KH Ahmad Dahlan and KH Hasyim Asy'ari's Thoughts on the Relevance of Contemporary Islamic Education

Abstract

In fact, there are two important figures in the history of Indonesian Islamic education, KH. Hasyim Asy'ari and KH. Ahmad Dahlan, each has a different way of making a big impact. Founder of Nahdlatul Ulama, KH. Hasyim Asy'ari, emphasized the importance of Islamic boarding school-based education that combines religious knowledge with classical Islamic traditions. He believed that strengthening morals and understanding of the Shari'a should be the main foundation of education, while remaining open to the development of modern science. On the other hand, KH. Ahmad Dahlan, founder of Muhammadiyah, has a more progressive view of education reform. He encouraged the modernization of the Islamic education system by adopting public school curricula and a rational approach to understanding religion. He also emphasized the importance of more systematic and organized teaching and general science as part of holistic Islamic education comparable to Western educational standards in force at that time. Even though they acted in different ways, these two figures were committed to improving the quality of education in Indonesia, with the main aim of creating a generation of Muslims who are intelligent, have morals and are able to contribute positively to society. They have formed two large organizations, NU and Muhammadiyah. These two organizations have become important pillars in the Islamic education system in Indonesia to date.