Female Mursyid Figures in the Mazhariyah Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura

 

Kepoen.com-Female Mursyid Figures in the Mazhariyah Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura-Several female mursyid figures in the Mazhariyah Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura include:

1. Nyai Thabibah: In daily life, Nyai Thabibah demonstrates high dedication in educating the santri (Islamic boarding school students), particularly in matters related to cleanliness. She is also renowned for her fluency in reciting the Qur'an. Even during sleep, she continues to recite the Qur'an, starting with ta'awudz and basmalah. At Pesantren al-Bustan, she teaches various fundamental books to the female santri, such as Aqaid 50, which is commonly recited collectively after the Isha prayer, as well as Safinah an-Najah, Sullam at-Taufiq, Bidayah al-Hidayah, and Daqaiq al-Akhbar fi Dzikr al-Jannah wa an-Naar. Despite not having received formal education herself, she teaches the female santri how to write Latin letters.
2. Syarifah Fatimah: Syarifah Fatimah is mentioned as a mursyidah of the Mazhariyah Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura. She joined the tarekat after taking an oath from Kiai Sirajuddin and received ijazah from Kiai Syamsuddin Umul. Syarifah Fatimah has garnered many followers, particularly in Sumenep, and her influence extends to West Kalimantan and South Malang.
3. Syarifah Nor (Pah Nong): Syarifah Nor, known as Pah Nong, is another female mursyidah mentioned by several informants. Her presence, along with other female mursyidahs, indicates that the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat has independent organizational networks for women in Madura.

Women Sufis in Indonesia have demonstrated that Sufism and the realm of mysticism are not exclusively reserved for men. In the context of Sufism in Indonesia, the presence of women Sufis is crucial to acknowledge and represents the diverse heritage of Nusantara Sufism.

Oman Fathurahman, an Indonesian philologist who extensively studied Pegon manuscripts in the "Malay" cultural region spanning across the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and the Northern Pacific Islands, specifically writes about the influential roles of women from the Javanese Kingdoms in the 18th and 19th centuries during the Javanese civilization's "renaissance."

From various manuscripts collected from Aceh, Minangkabau, Cirebon, Java, Mindanao, and some European collections, he discovered manuscripts mentioning women who were both political leaders and spiritual figures or Sufis with literary prowess.

In the Naqsyabandiyah Mazhariyah Madura Tariqa, the existence of female spiritual leaders, known as mursyidah, is indeed present. Identified mursyidah include Nyai Thobibah, Syarifah Fatimah, Nyai Aisyah, and Nyai Syafi'ah.

Generally, the chronology of appointing female mursyidah was driven by the increasing number of female followers within the tariqa, necessitating the presence of women to assist the kyai or mursyid in managing and guiding female followers. In the historical records of the Naqsyabandiyah Mazhariyah Madura Tariqa, the mursyidah were appointed by the mursyid al-kamil at that time, who had the authority to appoint other khalifahs or mursyids.

For example, Nyai Aisyah was appointed by Syaikh Abdul Adzim Bangkalan as the carrier of the Naqsyabandiyah Mazhariyah Tariqa in Madura, Nyai Thobibah was appointed by Syaikh Ali Wafa Ambunten Sumenep, Syarifah Fatimah was appointed by Kiai Syamsuddin, and Nyai Syafi'ah was appointed by Syaikh Abdul Wahid Khudzaifah.

In his intriguing book on Naqsabandiyyah tariqas in Indonesia, Martin Van Bruinessen highlights the presence of female mursyidah in Madura. Some mursyidah not only acted as assistants to their more dominant husbands but were truly independent. Among these mursyidah were Nyai Thobibah and Nyai Fatimah, both of whom received bai'ah from Ali Wafa and eventually became mursyidah of Naqsabandiyyah with a significant number of disciples, not only in Madura but also in Brunei Darussalam (formerly known as West Kalimantan) and in South Malang, East Java.

 Direct relationships between male teachers and their female disciples have always been a delicate matter, but the people of Madura were no stricter in such matters compared to other ethnic groups, and female mursyidah did not appear in other places. Perhaps the presence of these mursyidah indicates the greater tolerance of the people of Madura towards female leadership, albeit limited within their own community.

