Noted as one of the 13 founding figures of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), KH Abdul Chalim’s name is not as popular as other figures in the Indonesian people’s historical record and collective memory, especially nahdliyin residents. But he had an essential role behind the founding of NU and the struggle for Indonesian independence. Simplicity and humility, that’s how he is.
When the NU jamiyah was founded in Surabaya in 1926, KH Abdul Chalim sat as Katib Tsani on the management of the NU Executive Board for the first period. With that position, he became a working partner of KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah, one of the most influential scholars at the time. At that time, KH Hasyim Asy’ari as Rais Akbar, KH Ahmad Dahlan Ahyad as Deputy Rais Akbar, KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah as Katib Awal, and KH Abdul Chalim as Katib Tsani (or Second Secretary).
Who is KH Abdul Chalim so that his name does not adorn the pages of history books and is less well known in the community’s collective memory? He had an essential role in implementing the Hijaz Committee on January 31, 1926, which later gave birth to NU, Indonesia’s most prominent Islamic organization.
He was born in Leuwimunding Sub-district, Majalengka, West Java, in 1898 without a recorded date of birth. Because he was born in Leuwimunding, he later went by the name KH Abdul Chalim Leuwimunding. His father was Kedung Wangsagama, a village head which his residents highly respected. His mother’s name is Nyai Satimah. KH Abdul Chalim was married to four women and had 21 sons and daughters. KH Asep Saifuddin Chalim, the caretaker of the Amanatul Ummah Pesantren, who is also the General Chairperson of the NU Teachers Association Center (Pergunu).
Based on the explanation of KH Asep Saifuddin, KH Abdul Chalim’s first wife was Nyai Hj Nur. From this first marriage, KH Abdul Chalim was blessed with a child named Siti Rahmah. Then, KH Abdul Chalim married Nyai Mahmudah from Cilimus, Kuningan. Moreover, through this marriage was blessed with several children, namely Nyai Hj Chomsatun, Nyai Hj Mafruchat, Agus Hafidz Qawiyyun, Nyai Rofiqoh, H Ahmad Mustin, Nyai Nashihah, and Mustahdi Chalim. After that, KH Abdul Chalim married Nyai Siti Qana’ah from Plered, Cirebon who later had seven children, namely Nyai Humaidah, Nyai Muntafiah, Nyai Hudriah, H Mustafid Chalim, Nyai Farikhah, Nyai Halimah, and KH Asep Saifuddin. Then, his last wife was Nyai Hj Siddiqoh, who gave birth to Siti Halimah.
Hijaz Connection
As a teenager, KH Abdul Chalim attended HIS Cirebon. Because of that, he was able to master the Dutch language. But also proficient in Arabic. After completing HIS, he continued his education at various Pesantrens in Cirebon. Among them are the Trajaya Pesantren (Majalengka), the Kedungwuni Pesantren (Duchy), and the Kempek Pesantren (Cirebon). Then, in 1914, when he was only sixteen years old, KH Abdul Chalim performed the pilgrimage and studied in the Hijaz land for two years. He learned directly from well-known scholars, such as Abu Abdul Mu’thi, Shaykh Ahmad Dayyat, and Muhammad Nawawi bin Umar Al-Bantani who is more famous than Imam Nawawi Banten.
While studying at the Hijaz, KH Abdul Chalim met with various Nusantara scholars from multiple regions. Some of these scholars later became friends and teachers. The most familiar friend and teacher is KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah, better known as Kiai Wahab Jombang. At that time, KH Abdul Chalim became a member and administrator of the Sarekat Islam (SI) Hijaz and was the youngest member there because he was only sixteen years old.
As is well known, SI is an organization of Nusantara ulama oriented towards opposing the policies of the Dutch East Indies colonial government in the archipelago. Through SI, the colonial government’s policies were constitutionally opposed, which were not following Islamic law and were detrimental to the people. Until in their turn, the ulema of the SI management then merged into Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
As the only son of a kuwu—a village head—in Majalengka, KH Abdul Chalim was no longer awkward when he was involved in various management positions at SI Hijaz. Likewise, when he returned to his homeland in 1917. After returning from the holy land, KH Abdul Chalim helped his parents in the village to relieve the suffering of his people due to Dutch colonialism.
Participate in Midwifery NU
In 1922, KH Abdul Chalim then wandered from his residence in Leuwimunding to Surabaya on foot for fourteen days to join his comrades in arms. In Surabaya, for the services of Kiai Amin Peraban, KH Abdul Chalim met again with Kiai Wahab Jombang, his senior and teacher, while studying in the Hijaz land. Because of their excellent relationship, KH Abdul Chalim was then trusted to be a teacher at Nahdlatul Wathan, located in Kawatan VI Village, Surabaya.
In addition to teaching, KH Abdul Chalim is also trusted as an administrative regulator and initiator of teaching and learning activities and opening discussion forums. As a Pasundan santri who is good at singing and mastering the science of balaghoh (Arabic literature), KH Abdul Chalim then created a lot of Arabic poems to pump up the fighting spirit of the students were members of Nahdlatul Wathan. One of his works is the NU history masterpiece entitled History of the Struggle of Kiayi Haji Abdul Wahab in the form of nadhom (poem).
