“My students. You are future scholars who will be molded into Muslim leaders, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs who will defend the interests and struggles of Islam. You are all my children, chosen by Allah to study in this Rabbani Land. I remind you not to be like the monkey eating the mangosteen. Who has ever seen a mangosteen? Or who has ever eaten a mangosteen? Come on, raise your hands!” With his characteristic smile, Kiayi Ilham asked the students. A roar of cheers erupted, including me, Mukhlis, Abridin, and our classmates. Everyone responded noisily, but to my surprise, not a single one of the hundreds of students raised their hands. I muttered, “Does that mean the Rabbani students have never eaten mangosteen?” This means we are all inferior to the monkeys who were lucky enough to eat the mangosteen.
“Monkeys, when they eat mangosteen, they will bite the skin of the mangosteen and immediately throw it away. They think that mangosteen is bitter, not tasty. But inside there is a very sweet and delicious fruit. So my students, when you study in this Land of Rabbani, don't be like the monkey eating mangosteen. After only one day, your parents left you. Want to go home! Enter the language court. Want to run away! Eat crackers, tempeh, anchovies, eggplant. Crying! Punished by his older brother. Can't stand it! His clothes are lost on the clothesline. Crying! His sandals are lost in the mosque. Crying! What else... Kiayi Ilham threw questions at the students, but all the students looked smiling and shy to mention their problems. Because what Kiayi Ilham said was truly what they experienced and felt in life in the Land of Rabbani.
"All the discipline, punishment, studying, eating, bathing, and even living in this Land of the Rabbani is indeed bitter. But when you are all strong enough to overcome and face it, then after that you will taste the sweetness of seeking knowledge in this Land of the Rabbani." The students were seen nodding their heads. The atmosphere was silent and full of reverence at the important meeting, all eyes were focused on Kiayi Ilham. He sat with a white turban covering his shoulders and back, complete with a black cap with a modest face and his distinctive thin mustache.
At first glance, Kiayi Ilham Hamid resembles the renowned Islamic scholar throughout Indonesia. Yes, he is Buya HAMKA, also known as Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah. He is a scholar renowned for his phenomenal commentary, "Al-Azhar," a work he wrote while imprisoned during President Sukarno's regime. That's the kind of person he is, and his enthusiasm, when delivering lectures and advice, both to his students and to the general public.
"Before I conclude my advice this morning, I would like to remind you once again, my children. What you are doing in this Land of the Rabbani is a form of Jihad in seeking knowledge, equal in value to Jihad on the battlefield. If you die in this Land of the Rabbani, you will be martyrs in the path of Allah, just like the warriors on the battlefield." Kiayi Ilham calmly spoke to us and the Ustadz present at the meeting. Yes, the meeting was a public lecture on how to live in the Land of the Rabbani.
The clock struck eleven o'clock, almost noon. After class, the students dispersed and headed to their respective rooms. I stood south of the Baitus Syakur building, the building that had just become our gathering place. The building boasted elegant architecture, yet it actually bore the imprint of traditional Sumbawanese culture. It boasted a two-story roof, but was actually only one story. I had once been deceived by the magic of this structure. I thought it had two stories, due to its beautiful architecture and the majestic and imposing appearance of Rabbani from the outside. But when I joined Tanah Rabbani as a student, I realized that the building was merely a perfect imitation of an elite building. And it actually only had one story.
“Ahh.. I muttered at that time.. Is this the building that looks mighty from the outside, Rabbani?, it's not bad, the imitation is almost exactly the same as the original.” I smiled to myself when I remembered the first time I saw the building right in front of my eyes.
Shortly after the meeting, I stood waiting for Mukhlis and Abridin to arrive. We had previously promised to visit Waliul Fashal after the meeting to ask him about some of the Hadith, Tafsir, and Arabic lessons. A few minutes later, I saw Mukhlis and Abridin approaching me. We agreed to walk to Waliul Fashal's house for a consultation and to ask about the class material.
"What Kiayi Ilham Hamid said earlier is true. I've always been too whiny and always complained about things, especially the side dishes in the kitchen. I imagine if I hadn't been patient, I would have run away on my first day in this Land of the Rabbani," Mukhlis began our conversation on the way to Waliul Fashal's house. With a smile on his face and lips, he winked at Abridin.
“I know what you mean, Lis. You’re trying to make fun of me, right? Because yesterday I was sitting alone in the back of the class thinking about my parents.” Abridin seemed to catch his friend’s sarcastic expression. He ran after Mukhlis, raising his hands and feet to hit Mukhlis, but a moment later, it turned out that Mukhlis’ feet had already stepped on two piles of buffalo dung that were stuck right in his feet. Abridin stopped chasing, he laughed out loud watching Mukhlis struggle with the still wet and warm buffalo dung. I couldn’t hold back my laughter. I looked at Mukhlis with his cynical face, he was about to chase me and Abridin. But before we both ran away laughing…
A beautiful day with impressions and humor..
Tobe Countinued..
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