This article was written to commemorate Kartini's Day, as well as to review the book "Kartini: Kisah yang Tersembunyi". "So far, Al-Fatihah is dark for me. I do not understand the slightest meaning. But since today it is clear to its implied meaning because Father Kyai has explained it in a language that I understand, ”wrote Kartini.
One of the famous students of Mbah Kyai Sholeh Darat, but not among the scholars, was Raden Ajeng Kartini. Because of RA Kartini, Mbah Sholeh Darat became the pioneer of translating the Al-Qur'an into Javanese. According to the records of the grandson of Kyai Sholeh Darat (Hj. Fadhilah Sholeh), RA Kartini had an unpleasant experience while studying Islam. His teacher scolded him for asking about the meaning of a verse from the Quran.
Biography
Raden Adjeng Kartini is someone from the Priyayi circle or the Javanese aristocratic class, the daughter of Raden Mas Adipati Ario Sosroningrat, the regent of Jepara. She is the daughter of the first wife, but not the main wife. His mother named M.A. Ngasirah, daughter of Nyai Haji Siti Aminah and Kyai Haji Madirono, a religion teacher in Telukawur, Jepara. From his father's side, Kartini's lineage can be traced to Hamengkubuwana VI. Kartini's father was originally a Wedana in Mayong. Colonial regulations at that time required a regent to have the wife of a nobleman. Because M.A. Ngasirah was not a high noble, so her father remarried Raden Adjeng Woerjan (Moerjam), a direct descendant of the King of Madura. After the marriage, Kartini's father was appointed regent in Jepara to replace the position of R.A. Woerjan, R.A.A. Tjitrowikromo.
Kartini is the fifth child of 11 biological and step-siblings. Of all the siblings, Kartini is the oldest daughter. His grandfather, Pangeran Ario Tjondronegoro IV, was appointed regent at the age of 25. Kartini's older brother, Sosrokartono, was a smart language expert. Until the age of 12 years, Kartini is allowed to attend ELS (Europese Lagere School). Here, among others, Kartini learned Dutch. But after the age of 12, he had to stay at home because he could be secluded.
Confused Letter
In his letter to Stella Zihandelaar dated November 6, 1899, RA Kartini wrote;
"Regarding my religion, Islam, what should I tell? Islam forbids its followers from discussing their religious teachings with other people. After all, I'm Muslim because my ancestors are Muslim. How can I love my religion, if I don't understand it and can't understand it?
The Koran is too holy; may not be translated into any language, so that it can be understood by every Muslim. Nobody here understands Arabic. Here, people study the Koran but don't understand what it reads.
I thought it is crazy for people to be taught to read but not to be taught the meaning of what is read. It's the same as when you told me to memorize English but didn't give the meaning.
I thought it was okay to not even become a pious person as long as you were kind. Isn't that Stella?
RA Kartini continued her confession, but this time in a letter dated August 15, 1902, which was sent to Mrs. Abendanon.
And at that time I didn't want to do things that didn't know what they needed and what were the benefits. I no longer want to read the Koran, learn to memorize parables in foreign languages that I don't understand.
Maybe my teacher didn't understand what it meant. Tell me what it means, later I'll learn anything. I sinned. We are too holy, so we shouldn't understand what it means.
Meet Kyai Sholeh Darat
If you read Kartini's letter published by Abendanon from the Netherlands, it seems that RA Kartini has become secular and a follower of feminism. But hopefully, the following story can provide new information about Kartini's appreciation of Islam and Sufism.
Why? Because in the letter of RA Kartini's letter which in fact has been edited and under the supervision of Abendanon, who in fact is an apparatus of the Dutch colonial government plus an orientalist, in Kartini's letter he did not mention his meeting with Kyai Sholeh bin Umar from Darat, Semarang - better known as Kyai. Sholeh Darat. Alhamdullilah, Mrs. Fadhila Sholeh, grandson of Kyai Sholeh Darat, was moved to write this story.
Destiny, according to Mrs. Fadihila Sholeh, brought Kartini together with Kyai Sholej Darat. The meeting took place during a recitation ceremony at the house of Demak Regent Pangeran Ario Hadiningrat, who is also his uncle. At that time, the one who brought him was Sosrokartono, his biological brother.
Then when visiting his uncle's house, a Demak Regent, RA Kartini took the time to attend the recitation given by Mbah Sholeh Darat. At that time he was teaching the interpretation of Surat al-Fatihah. RA Kartini became very interested in Mbah Sholeh Darat.