According to various accounts, Nyai Aisyah was the first female mursyidah of the Naqsyabandiyah Mazhariyah Tariqa in Madura, and possibly in Indonesia. She was appointed as a mursyidah in the late 19th century by Syaikh Abdul Adzim Bangkalan, the first carrier of the Naqsyabandiyah Mazhariyah Tariqa from Mecca to Madura.

 According to the book "Gender and Power in Indonesian Islam: Leaders, Feminists, Sufis, and Pesantren Selves," Nyai Aisyah's appointment as a mursyidah was a response to the growing number of female followers within the tariqa, and she herself was one of the disciples and followers of the tariqa.

Many sources provide information on the reasons behind Nyai Aisyah's appointment as a mursyidah, including the specific timing and the scope of her authority as a mursyidah. In the genealogical records and the relationship between mursyid-khalifah and the genealogical connections among the Naqsyabandiyah Madura teachers documented by Bruinessen, it is mentioned that Syaikh Abdul Adzim Bangkalan appointed five individuals as khalifahs: Moh. Saleh, Hasan Basuni, Zainal Abidin Kwanyar, Ahmad Syabrawi, and Jazuli.

Nyai Thabibah (d. 1975) was the eldest daughter of Kiai Khudzaifah and Nyai Rahbiyah, the daughter of Kiai Zainal Abidin bin Alimuddin. Tracing her lineage, Nyai Thabibah's ancestry can be identified as follows: Nyai Thabibah, the daughter of Kiai Khudzaifah, the daughter of Zainur Rahma, the son of Haibin, the son of Ruba’ah, the son of Amir Ruwasyi, the son of Abu Syuja’, the daughter of Nyai Syaibah, the daughter of Sayyid Abdul Allam (the ancestor of the prajjan family), the son of Syaikh Khatib Sawung Galing Pangratoh Bumi, the daughter of Sayyidah Nyai Keddi Kakettel, the daughter of Sayyid Tamsyi Pangeran Kulon, the son of Raden Paku Sayyid Ainul Yaqin Sunan Giri.

In daily life, Nyai Thabibah demonstrates a high dedication to educating her students, particularly in matters related to cleanliness. She is also renowned for her fluency in reciting the Qur'an. Even during sleep, she continues to recite the Qur'an, beginning with ta'awudz and basmalah. At Pesantren al-Bustan, she teaches several fundamental books to the female students, such as aqaid 50, which is commonly recited together after the Isha prayer, as well as Safinah an-Najah, Sullam at-Taufiq, Bidayah al-Hidayah, Daqaiq al-Akhbar fi Dzikr al-Jannah wa an-Naar. Despite not having received formal education herself, she teaches the female students how to write Latin letters.

Nyai Thabibah leads her life as a female practitioner (akhwat) of the Naqsyabandiyah Muzhariyah Tarekat for many years until attaining the highest position of mursyidah (female spiritual guide). During a zikir event with her teacher, Kiai Ali Wafa, in Ambunten, she was appointed as a mursyidah by her teacher.

This event took place in 1960, and the appointment was based on Allah's guidance through istikharah performed by Kiai Ali Wafa and after Nyai Thabibah went through several stages of the Tarekat. Besides the verbal appointment, Kiai Ali Wafa also provided her with a written ijazah.

Kiai Ja'far Abdu Wahid, who currently serves as the Mursyid of the Naqsyabandiyah Muzhariyah Tarekat and is also the nephew of Nyai Thabibah, explains that the position of a female mursyidah is not absolute. It means that a female mursyidah cannot guide ikhwan (male followers) or salik (male seekers), nor can she appoint a successor or khalifah as a leader. Kiai Ali Wafa Ambunten recognized the qualities of a perfect mursyid in Nyai Thabibah, which include having a clear spiritual taste (dzauq), strong knowledge, high determination, righteous behavior, and a connected inner enlightenment (bashirah).

