SUKABUMI, WEST JAVA – Coinciding with National Santri Day on Sunday (22/10/2023), Dompet Dhuafa held a tasyakuran (celebration) for the inauguration of the As-Sa’adah Mosque at Pesantren Tahfizh Green Lido (PTGL), Cicurug, Sukabumi. During this event, Dompet Dhuafa and the endowers also laid the foundation stone for the next construction phase, a dormitory building for the santri (students).
The foundation stone was laid by Andria, representing the family of Benyamin Parwoto, the endower, followed by Rahmad Riyadi, Chairman of the Dompet Dhuafa Foundation Board, and Yudi Budimansyah, Secretary of the Cicurug Subdistrict. Also present were Yayat Supriyatna, Secretary of the Dompet Dhuafa Foundation Board; Yuniarko, a waqf planner; representatives from the Cicurug Religious Affairs Office, Cicurug Police Chief, DMI, and a representative from CIMB Syariah as one of the LKS-PWUs.
Construction on the land, endowed in 2018 by Benyamin Parwoto’s family, commenced on December 23, 2020. The first structure built was the As-Sa’adah Mosque, which became operational in early 2023. The commitment between the endowing family and Dompet Dhuafa, along with other stakeholders, continues to strengthen. Following the mosque, the next phase includes constructing a residential facility for both teachers and santris. PTGL aims to start accepting new santri registrations by early 2024 and to begin educational activities in the 2024/2025 academic year.
The primary focus in this waqf-based pesantren area is education. Future developments will also include Dompet Dhuafa’s other four pillars: da’wah-culture, economy, health, and social. Additional projects at the pesantren are the establishment of baitul hikmah, a center for scientific research studies, and a productive waqf unit to support the pesantren’s economic independence. These support systems will underpin PTGL’s activities.
Rahmad explained, “Financing through waqf aligns with fiqh principles. Waqf is an asset whose benefits can address societal issues. We build this together with donors and endowers, working optimally. We aim for this pesantren to provide our santri with top-quality education.”
Productive ventures, including a greenhouse concept melon plantation, are already underway. These initiatives will support learning at Pesantren Tahfizh Green Lido. This model demonstrates that high-quality education does not need to be expensive. Dompet Dhuafa, therefore, seeks support from the community to achieve these goals.
Baca juga: Ciptakan Santri Tanggap Bencana, e-Tahfizh Gelar Jambore Santri Nusantara 2023
“We plan to build housing for ustaz/teachers and dormitories for santris soon. By 2024, these facilities will be in use while we continue to develop other necessary infrastructure,” Rahmad added.
Yudi Budimansyah, Secretary of Cicurug Subdistrict, commended PTGL’s development, noting its significant contributions to the local community. Dompet Dhuafa has conducted various activities, like distributing groceries, for residents around PTGL.
“We also thank them for contributing to the celebration of National Santri Day, a symbol of Indonesia’s santri tradition. Previously, ulama (scholars) fought with jihad on battlefields; now we continue this struggle by strengthening religious knowledge for Indonesia’s future generations. Many pesantrens exist in Sukabumi, and thankfully, PTGL will complement the tahfiz pesantrens in this area,” he said.
Remembering the endower’s aspirations, Andria, Benyamin Parwoto’s child, shared that his father’s motivation for endowing this land was purely to protect Allah’s religion in this area, as there were many instances of apostasy at the time.
The Benyamin family chose Dompet Dhuafa to manage this waqf land due to their trust in the organization’s professional management. The family was also drawn to Dompet Dhuafa’s ability to integrate education with other sectors.
“Our hope is not only to produce hafiz (Quran memorizers) but also to establish a center of da’wah that will spread throughout the country. We aim to develop strong ulama who will improve faith, worship, and character,” Andria stated.
Baca juga: Resmi Dibuka! Dompet Dhuafa Helat Qur’an Camp Pesantren Tahfidz Green Lido
The tasyakuran for the establishment of the As-Sa’adah Mosque and the foundation stone laying for the santri dormitory construction took place during the Jambore Santri Nusantara (JANTARA) 2023. This national camping event for santris from across Indonesia was attended by 223 santris over three days, from 20th to 22nd October 2023. (Dompet Dhuafa/Muthohar)