Stories Evolving Souls; Prophets, Shufis & Shalih People
KH. ZAINI MUN'IM; When to Choose Between Science and Gold
KH. Zaini Mun’im is the founder and first caregiver of Pondok Pesantren Nurul Jadid Paiton Probolinggo.
KH. Zaini Mun’im was born in 1906 in Pamekasan Madura Galis Village. He was the first son of two brothers of the KH couple. Abdul Mun’im and Ny. Hj. Hamida. He (KH. ZAINI MUN’IM) his small name is Abdul Mughni. On his body flowed the blood of Ulama and Nobles. His father KH. Abdul Mun’im was the son of Kiai Mudarik bin Kiai Ismail. Kiai Ismail is the second generation successor to Pondok Pesantren Kembang Kuning Pamekasan Madura.
He is the nephew of Kiai Mahalli Founder of Pondok Pesantren Kembang Kuning. Kiai Ismail's grandfather was Kiai Nuruddin Gunung Tinggi Pakong, he (from the Kiai Batu Ampar Wetan line) is a descendant of Bendoro Saud aka Temenggung Tirtonegoro, he (from the Kiai Batu Ampar Wetan line) is a descendant of Bendoro Saud, aka Temenggung Tirtonegoro, Duke Sumenep who is also a descendant of Prince Ketandur or grandson of Sunan Kudus. KH. Abdul Mun’im (father of KH Zaini Mun’im) besides as a Ulama also known as a trader, he carried out his trading mission to Bululawang Malang and he died and was buried in Bululawang Malang.
Her mother, Mrs. Hj. Hamidah is a descendant of the Pamekasan Kings through the KH line. Bujuk Azhar (Ratoh Sidabulangan), ruler of the Kraton Pamekasan Madura. He is from Palesanggar Village, Pegantenan District Pamekasan Madura. His family life is famous as the Santri family.
In 1937, Lora Abdul Mughni (which eventually became more popular under the name KH. Zaini Mun’im) is married to Kiai Abdul Majid Banyuanyar's nephew, Nyai Nafi’ah. From this marriage he was blessed by God with six sons and 1 daughter:
1) Alms. KH. Moh's. Hashim, BA. (Born in Madura)
2) Alms. Drs. KH. A. Wahid Zaini, SH. (Born in Madura)
3) Nyai Hj's. Ayesha (K-Istri. Hasan Abdul Wafi's). (Born in Madura)
4) KH. The Fadlurrahman Zaini, BA. (Born in Paiton)
5) KH. Moh's. Zuhri Town, BA. (Born in Paiton)
6) Alms. KH. Abdul Haq Zaini, Lc, (Born in Paiton)
7) Alms.Drs. KH. Nur Chotim Zaini's. (Born in Paiton)
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From an early age, he had received religious education from both his parents, Nyai Hamidah and KH. Abdul Mun’im. At the age of 11 years, during the Dutch colonial period, he entered the Wolk School (People's School) for four years (1917-1921). Furthermore, he deepened the Qur’an along with its tajwid to KH. M. Kholil and KH. Muntaha, (daughter-in-law of Kiai Kholil) at Pondok Pesantren Kademangan Bangkalan Madura.
After that, in 1922 he continued his learning process to Pondok Pesantren Banyuanyar Pamekasan who was raised by KH. R. Abdul Hamid and his son KH. Abdul Majid's. In 1925, he began to migrate to the land of Java and mondok in Pesantren Sidogiri Pasuruan which was taken care of by KH. Nawawi.
Here he only studied for one year, because at that time his beloved father died. Thus, as the eldest son, he had to return to Madura, replacing his father. At the age of 22 years, he studied at Pondok Pesantren Tebuireng Jombang who was taken care of by KH. Hashim Asy'ari (Founder of the Nahdlatul Ulama Organization). In this pesantren, he sharpened the science of religion and Arabic language at an even higher level, both to Kiai Hashim, KH. Maksum bin Kuaron Seblak (in-law of Kiai Hashim), as well as to KH. Wahid Hashim (Putera Kiai Hashim).
After a stay at the Tebuireng boarding school, Jombang to Hadhratus Shaykh KH. Hashim Asy’ari, he left for Mecca with his family. He studied the science of fiqh, ushul fiqh, hadith, tafsir, lughah, balaghah and tasawwuf, teaching to several sheikhs, including Sheikh Umar Hamdani al-Maghribi, Sheikh Alwi Al Maliki, among others, Shaykh Said al-Yamani, Shaykh Umar Bayunid, Shaykh Sharif bin Ghulam Makkah and others.
Once, when mondok and taught to Shaykh Sharif Ghulam, his tasawwuf teacher, he not only absorbed his knowledge, but he also became his khadam (abdi dalem). As usual, one time when he was filling the water in the teacher's bathroom by drawing water from the well turned out that the bucket did not contain water, but contained a lump of gold. By him the gold was not then taken but instead returned to the well.
He replied, “because what I want is his knowledge, not gold it”.
Subhanallah, maybe this includes tests from his teacher and KH. Zaini was able to pass through it with the sharpness of heart and mind that God gave him.
In the story above, K. Zaini not only taught to his teacher but also served and shuhbah to his teacher, as in a maqalah:
العِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ وَالْبَرَكَةُ بِالْخِدْمَةِ
”*A*l-‘mu bitta’allum, wal barakah bil khidmah*”
Science is obtained by learning, while blessing is obtained by virtue (serving).
Serving or shuhbah can strengthen the student's relationship with the teacher, his brother with his disciple, and get the pleasure of the teacher. Now when the student gets the pleasure of the teacher, then that is one of the addresses of the success of the student in the future.
Even in the Sufi world this position of “khidmah” and “shuhbah” is very important, because this is where the disciples will get the asrar (secret), which is very important, knowledge and wisdom quickly if the student is eager and always clean his heart.
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Excerpted from the book KH. Zaini Mun’im; Devotion and Writing, by: Maghfur Ramdhani (Chair of PK MATAN Universitas Nurul Jadid).
https://jatman.or.id
His full biography can be accessed at the official website of Pondok Pesntren Nurul Jadid Paiton Probolinggo.
www.nuruljadid.net