PERAN KIAI DALAM PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER ISLAMI DEMOKRATIS DI PESANTREN KAMPUS AINUL YAQIN UNISMA

Abstract

This study examines the role of the kiai (the spiritual leader and caretaker of a pesantren) in fostering democratic Islamic character education at Pesantren Kampus Ainul Yaqin, Universitas Islam Malang (UNISMA). The central problem addressed is how pesantren leadership can reconcile the traditional culture of absolute obedience (sami'na wa atha'na) with democratic values such as deliberation, equality, and freedom of expression, particularly within a campus-based pesantren that merges classical religious education with modern higher education. Previous studies have examined sufistic, participatory, charismatic, and collaborative models of kiai leadership, yet none has specifically explored how Islamic democratic values are internalized within a university-affiliated pesantren. This study positions itself as addressing that gap by developing the concept of spiritual-democratic leadership. A qualitative descriptive case-study approach was employed. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews with the pesantren director, the curriculum coordinator, and two active santri, and documentation, then analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana, with credibility established through source triangulation. The findings show that the kiai promotes democratic Islamic character through dakwah bil qoul, dakwah bil hal, ta'lim, and ta'dib, as well as through participatory policy-making with the pesantren's development board. Five democratic Islamic character values were identified: deliberation (musyawarah), justice, equality, freedom of expression, and responsibility (amanah), all of which converge on the shared foundation of adab (moral courtesy) in human relations.