Pondok pesantren is a form of the oldest Islamic educational institution
in Indonesia. This institution is established by social initiative and effort,
so it is built, developed by and'for the community. Historically speaking, it
is difficult to determine when the first pondok pesantren was built. But
based on histori cal accqunts, it is traced that this institution was known in
Indonesia in the 13th-14th centuries, and especially in Java in the 15th- ·
16th centuries. Therefore, pondok pesantren has existed in Indonesia since
300-400 years ago.
1 Another work states that according to Babad Demak, in the time of Rahmat (Sunan Ampel), pondok pesantren was established
for the first time, in the same time with the reign of Kertawijaya in Majapahit.2
In the beginning, mostly pondok pesantrens were built in the form of
salafiyah, focusing in teaching and learning kitab-kitab kuning. 3 Time by
time, educational system of pondok pesantrens has been developed. Some
of them have offered formal education while still have applied their
salafiyah method of teaching, this kind of pondok pesantren is classified as
combination. Some others have changed totally by eliminating their
salafiyah character, and this is called kf'ialafiyah (modern).4 Some others
have maintained their salafiyah teaching without any change. 5 Pondok
pesantrens have changed their educational system to respond to changes
surrounding them for various reasons. For example, certificate is a requirement
to have a job in.the society nowadays. Moreover, some pondok pesantrens
offer agricultural program (for instance Pondok Pesantren Darul Fallah,
Bogor), and some others provide activities in poultry husbandry, goat, and
milk cow raising, like in Pondok Pesantren Tegalrejo, Kediri