Who would have thought, one of the midwives for the birth of the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia, namely Nahdlatul Ulama (NOT) turns out to come from Banyuwangi. Kyai Saleh, the original son of Blambangan was one of the founders of the formation of the first NU board.
The chanting of holy verses echoed from the loudspeakers installed at the Kiai Saleh Mosque, which is located in the middle of a residential area, precisely on Jalan Enggano, Lateng Kelurahan Village, Banyuwangi District, yesterday afternoon (14/10).
At the mouth of the alley leading to the mosque, displayed a banner reading “Haul to 62 Kiai Saleh Lateng. It was later discovered, the alley is not the only entrance to the mosque which is quite magnificent. Another access to the Kiai Saleh Mosque is via Jalan Riau.
On the terrace of the mosque, two middle-aged people were sitting cross-legged. One of them is Kiagus Abdul Aziz Saleh. old man 86 that year was the only child of 33 the surviving sons and daughters of Kiai Saleh.
"Let's just go home. I told the history of Kiai Saleh there, so as not to disturb the person who is reciting,” he said after knowing the intention of the Jawa Pos Radar Banyuwangi journalists. Arriving at the house which is approx 50 meters from the mosque, Azis immediately told the history of his father.
according to her, Kiai Saleh is a figure who is firm and courageous in declaring truth and justice. "We, children, cannot go to schools established by the late Dutch colonists (Kyai Saleh) He also forbade his students from wearing pants, take off the hat, and following Dutch customs," he remembers.
It says, the father has the full name Kiagus Mohammad Saleh. After performing Hajj, the name of Kiai Saleh was changed to Mohammad Syamsudin. However, in everyday interactions, he still uses and writes the name with Kiai Saleh.
Because of that, people know him better with Kiai Saleh. Even, outside Banyuwangi, he was known by the name of Kiai Saleh Lateng. When Kiai Saleh lived in Mecca for six years, suddenly Kiai Moch Cholil, his kiai Kiai Saleh who came from Bangkalan, Madurai is coming.
At that time, Kiai Cholil Bangkalan appealed to Kiai Saleh to return to Banyuwangi immediately. "You go back to Banyuwangi. Your country is broken,Azis said imitating Kiai Cholil's words to Kiai Saleh. In short, when Kiai Saleh arrived in Banyuwangi, he found that the residents of Lateng and its surroundings were hostile to each other.
The martial arts fighters are at odds with each other. The sorcerers also attack each other, to be recognized as the greatest. To unite the people who are mutually hostile, Kiai Saleh immediately intervened. The disputing pencak warriors were all defeated.
The two camps of witchcraft who attacked each other were defeated with knowledge in accordance with Islamic teachings. After the warring parties are equally subdued, The pious kiai then appointed them as santri. "Because of one teacher, don't be hostile,” said Azis imitating Kiai Saleh's words to his students.
The actions of the kiai born in Kampung Mandar, Banyuwangi District on date 7 March 1862 the past is not over[ai stopped there. The child of the couple Aisyah from Panderejo Village, Banyuwangi, and Kiagus Abdul Hadi from Palembang continued to act.
In the year 1926, Kiai Saleh is one of the founders of Nahdlatul Ulama (NOT) with KH Hasyim Asy'ari and KH Wahab Hasbullah. Even, when he was about to attend the NU Congress at the Al-Khairiah Building in the Singonegaran Village, Banyuwangi, KH Hasyim Asy'ari and KH Wahab Hasbullah discussed with Kiai Saleh at Kiai Saleh's prayer room.
at that time, the kiai agreed to form a "subsidiary" organization of NU. The NU child is the forerunner of the Ansor Youth Movement. "The mosque is the same place (khatam) That Koran, used to be a breach (musala, Red),” explained Aziz, explaining that the prayer room was the place where the forerunner of GP Ansor was born.
Nah, to commemorate the services of Kiai Saleh, in year 1953, Temporary District People's House of Representatives (DPRDS) Banyuwangi immortalizes the name Kiai Saleh as the name of a street, precisely the highway to the east from the Lateng Banyuwangi red light intersection. But honey, since 1987 until now, the name of Jalan Kiai Saleh was replaced with Jalan DI Panjaitan.
Together with the community, we urge the government to return the name of Jalan DI Panjaitan to Jalan Kiai Saleh. Because, Kiai Saleh is a unifying figure for the people, especially Osing people,” concluded Azis who had served as a member of the East Java Provincial DPRD in 1974 until 1976 the.(radar)