Through his activities at Nahdlatul Wathan, KH Abdul Chalim applied his religious ideas about social interaction, political solidarity, and national insight into society. Besides Nahdlatul Wathan, he is also listed as a teacher at the Tashwirul Afkar Madrasa, Surabaya.
As a fellow santri in the Hijaz land, KH Abdul Chalim later became a partner of KH Abdul Wahab Hasbullah in holding a meeting of Nusantara scholars called the Hijaz Committee. At that time, KH Abdul Chalim was in charge of the forum and sending invitations to all scholars or Kiai on the islands of Java and Madura. The Hijaz Committee meeting was finally held on January 31, 1926, in Surabaya for his hard work. This Hijaz Committee meeting later became the forerunner of the birth of NU. When NU was officially declared on that same date, KH Abdul Chalim sat in the management as Katib Tsani. Therefore, he is a figure who records many strategic documents in every critical history of this nation, especially the history of the NU movement.
During his service in Surabaya, KH Abdul Chalim repeatedly returned to Majalengka to deliver the latest news from Surabaya, which was the centre of the struggle of the santri in liberating the nation from the shackles of colonialism and ignorance of the people. Every time he returns to Majalengka, KH Abdul Chalim always visits people’s homes to introduce, teach and spread the notion of Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah. He also consistently distributes pictures and newspapers of Soeara Nahdlatoel Oelama to people in Majalengka and surrounding areas.
In 1942, when The Japanese colonial government froze Islamic organizations, KH Abdul Chalim faced two significant challenges in his area. Japanese intervention for the youth to join the Japanese military forces and the pride of the youth to become communists. This is a complicated dilemma to deal.
When Hezbollah was founded in 1944, KH Abdul Chalim was one of its national advisers. In this situation, KH Abdul Chalim formed the Majalengka Branch of Hezbollah with KHAbbas Buntet Cirebon. Hezbollah Majalengka then worked hand in hand with other groups of fighters, both from the santri army and other youth armies, to defend the independence of the Republic of Indonesia. In fact, during the interim administration, he held important positions as a member of the MPRS until the birth of a definitive government.
In 1955, KH Abdul Chalim became a member of the DPR from the NU Party representing West Java. Since then, KH Abdul Chalim’s struggle has been more focused on empowering NU residents of West Java by forming various community empowerment forums such as PERTANU (NU Farmers Association), PERGUNU (NU Teachers Association), and the establishment of formal NU educational institutions in West Java.
In his fight for Indonesia and NU, KH Abdul Chalim was a humble and straightforward figure. In the story of his journey from Leuwimunding to Surabaya, which is included in the book History of the Struggle of Kiai Haji Abdul Wahab, he only had a sarong and basic food and walked on foot in fourteen days. Then, when he became a member of the DPR GR, he never used state money or facilities at all. When travelling to the capital city of Jakarta, he only uses the prayer room and mosques as resting places.
Because Gus Dur Pilgrimage
So simple, when he died, there was not a single valuable legacy left to his descendants, other than a small madrasa (not a boarding school) in Leuwimunding called Madrasah Sabilul Halim. Plus, he never had a will to give anything special to his own grave. The tomb of KH Abdul Chalim was only known to the public in March 2003, when the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia, KH Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur, made a pilgrimage to Leuwimunding. It is conceivable that if it were not for Gus Dur, perhaps until this very moment, his services and graves would only be known by a handful of people.
Many people finally made a mistake from this simplicity and humility and could not distinguish between KH Abdul Chalim Leuwimunding and other Abdul Halim-Abdul Halim. Based on the explanation from KH A Lazim Soeadi, one of the teachers at the Amanatul Ummah Pesantren in West Java, it turns out that there are many scholars named Abdul Halim. Due to this fact, I often find history books that incorrectly include photos. For example, what should have been the figure of KH Abdul Chalim Leuwimunding, but instead, another picture of KH Abdul Halim was installed.
Told directly by KH Asep Saifuddin, at the end of his life, KH Abdul Chalim often studied books that discussed death or sakaratul maut. Then, 40 days before he died, he was frequently visited by angels with serving food. The closer the day of his death, KH Abdul Chalim often studied the book about death. Until the day of his death, after performing the dawn prayer, KH Abdul Chalim toured four villages in Leuwimunding District, namely Leuwimunding Village, Ciparay, Leuwikujang, and Mirat Village. Then, just before noon, KH Abdul Chalim gathered his family and all his wives. Not long after the meeting, he went up to the attic and there he was found already facing the Divine Rabbi SWT, namely on April 11, 1972, in a prone position while carrying a piece of paper and a pen.
The Alim Allamah and the humble figure of a warrior and founder of NU is buried at the Sabilul Chalim Pesantren Complex in Leuwimunding District, Majalengka, Cirebon, West Java.