Wisdom
قصص وعبر
Stories & Lessons
Twelve short stories about KH. Ibrahim Ghozali — his learning, his character, and his compassion for all creatures.
- 01
Origins & Early Life
Born in 1812 in Cokromenggalan, the eldest son of KH. Ghozali bin K. Nawawi (Majasem) and Ny. Majasem. He learned to read and write Arabic and the Qur'an from his father, a hafiz (one who has memorised the whole Qur'an), then boarded (mondok) at Pesantren Tegalsari under the care of Kyai Ageng Raden Hasan Besari — a contemporary of the santri (student) and court poet R. Ng. Ronggowarsito. After returning from Tegalsari, he helped teach at his father's pesantren (Islamic boarding school) and was matched in marriage with a humble (tawadhu') female santri, Ny. Sudjinah.
TALI Book 2022, p. 8
- 02
Hajj & Seeking Knowledge in Makkah
Around 1840 he set out for the hajj by sailing ship from Tanjung Perak (steered by Madurese sailors), a year before Dzulhijjah. He spent eight years in Makkah deepening his study of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis), hadith, Syafi'i fiqh (jurisprudence), memorisation of the Qur'an, and khat and calligraphy. He was a contemporary of Syaikh Ahmad Khotib (Minangkabau), Syaikh Nawawi al-Bantani, Syaikh Mahfudz Termas, and KH. Syamsul Arifin (Situbondo). A 2022 UINSA undergraduate thesis records his teacher as Syaikh Ahmad Khatib as-Sambasi.
TALI Book 2022, p. 8
- 03
The Gift of Tumenggung Brotonegoro
Around 1824 KH. Ghozali defended Tumenggung Brotonegoro, Bupati of Polorejo, against slander before the King of Solo. In return he was given three things: the tumenggung's widowed daughter, a rice barn built of teak (moved to Cokromenggalan and turned into a mosque in 1830), and a plot of haunted forest land to the north-east of the katemenggungan (the tumenggung's seat) — land that would later be handed over to Ibrahim.
TALI Book 2022, p. 9
- 04
Clearing the Bedi Forest (Babad Alas Bedi)
Because he was tawadhu' (humble) and unwilling to take his father's place while his father was still alive, Ibrahim was given the forest land that had been Brotonegoro's gift. Together with his wife he cleared the forest, which was notorious for being haunted. The disturbances of spirits (genderuwo, wewe, memedi) were subdued through prayer and wirid (litanies of remembrance), then 'placed' in a tree to the south-east of the mosque. From the word 'memedi' → 'medi' → 'mbedi' came the name Bedi (±1848–1849).
TALI Book 2022, p. 10
- 05
The Unruly Santri (Santri Mbeling) & Adipati Cokronegoro
The santri (students) of Bedi were known for their boldness. Once, hundreds of santri carried bamboo on their shoulders from Bakalan, cheering and laying the bamboo across the road — unwittingly mocking the entourage of Adipati R.M.T. Cokronegoro I. A week later Kyai Ibrahim was summoned; patiently, he asked forgiveness on their behalf. The Adipati — a son of Kyai Hasan Besari of Tegalsari — forgave them without any penalty.
TALI Book 2022, p. 14
- 06
Honouring the Thieves
Three thieves who broke into the house instead 'got lost in the forest' all night, then fell asleep on the floor of the Kyai's room. The Kyai did not call his santri; he slaughtered a rooster, asked Nyai (his wife) to cook it, then invited the thieves to breakfast, gave each of them a bathok (coconut-shell measure) of rice to take with them, and thanked them for 'having guarded his house all night'. They repented. Similar stories: a coconut thief who 'could not get down', and fire ants (semut geni) that foiled five holes dug by burglars.
TALI Book 2022, p. 15
- 07
The Price of a Mushaf
The Qur'an was still rare in Java. After returning from Makkah (1847) with a mushaf (written copy of the Qur'an), KH. Ibrahim copied the Qur'an after tahajud (the late-night prayer), using a pen made of sodo aren (sugar-palm frond rib) and bak ink. The first mushaf took a year to complete; one commissioned by a santri was finished in six months in exchange for two cows — which were sold to build the pondok (boarding lodgings), a place for wudhu (ablution), and to repair the mosque. Patrons from Banyuwangi and Kedu gave as much as Rp 50 (a cow cost ±Rp 10). He is said to have copied 11 mushaf in his lifetime. A codicological study (Nun 7(1), 2021) found European paper bearing a Heelsum, Netherlands watermark, a mixed Uthmani–imla'i rasm (orthography), and the qiraat (reading) of 'Ashim in the riwayat (transmission) of Hafs.
TALI Book 2022, p. 16
- 08
Compassion for All Creatures
He did not chase away the chickens that ate the rice he had laid out to dry. If birds were perched or foraging on the path he was about to take, he would wait or choose another way: 'Pilih golek dalan liyo, katimbang ganggu manuk sing lagi golek pangan.' (Better to find another path than to disturb birds that are looking for food.)
TALI Book 2022, p. 17
- 09
Mbah Kombong & the 12-Year Santri
A santri from Bagelen, Purworejo, who never left his kombong (sleeping cell) except to study (mengaji) — until he was nicknamed Kombong. He remained unmarried and vowed to serve until death; he was the only santri to die at Bedi and the first to be buried on the Kyai's private land, which was later endowed as waqf (a religious endowment) for a public cemetery. There was also Mbah Noer of Tamanan, who did not go home for 12 years even though his house was only 1 km away — until his father sold a buffalo to commission a kitab (religious book) written by the Kyai.
TALI Book 2022, p. 17
- 10
Three Heritage Mosques
Besides Masjid Bedi, KH. Ibrahim built a mosque in Tamanan for his son-in-law KH. Umar (husband of Zainab) — later led as imam by K. Saubari and K. Hayat — and a mosque in Bakalan for his son KH. Ridlwan, which was later named 'Al-Ibrahim' by KH. Asyhuri (1912–2007). Pesantren Bedi was handed over to his son-in-law KH. Imam Rozi (husband of Hj. Syarifah).
TALI Book 2022, p. 20
- 11
Passing & the Body Borne Hand to Hand
In Jumadal Ula 1335 AH (1917 CE), at the age of ±105, KH. Ibrahim passed away at the home of KH. Ridlwan in Bakalan. Thousands of santri and villagers stood in lines from Bakalan all the way to the Bedi cemetery; his body was passed along in a chain from hand to hand, with everyone vying to help carry it. Pesantren Bedi later declined because of the Dutch village schools (1900s) and came to an end with the death of KH. Imam Rozi (±1940).
TALI Book 2022, p. 22
- 12
The Brotonegoro War of 1825
When Diponegoro's troops stopped at Polorejo (1825), the Dutch subsequently attacked. Brotonegoro built a bamboo watchtower (the origin of the name Bakalan), struck the demung gong (Demung), his horse went 'ndigar-ndigar', rearing up (Tegari), and soldiers lost their way after seeing lights going 'kelip-kelip', flickering (Sekelip). In the end he was besieged on Gunung Gombak for months until he died; the hill came to be called Bukit Larangan. His former battlefield is called Tilasan.
TALI Book 2022, p. 11