The Kiai as a Community Relations Agent in Sustaining the Existence of Islamic Boarding Schools: A Case Study at Pondok Pesantren Burhanul Abrar Besuki, Situbondo

Sholahuddin, Sholahuddin and Rifa'i, Moh. (2026) The Kiai as a Community Relations Agent in Sustaining the Existence of Islamic Boarding Schools: A Case Study at Pondok Pesantren Burhanul Abrar Besuki, Situbondo. Al-Ijtimaiyyah, 12 (2). pp. 1-18. ISSN 2461-0755

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Abstract

This study examines the role of the kiai (Islamic boarding school leader) as a community relations agent in sustaining the institutional existence of Pondok Pesantren Burhanul Abrar, Besuki, Situbondo, East Java, Indonesia. Grounded in the frameworks of Islamic community development and institutional communication, the study analyzes the strategies, patterns, and social dynamics through which the kiai builds and maintains relationships with surrounding communities, alumni networks, government actors, and the broader public. A qualitative research design with a case study approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with pesantren administrators, student guardians (wali santri), alumni, and community figures selected through purposive sampling, complemented by participatory observation of da'wah activities, social services, and community interactions, as well as institutional documentation. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, with data validity established through source, method, and time triangulation.

The findings reveal that the kiai occupies a central strategic position in the pesantren's community relations system, functioning simultaneously as a charismatic leader, moral communicator, social capital builder, and cultural da'wah actor. The kiai's community relations strategies encompass personal communication, cultural engagement through local Islamic traditions, moral exemplarity, external da'wah activities across multiple regions, and alumni network strengthening through the Ikatan Santri Alumni Burhanul Abrar (IKSABA) organization. These strategies have yielded measurable outcomes, including a growth in student enrollment from 220 santri in 2023 to 255 in 2024 and 290 in 2025, reflecting increasing public trust and deepening social legitimacy. The study concludes that the kiai's role as a cultural public relations agent is the primary factor in sustaining the pesantren's existence, providing a replicable model of community-based Islamic institutional communication applicable to other pesantren in contemporary Indonesia.

Penelitian ini mengkaji peran kiai sebagai agen hubungan masyarakat (public relations) dalam mempertahankan eksistensi kelembagaan Pondok Pesantren Burhanul Abrar, Besuki, Situbondo, Jawa Timur. Bertolak dari kerangka pengembangan masyarakat Islam dan komunikasi kelembagaan, penelitian ini menganalisis strategi, pola, dan dinamika sosial yang digunakan kiai dalam membangun serta merawat hubungan dengan masyarakat sekitar, jaringan alumni, pemerintah, dan publik yang lebih luas. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain studi kasus. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam dengan pengurus pesantren, wali santri, alumni, dan tokoh masyarakat yang dipilih secara purposive, observasi partisipatif terhadap kegiatan dakwah, pelayanan sosial, dan interaksi komunitas, serta dokumentasi kelembagaan. Analisis data dilakukan menggunakan model interaktif Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña, dengan uji keabsahan data melalui triangulasi sumber, teknik, dan waktu.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kiai menempati posisi yang sangat strategis dalam sistem hubungan masyarakat pesantren, berfungsi sekaligus sebagai pemimpin karismatik, komunikator moral, pembangun modal sosial, dan aktor dakwah kultural. Strategi hubungan masyarakat kiai mencakup komunikasi personal, keterlibatan kultural melalui tradisi keislaman lokal, keteladanan moral, dakwah eksternal lintas wilayah, serta penguatan jaringan alumni melalui Ikatan Santri Alumni Burhanul Abrar (IKSABA). Strategi ini berdampak signifikan terhadap peningkatan jumlah santri dari 220 pada tahun 2023, menjadi 255 pada tahun 2024, dan mencapai 290 pada tahun 2025, yang mencerminkan peningkatan kepercayaan publik serta legitimasi sosial lembaga. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa peran kiai sebagai agen hubungan masyarakat kultural merupakan faktor paling dominan dalam mempertahankan eksistensi pesantren, sekaligus menawarkan model komunikasi kelembagaan berbasis masyarakat yang relevan direplikasi oleh pesantren lain di Indonesia kontemporer.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Islamic Community Development, Kiai Leadership, Community Relations, Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren), Social Capital Peran Kiai, Hubungan masyarakat, Eksistensi Pondok
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Divisions:	Fakultas Agama Islam > S1 Manajemen Pendidikan Islam
Depositing User:	Unnamed user with email sholahuddin220104@gmail.com
Date Deposited:	18 Aug 2026 05:14
Last Modified:	10 Sep 2026 03:49
URI:	https://repository.unuja.ac.id/id/eprint/4238

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