekats which mostly concentrate on the life in the hereafter especially to reach the devine happiness in the heaven such as Qadiriyyah-Naqsabandiyyah[22], Shiddiqiyyah has various programs to promote the welfare of society. For example, it build some houses for poor people every year launched on every 17 August. Particularly in 2003, Shiddiqiyyah built twenty new houses in Blitar to replace a number of improper dwellings.
This tarekat also has several economic activities. It has a big home industry for producing handicrafts from bamboo and pandanus leaves. This industry is located in Kabuh village, 12 kilometres from the pesantren, and has about 20 young workers. It regularly trains a number of teenegers to be professional employees in this industry as well. Furthermore, it cultivates approximately 1500 trees of mango behind pesantren kept and supervised by Santri (Murîd). The income from this farming is used to give allowance to Santri. In addition, it has “NAAQO” fresh water manufactorer producing bottled water which is distributed to some shops around Ploso.
Furthermore, the employees working in those various economic activities are not always santri nor members of the tarekat. In this point, Shiddîqiyyah tries to act as an open “agent of social change”. Consequently, it does not select the workers in terms of their “belief”, but the qualification standard. Therefore, it may be observed, for instance in handicraft home industry, there are some common inhabitants surrounding pesantren participating in that activity. They are trained to be hard, professional workers. Accordingly, they can get income without being member of that tarekat.
The background of those economic activities of this tarekat is very interesting to observe. One reason why this tarekat gets involved further into generating society’s welfare is their slogan “wudhu, sholat, masyarakat (ablution, prayer, society)”.[23] Ablution is the way to clean the human body, inner and outer (lahir bathin). Then, prayer is the way to make a good relation between human beings and God. Finally, society is the place for life on the earth, so it should be provided well as a reflection of their prayers which are ended by salam meaning spreading the freedom and welfare to other people. Therefore, the mursyîd always suggests his murîd to be generous.
To support this tenet, One of the real programs is “shadaqah” program which means the member of tarekat Shiddîqiyyah should sincerely allocate a certain amount of money summitted to particular committee. That money is wisely spent on implementing the pesantren’s program, such as building the pesantren—now in the process of building a new auditorium—and helping accidentally the victims of particular disaster. Some years ago, for example, the tarekat sent finantial and material support to Bengawan Solo’s victims in Bojonegoro since this river flooded a large number of lands and houses.
Also, they regularly collect zakat (alms) in ramadhan numbering nearly 50 tons. Even though there is no certain rule enforcing the members to send their zakat to the pesantren, in fact, most of them have a sense of awareness to collect their alms, fitrah (soul) or mâl (wealth) in Ploso. Then, they pack these alms in branded plastic bags and distribute them to the poor people in whole sub-districts all over Jombang in the night before Id al-Fitri as the busiest hour during ramadhân.
Additionally, even though this pesantren has 28 branches, it does not mean that the economic program has been implemented by all members in every branch. It possibly happen since the situation of each place has its own challenges and chances. For example, in the case of realizing home industry, it is really hard for a branch with a small number of adherents to do. Kuncung may be a representative one in south part of Jombang. Nevertheless, this branch cannot apply the same programs as those in ploso because of the limited number of members.
3. Analysis and Conclusion
From the description above, we may analyze these two tarekats from several points below:
Firstly, both tarekat have the spirit of economic activities. We can see that Sadzîliyyah has a great support to its deciples since the founder of such a tarekat, Abu Hasan Ali Al-Sadzili, was a succesful man with good performance. Therefore, most diciples of this tarekat usually work hard. On the other hand, Shiddîqiyyah tries to implement its tenets ‘ablution, Prayer, and society’ (wudhu, sholat, masyarakat) in real life by producing handicrafts from bamboo and pandanus leaves, cultivating mango trees, and manufactoring “NAAQO” fresh water.
Secondly, the role of mursyid in tarekat Sadzîliyyah is not quite clear since he just gives some ‘amalan’ to the disciples. In contrast, tarekat Shiddîqiyyah’s mursyid has a real function by providing some workplaces even though not all workers are its members.
Thirdly, In Sadzîliyyah, the people work individually in their home. They do not have a special program for togetherness. Therefore, they do not have a particular social action in sociey. It probably results from the limitation of their number (around 20 people in Damaran). On the contrary, the disciple of Shiddîqiyyah may collect money to help the poor people in other region. They have a special program, i.e. sedekah which may collect millions of money to build house for poor people as well as pesantren’s facilities.
