MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, BANDUNG – Muhammadiyah was not founded solely to combat superstition, heresy, and syncretic practices, but rather as a comprehensive response to the social, religious, and political challenges of its time.
Abdul Mu’ti, Secretary General of Muhammadiyah Central Board, made the remarks during a post-Idulfitri gathering and religious lecture at Muhammadiyah Bandung Hospital on Friday (10/4). The event brought together members of the organization from across West Java.
“Muhammadiyah was established because many people were left behind due to ignorance, poverty, social divisions, intellectual stagnation, and other forms of social crises” he said. These conditions, he added, formed the foundation of the organization’s mission.
According to Mu’ti, these historical insights draw from writings by Kiai Sudja’, a student of Ahmad Dahlan. Together, they illustrate how Muhammadiyah emerged as a solution to systemic challenges facing society at the time.
Education as the Core of Social Transformation
Because Ahmad Dahlan was a religious scholar, Mu’ti explained, he approached these issues through a religious framework. However, the goal extended beyond theology. It sought to reshape how religion was understood and practiced in daily life.
“Many of these problems stemmed from how religion was interpreted and how that understanding shaped social behavior,” Mu’ti said.
Consequently, one of Ahmad Dahlan’s earliest initiatives was the establishment of educational institutions, now known as Muhammadiyah Charitable Enterprises. In fact, his first school predates the formal founding of Muhammadiyah itself.
He established the institution, known as Qismul Arqa, in 1911 at his own home, this move, Mu’ti argued, reinforces the idea that education was seen as the most effective solution to widespread social backwardness. “This strengthens the argument that education was the key response,” he said.
Addressing Inequality and Limited Access to Learning
Moreover, Mu’ti noted that the lack of education contributed to a wide range of social crises, including poverty, rigid thinking, and poor living conditions. At the time, access to education for indigenous Indonesians remained severely limited.
Even when opportunities existed under Dutch colonial rule, they were often restricted to basic levels, such as Sekolah Onvko Loro, roughly equivalent to elementary school. As a result, higher education remained accessible only to select groups.
“Only three groups could pursue higher education,” Mu’ti explained. “The Europeans, the priyayi class, and economically privileged elites.”
Therefore, Muhammadiyah’s early focus on education represented a strategic effort to address structural inequality. By expanding access to learning, the organization sought to empower communities and improve overall social conditions.
