The Shift in Charisma of Islamic Boarding School Kyai in Tasikmalaya City After Reform Indonesia

Abstract

This research aims to comprehend the transformation in the charisma of the Kyai Pesantren in Tasikmalaya following the reformation. The study used qualitative research methodologies to collect data through in-depth interviews and participant observation. Informants in this study were students from Tasikmalaya’s Islamic Boarding School Kyai during the post-reform period. The findings revealed that the charisma of the Kyai Pesantren in Tasikmalaya shifted post-reform, particularly in terms of impact and attractiveness in society. This shift was triggered by post-reform Indonesia’s sociopolitical and cultural shift, as well as the internal dynamics of pesantren. Some of the factors that influence this include the involvement of kiai in politics, the emergence of a new Islamic identity, moral decadence, slow regeneration and the absence of elder kiai. Islamic Boarding School Kyai, who can adjust to these changes, keeps their charisma, while those who cannot adapt lose societal influence and attractiveness. This study provides an overview of the transformation of the Islamic Boarding School Kyai in Tasikmalaya following the reformation. It can be used as a reference for future research on Islamic boarding schools and socio-cultural forces in Indonesia.