Muhammadiyah's Contribution to Educational Development in Indonesia: A Historical Analysis

Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas eISSN: 2775-4596, Vol 4, No 1, 2024, pp. 43-50 http://dx.doi.org/10.15575/jis.v4i1.32306 Muhammadiyah's Contribution to Educational Development in Indonesia: A Historical Analysis Rijal Pahlevi SMP Muhammadiyah 9 Nagreg Kabupaten Bandung, Indonesia Badrudin Badrudin UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia Ulfiah Ulfiah UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia Suggested Citation: Pahlevi, Rijal; Badrudin, Badrudin; Ulfiah, Ulfiah. (2024). Muhammadiyah's Contribution to Educational Development in Indonesia: A Historical Analysis. Jurnal Iman dan Spiritualitas, Volume 4, Number 1: 43–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.15575/jis.v4i1.32306 Article’s History: Received December 2023; Revised March 2024; Accepted March 2024. 2024. journal.uinsgd.ac.id . All rights reserved. Abstract: Muhammadiyah's role in the development of education in Indonesia continues to grow over time, playing a key role in determining the future of this country. This research aims to dig deeper into Muhammadiyah's contribution to the history of the development of Indonesian education using historical methods. Literature study is used as a data collection technique, taking information from various sources such as books, journals, newspapers, the internet, and other references related to Muhammadiyah. The research results show that Muhammadiyah has had a positive impact by spreading Islamic teachings and designing an equitable education system throughout Indonesia. Muhammadiyah schools, which integrate religious and general lessons, make a significant contribution to advancing education in the country. This organization has succeeded in establishing and managing more than 5,264 schools and madrasas, as well as 177 universities throughout Indonesia. Thus, Muhammadiyah not only educates the nation through education but also forms quality individuals in educational and religious aspects. Keywords: global competition; Indonesian history; Islamic education; religious organization; social movement. INTRODUCTION Education is the most important component for the progress of a nation; Educational factors are very influential on the progress or decline of a civilization. For example, during the heyday of science under the leadership of the Abbasids, the best quality of education was shown and enjoyed by everyone at that time. Baghdad is called an intellectual city because it is a Muslim city that teaches other Islamic cities lessons. It is said this because Baghdad is a city with intellectual nuances with many written traditions and a center for research and development in various scientific fields, including religion, philosophy and science (Bakri, 2011; Hitti, 2002; Kersten, 2011). Today, countries that are able to overcome global competition usually have citizens who have access to high-quality education. On the other hand, if the quality of education is low, the country or civilization will be left behind by global competition. A small country can become a contributor or even a major player to be reckoned journal.uinsgd.ac.id/index.php/jis/index © Pahlevi et al. 43 Volume 4, Nomor 1: Januari - Maret 2024 with on the global stage with the best quality education. Countries that are superior geographically and demographically but whose educational quality is poor will not be taken into account in global competition (Kotler et al., 2021; Luckin et al., 2016). In Indonesia, education is an important sector that is considered to determine the future of the country (Nasir et al., 2020; Suherlan, 2017). Apart from that, education is a leading sector that is expected to realize sustainable development (Wong et al., 2020). Education is an action taken to achieve certain goals and involves various factors that are interconnected, forming a system that impacts each other (Corrêa Cavalieri & Neves Almeida, 2018). Islamic education as physical and spiritual instruction based on Islamic religious law to develop the main personality according to Islamic provisions (Badrudin, 2017). The main personality referred to here is the Muslim personality, namely a personality that is in accordance with Islamic values (Mahmud, 2011). Life for Muslims in Indonesia has become worse since Dutch colonialism. Civilization was influenced to a large extent by the backwardness of Muslims in the field of education (Rahman, 2021). Islamic boarding schools cannot always be used as a place to produce a young generation of Muslims who think contemporary (Munir et al., 2010). Because Islamic boarding schools only teach Islamic religious principles, while the colonial government did not require religious knowledge, they did not use Arabic as the official government language, and Islamic boarding school graduates could not be employed by the colonial government (Mu’arif, 2012; Rahman, 2016). Muhammadiyah determines to be part of the Tajdid movement (Rohmansyah, 2017). Tajdid, also known as the da'wah movement of amar ma'ruf is not welcome, is a modern Islamic reform movement by improves social, economic, political, educational and cultural aspects (Kamali, 2018). It also means purification (purification) from purified foreign elements (Lenggono, 2018). Da'wah is a way of providing services to society, especially in the field of education. Muhammadiyah is also considered the founder of modern education in Indonesia. The process of modernizing Islamic education in Indonesia was greatly assisted by KH. Ahmad Dahlan. During the Dutch East Indies government, the Muhammadiyah movement developed into a local movement. KH. Ahmad Dahlan founded his first educational institution in his home, using the Western education system. Muhammadiyah has carried out reforms in the field of education. First, the Muhammadiyah curriculum was changed to include religious and general lessons. Second, learning methods were changed according to the classical-modern paradigm, and third, a combination of Islamic boarding schools and school systems. Changing times will definitely lead to renewal (Setiawan et al., 2010). Two factors influence objective factors: internal and external factors. Internal factors consist of the Al-Qur'an and Sunnah as guidelines for Islamic practices until these practices are mixed with other practices. Apart from that, there are educational institutions that are unable to create a generation that practices according to Islamic teachings and develops its mission as "Caliph of Allah on earth", knowing that Islamic practices are not in harmony with the Koran because they still believe in other schools, Islamic educational sciences that inadequate. As a result, KH. Ahmad Dahlan moved forward and began to perfect it by increasing general knowledge so that the next generation could practice according to Islamic teachings (Miswanto, 2012). External factors consists of increasing Christianization movement in Indonesia, penetration of European countries, especially the Netherlands, into Indonesia, and the influence of Islam (...truncated)