To sum up, tarekat is not always closely related to the hereafter matter, but some tarekat, Sadzîliyyah and Shiddîqiyyah for instance, are seriously concerned with earthly agenda including economic activities. Both tarekat, even though they have different level of acceptance in terms of mu’tabarah and ghairu mu’tabarah, are not widely spread in Indonesia. However, they obviously participate in promoting their adherants’ and surrounding society’s welfare as can be seen in their tenets and values. Wa Allah a’lam bi al-Shawab.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Baldick, Julian, 1989, Mystical Islam, An Introduction to Sufism, New York: New York Press
Al Bamar , Khalili, and Hanafi, 1996, Ajaran Tarekat (Suatu Jalan Pendekatan Diri terhadap Allah SWT) Surabaya: Remaja Surabaya
Bruinessen, Martin van, 1999, Kitab Kuning, Pesantren dan Tarekat, Tradisi-tradisi Islam di Indonesia, Bandung: Mizan
Buckhardt, Titus, 1976, An Introduction to Sufi Doctrine, Northhamptonshine: Weatherby Woolnough
Dhafier, Zamakhsari, 1994, Tradisi Pesantren, Jakarta: LP3ES
Editor, 1994, Ensiklopedi Islam, Jakarta: Ichtiar Baru van Hoeve
Hornby, AS, 1987, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Al-Jauziyyah, Ibnu al-Qayyim, Madariju al-Salikin, Beyrut: Dar al-Kitab al-Rabi
Mu’tashim, Radjasa, and Abdul Munir Mulkhan, 1998, Bisnis Kaum Sufi, Studi Tarekat dalam Masyarakat Industri, Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar
al-Naisaburi, Imam Al-Qusyairi, 1996, Risalah al-Qusyairiyyah, Surabaya: Risalah Gusti
Praja, Juhaya S., 1995, Model Tasawuf Menurut Syariah, Penenrapannya dalam Perawatan Korban Narkotika dan berbagai Penyakit Rohani, Tasikmalaya: Latifah Press
Saidi, Fuad, 1999, Hakikat Tarikat Naqsabandiyah, Jakarta: Al-Husna Zikra
Shah, Idries, 1974, The Way of The Sufi, Victoria: Pinguin Book
Shiddiqiyyah Team, 2003, Tuntunan Pelajaran Pertama, Jombang: Shiddîqiyyah Press
______________, 2003, Kausaran, Jombang: Shiddîqiyyah Press
______________, 2003, Penjelasan Lambang Organisasi, Jombang: Shiddîqiyyah Press
Simuh, 1996, Tasawuf dan Perkembangannya dalam Islam, Jakarta: RajaGrafindo Persada
Sirriyeh, Elizabeth, 2003, Sufi dan Anti Sufi, Yogyakarta, Pustaka Sufi
Al-Taftazani, Abu al-Wafa Al-Ghanimi, 1997, Sufi dari Zaman ke Zaman, Bandung: Pustaka
Yasmadi, 2002, Modernisasi Pesantren, Kritik Nurcholish Madjid terhadap Pendidikan Islam Tradisional, Tangerang: Ciputat Press
Zulkifli, 2003, Sufism in Java, The Role of The Pesantren in the Maintenance of Sufism in Java, Jakarta: INIS
[1] Mustafa Zahri, Kunci Memahami Ilmu tasawuf, (Surabaya: Bina Ilmu, 1995), p. 49
[2] Simuh, Tasawuf dan Perkembangannya dalam Islam, (Jakarta: RajaGrafindo Persada, 1996), p. 41
[3] Abu Bakar Aceh, Pengantar Ilmu tarekat, Kajian Historis tentang Mistik, (Solo: Ramadhani, 1996), p. 23
[4] Ibid., p. 25
[5] Al-Ghazali, Ihya’ ulum al-din, volume III
[6] The history of Sufi may be found in many books related to Sufism, such as Julian Baldick, Mystical Islam, an Introduction to Sufism, (New York: New York University Press, 1989) and Idries Shah, The Way of The Sufi, (Victoria Pinguin Book, 1974).
[7] Ibid.,
[8] Editor, Ensiklopedi Islam, (Jakarta: Ichtiar Baru van Hoeve, 1994), vol. 5, p. 67. Shiddiqiyyah is the 34th.
[9] Simuh, op. cit., pp. 40-1
[10] Fuad Saidi, Hakikat Tarikat Naqsabandiyah, (Jakarta: Al-Husna Zikra, 1999), p. 6
[11] Khalili Al Bamar and Hanafi, Ajaran Tarekat (Suatu Jalan Pendekatan Diri terhadap Allah SWT), (Surabaya: Remaja Surabaya, 1990), p. 21-46.
[12] AS Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987), p. 818.
[13] Ibid., p. 139
[14] Jary D and Jarry D, The Harper Collins: Dictionary Sociology, (USA:Harper Perennial, 1991) , p. 134
[15] Ibid.,, p. 136
[16] Adam Kuper and Jessica Puper (ed.), The social Science Encyclopedia, (New York: Routledge, 2001)
[17] Fuad Saidi, Hakikat Tarikat Naqsabadiyah, (Jakarta: Al-Husna Zikra, 1999), p. 15-16
[18] Radjasa Mu’tashim and Abdul Munir Mulkhan, Bisnis Kaum Sufi, Studi Tarekat dalam Masyarakat Industri (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1998), p. 112-114
[19] ibid.,
[20] Martin van Bruinessen, Kitab Kuning, Pesantren dan Tarekat, Tradisi-tradisi Islam di Indonesia, (Bandung: Mizan, 1999) III, p. 204, also see Zamakhsari Dzafier, Tradisi Pesantren, (Jakarta: LP3ES, 1994)
[21] Honestly speaking, this book is still in Pak Munib’s hand which may not be read by non-member. I just got that information from interviewing him.
[22] This tarekat has a concern with dikr (remembering God).
[23] Interview with Pak Munib, on 5 December 2003,
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