Jakarta, Kartunet.com - A number of visually impaired Muslims at the Raudlatul Makfufin Foundation spent their holiday break participating in a three-day intensive Islamic boarding school program (July 6 - 8, 2011).
Holidays are indeed enjoyable. During them, we can relax and escape from all the routines that might be tiring and boring. Especially for friends who are still in school or college. As soon as they hear the word holiday, their faces immediately brighten. Various plans are quickly made to fill that long-awaited time. From going on trips, visiting relatives in their hometowns, to even participating in pesantren activities.
A Pesantren?
Yes, exactly. And that's precisely what happened inside a white-painted building on Jl. Puspitek Raya Rt. 02/05 Kampung Jati, Serpong-South Tangerang. From inside that building, the melodic recitation of the Quran could occasionally be heard. Occasionally, laughter would also break the silence around it. The building is indeed located in a village quite far from the main road. Empty land and gardens lined a footpath, separating one house from another.
That is the building of the Raudlatul Makfufin Foundation. A foundation dedicated to eradicating Braille Arabic illiteracy. It also instills Islamic religious knowledge in the visually impaired.
And from July 6-9, Raudhatul Makfufin held an event titled “Mini Pesantren” for visually impaired students and university students. This event was designed by the Ikatan Jamaah Raudhatul Makfufin (IKJAR). According to Ade Ismail, who serves as both the chairman of IKJAR and the head of the organizing committee, this event was specifically held to fill their holiday time.
Meanwhile, according to the foundation's chairman, Mr. Nur Khaliq S.Q., this event was held so that participants could experience what it's like to live in a pesantren. It is hoped that after participating in this activity, participants will gain additional religious knowledge and also enhance their acts of worship.
The participants of this “mini pesantren” were indeed predominantly visually impaired students and university students residing in Jakarta and its surrounding areas. And they were very enthusiastic about participating in this event.
Within the “mini pesantren,” participants were taught to be independent. They slept, ate, and bathed using pesantren-style facilities. They were also trained to be disciplined and to value time by following the entire series of events punctually.
In this rare opportunity, they were equipped with materials concerning aqidah (creed), akhlaq (morals), Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and Quranic studies. For the male participants, congregational prayers were mandatory at the mosque located not far from the foundation building. They also performed Qiyamul Lail (night vigil prayers), Dhikr al-Ma'thurat (remembrance of Allah with specific supplications), and learned to read the Quran properly and correctly. To alleviate boredom, they were also treated to games that enlivened the atmosphere.
Not only that, but they also participated in a “tracking” event. It was a type of outdoor activity that trained their courage, teamwork, and astuteness in problem-solving. During this event, they had to walk in groups without a guide, navigating the village area. Along the way, they had to pass through four checkpoints that provided various tasks they needed to complete to accumulate as many points as possible.
On the last day, participants were taken on a trip to the Anyer beach area. There, the participants took part in games prepared by the committee before finally being given free time to enjoy the beach.
Overall, the event received positive feedback from both participants and the committee. One of the mini pesantren participants, Nur Khalidah, a 12th-grade student from SMAN 66 Jakarta, said, “The event was fun and exciting. This is my first time walking alone in a new area. I even had to divide tasks with friends to avoid falling into a ditch.”
Meanwhile, Fahrurrazi, another participant, commented, “This event is great; we learned things we didn't know before. We can also foster a sense of Islamic brotherhood here.”(Rafik)