In addition to Nyai Thabibah, Syarifah Fatimah is also mentioned as a mursyidah of the Naqsyabandiyah Muzhariyah Tarekat in Madura. Syarifah Fatimah joined the Tarekat after taking an oath from Kiai Sirajuddin and receiving an irsyad ijazah from Kiai Syamsuddin.

Lastly, there is Syarifah Nor in Gondanglegi, known as Pah Nong by the local community. The presence of female mursyidah like them reflects the fact that this Tarekat has many female followers in Madura. However, this phenomenon also occurs in many regions of Indonesia, with an estimated rough percentage of 30 to 40% of the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat's students nationwide being female. In Madura, these women can pledge allegiance to female teachers as well, reflecting a greater tolerance for female leadership among the Madurese community, albeit within their own environment.

            This phenomenon can be understood in the context of Madurese culture. While direct relationships between male teachers and female students have always been an issue, the Madurese people are not stricter in this regard compared to other ethnic groups, and female mursyidahs do not emerge in other places. Perhaps the presence of these mursyidahs indicates a greater tolerance among the Madurese people towards female leadership, albeit limited to their own environment.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the teachings propagated by these female figures include meditation exercises and practices such as muraqabah (contemplation), zikir (chanting), wirid (recitation of specific prayers), and others. For example, Syarifah Fatimah has many followers, especially in Sumenep, extending even to West Kalimantan and South Malang. She is the daughter of Habib Muhammad and an Arab woman, and has no family connection with other mursyids. She also took the bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) into the Tarekat from Kiai Sirajuddin and received an ijazah from Kiai Syamsuddin Umul.

Another mentioned female mursyidah by several informants is Syarifah Nor in Gondanglegi, known as Pah Nong. The presence of these female mursyids indicates that the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat has an independent organizational network for women in Madura. However, this phenomenon is not limited to the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat alone, as the Tijaniyah Tarekat also has female muqaddam (Tarekat leader) in Madura. For instance, Kiai Jauhari Prenduan is the first muqaddam in Madura and has given ijazah to a female niece as a muqaddamah (female leader) to lead female adherents of the Tarekat.

Overall, the presence of female mursyidahs in the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura reflects the significant role and influence of women in practicing Tarekat teachings and engaging in spiritual exercises. Although their leadership may be limited to their own circles, this phenomenon demonstrates greater tolerance towards women in Madurese society and the importance of their role in enhancing spiritual awareness and piety. The existence of female mursyidahs also provides opportunities for women to actively participate in Tarekat activities and receive the needed spiritual guidance.

Social and cultural factors in Madura may contribute to creating an environment that is more supportive of women in spiritual leadership roles. Although there are no strict religious limitations regarding female leadership in Tarekat, Madurese society seems to accept and respect the roles of these female mursyidahs.

It is important to note that this phenomenon is not limited to Madura but can also be found in several regions of Indonesia. Although on a smaller scale, there are female mursyidahs and active roles for women in various Tarekat throughout the archipelago.

This demonstrates the complexity and diversity of Indonesian culture and the diversity within religious practices. While there is variation in the acceptance and roles of women in Tarekat in different regions, it is important to respect and acknowledge their contributions and roles in strengthening spirituality and personal development within the religious context.

In conclusion, the presence of female mursyidahs in the Naqsyabandiyah Tarekat in Madura is a phenomenon that reflects tolerance and appreciation for the role of women in the spiritual and Tarekat context.

 

 

Refence

Martin Van Bruinessen, Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah di Indonesia: Survei Historis, Geografis dan Sosiologis, (Bandung: Mizan, 1994), hal. 197. Lihat juga, Ngabdurrahman, “Perjalanan Tarekat Dari Masa Ke Masa”, Mozaic Islam Nusantara,  Vol. 2, No. 2, 2016, hal. 80-86.

Bianca J. Smith dan Mark Woodward, Gender and Power in Indonesia Islam: Leaders, Feminist, Sufis, and Pesantren Selves, (New York: Roudledge, 2014),

Alfin Haidar Ali, “Nyai Thabibah, Mursyidah Tarekat Naqsabandiyah Muzhariyah Madura”, 

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