Kyai Sholeh Darat gave a lecture on the interpretation of Al-Fatihah. Kartini is stunned. During the recitation, Kartini seemed not to have time to turn her eyes away from the figure of Kyai Sholeh Darat, and her ears caught the word for word conveyed by the speaker.
This is understandable because so far Kartini only knows how to read Al Fatihah, without ever knowing the meaning of the verses.
After the recitation, Kartini urged her uncle to accompany her to meet Kyai Sholeh Darat. The uncle couldn't help it, because Kartini was whining like a child. The following is the Kartini-Kyai Sholeh dialogue.
"Kyai, let me ask how the law is when a knowledgeable person hides his knowledge?" Kartini opens a dialogue.
Kyai Sholeh was stunned, but not for long. "Why did Raden Ajeng ask that?" Kyai Sholeh asked in return.
"Kyai, during my life this is the first time I have the opportunity to understand the meaning of the letter Al-Fatihah, the first and main letter of the Al-Quran. The contents were so beautiful, it shook my heart, ”said Kartini.
Kyai Sholeh was stunned. The teacher seemed to have no words to interrupt. Kartini continued; "It is not an act of gratitude to Allah. However, I wonder why all this time the scholars have strictly forbidden the translation and interpretation of the Al-Quran into Javanese. Isn't the Al-Quran the guidance for a happy and prosperous life for humans? "
The dialogue stopped there. Mrs. Fadhila wrote that Kyai Sholeh could not say anything except Subhanallah. Kartini has awakened Kyai Sholeh's consciousness to do a great job; translating the Koran into Javanese.
After rain comes sunshine
During the meeting, RA Kartini asked that the Qur'an be translated because according to her there was no point in reading a holy book whose meaning was unknown. But at that time the Dutch colonialists officially prohibited people from translating the Qur'an. Mbah Sholeh Darat violated this prohibition, he translated the Qur'an by writing it in "bald Arabic" (Pigeon) so that it was not suspected by the invaders.
The book of interpretation and translation of the Qur'an is named Kitab Faidhur-Rohman, the first interpretation in the archipelago in Javanese with Arabic script. This book was also gifted to R.A. Kartini at the time she married R.M. Joyodiningrat, a Regent of Rembang. Kartini really liked the gift and said:
"So far, Al-Fatihah is dark for me. I don't understand the meaning in the slightest. But since today it is clear to its implied meaning because Father Kyai has explained it in Javanese which I understand. "
{This is the basis of the book "After the dark comes the light" not from a collection of his correspondence, .. history has been distorted, (author red)}.
It was through Mbah Sholeh Darat's translation that RA Kartini found a verse that deeply touched her conscience, namely:
Believers are guided by Allah from dark to bright light (Surah Al-Baqoroh: 257).
In many of his letters to Abendanon, Kartini repeated many words "From dark to light" which he wrote in Dutch: "Door Duisternis Toot Licht." By Armin Pane, this expression was translated as "After Darkness, Is the Light," which became the title for his compilation of correspondence books.
The letter translated by Kyai Sholeh is Al-Fatihah to Surat Ibrahim. Kartini studied it seriously, almost in her spare time. But unfortunately, the translation of the Faidhur-Rohman Book was not finished because Mbah Kyai Sholeh Darat died.
Kyai Sholeh took Kartini on a journey of spiritual transformation. Kartini's view of the West (read: Europe) changed. Note Kartini's letter dated October 27, 1902, to Mrs. Abendanon.
It is past its time, at first we thought European society was really the best, there was no match. Forgive us. Do you think European society is perfect? Can you deny that behind the beauty in your mother's society there are many things that are not at all worthy of being called civilization?
Never did we want to turn our students into half European, or Western Javanese.
In his letter to Mrs. Van Kol, July 21, 1902, Kartini also wrote;
I am determined and trying to improve the image of Islam, which has so far been the target of slander. Hopefully, we will have mercy, can work to make other religions see Islam as a preferred religion.
Then in a letter to Mrs. Abendanon, dated August 1, 1903, Kartini wrote;
"I really want to use the highest title, namely Servant of God."
Source of writing: Aguk Irawan MN, “Kartini Kisah yang Tersembunyi,” Javanica Publisher, Jakarta, 2014.