Bandung Mayor M. Ridwan Kamil says that his grandfather, the late cleric K.H. Muhyiddin, had a lot of wisdom, particularly relating to kindness and human relations, that is worth spreading among people.

Muhyiddin was the man who established the Pagelaran Islamic boarding school (pesantren), whose branches are scattered across the province of West Java.

The boarding school itself was established in the Subang regency by Muhyiddin around the year 1880. In line with the socio-political atmosphere of that time, the boarding school was also set up in Sumedang and other parts of the West Java province.

The boarding school contributed significantly to Indonesias struggle for independence from the colonialists. The Pagelaran boarding school in Subang, for instance, was once the base camp of the Hizbullah movement fighting the incipient nations colonial masters.

We have to remember the fighting spirit of the boarding house, carrying it to the present, where the boarding school has to remain active in contributing to nation building, Ridwan said.

Furthermore, he also said that his grandfathers wisdom and exemplary behavior should be emulated by the public.

I also hope that his exemplary behavior can inspire the generations to come. He believed that human beings could be more useful [for their fellow humans] if they engaged in creative activities in their lives, Ridwan said during the third congress of the Pagelaran Islamic boarding school management coordination institution in Bandung, West Java.

According to Ridwan, he has witnessed concrete examples demonstrating that his grandfathers beliefs really ring true in our day-to-day lives.

-(Photo courtesy of Bandung city administration/-)

Our generosity in sharing knowledge and maintaining our connections with other human beings will only lead us to experience more kindness, which is infinite in nature, he said.

By spreading kindness to other human beings, we actually leave footprints that will be remembered by other people, even long after we have passed away.

In order to sustain the legacy of his grandfathers exemplary behaviors, the mayor said he dreamt of setting up a Pagelaran boarding school in Bandung, as an institution that will preserve great values among young people.

We have so many land plots in Bandung that we can make use of. As a mayor, I have facilitated the activities of various mass organizations, religious and non-religious. If we are able to manage these activities positively, many people will respond to this initiative in an enthusiastic manner, he said.

Excerpt from:
We should emulate KH Muhyiddin's exemplary behavior: Bandung Mayor - Jakarta Post