Ulama and the Development of Traditional Islamic Education in Jember During the Colonial Period

Abstract

This article discusses the history of the development of traditional Islamic education in Jember during the colonial period. Traditional Islamic education in Jember was pioneered by Ulama, who came from the Madura and Mataraman regions. The arrival of migrants to Jember began with the clearing of Jember plantation land by Dutch private entrepreneurs. They then settled in Jember to work on a plantation owned by a Dutch private entrepreneur and built a settlement that resembled their place of origin. However, it turned out that these migrants did not only have economic goals, but some had the goal of preaching. Local people often refer to them as Ulama. These Ulama spread religious knowledge in various places of worship in Jember to establish Islamic boarding schools. This study uses historical research methods consisting of heuristics, verification, interpretation, and historiography. The results of this study indicate that the struggle of the Ulama in developing Islamic education has encountered various challenges and obstacles, ranging from the pursuit of the colonialists to the burning of Islamic boarding schools.