Fahmina Foundation is engaged in the study of religion, social and strengthening civil society. As a civil society organization, Fahmina is open to working with people across ethnicity, race, religion and gender. Fahmina’s bond is the value system and ideology of struggle adopted, not ethnic, racial, religious, or gender similarities.

The history of Fahmina’s presence began with the intellectual struggle of young people from the pesantren in Cirebon, which raised the awareness of various parties to develop the intellectual tradition and social ethos of pesantren in responding to contemporary developments and relentless social change. Departing from the spirit of the struggle and in accordance with the needs of the movement, in November 2000 four pesantren activists, namely Hussein Muhammad, Affandi Mochtar, Marzuki Wahid, and Faqihuddin Abdul Kodir founded Fahmina. Then in February 2001, Fahmina was launched to the public.

Since its launch, Fahmina’s work orientation has focused on critical socio-religious studies and assistance to marginalized communities (mustadl’afin) in the perspective of humanity, equality, and justice. The orientation of the struggle is seen from the programs that have been implemented, which is to create an equal and just social structure, where everyone – both men and women, both Muslims and non-Muslims, ethnic backgrounds and – can be empowered and have the same opportunity to be strong, both politically, socially and culturally.

Therefore, in the last document, the formulation of Fahmina’s vision is “the realization of a critical, open, dignified, and just social-order and society based on Islam-Pesantren.” While the mission to realize the vision are: (1) Developing a critical religious movement based on the Islamic tradition of pesantren for social change; (2) Promoting a just and dignified order of community life with reference to local wisdom; (3) Strengthening community groups to influence public policies that ensure the fulfillment of people’s interests; and (4) Developing community efforts in order to improve their degree of life.

Currently Fahmina has 6 program divisions that are contained in the department, namely: (1) Department of Islam and Gender; (2) Department of Islam and Democracy; (3) Department of Strengthening Community Autonomy; (4) Department of Education; Department of Data Information and Media (5); Department of Finance and Administration; and (6) Department of Estate and Housekeeping.

In developing the programs of each department, Fahmina always; [1] refers to the vision and mission, namely the development and dissemination of critical religious discourse that leads to just (al-‘is) and democratic social change, and facilitates empowerment and defends oppressed communities through strengthening community participation in the management and utilization of resources; [2] based on recommendations from preliminary research; [3] oriented towards social transformation through rolling out strategic issues from the social reality that the community is engaged in; [4] based on theological arguments in the intellectual treasures and Islamic civilization, both classical and contemporary; [5] prioritizing the strengthening of three domains, namely: first, socio-intellectual, the program is directed at producing critical religious discourse and strengthening liberation theology as the basis for social movements; second, socio-cultural, the program is directed at developing a community culture oriented towards social change for social justice; and third, socio-political, the program is directed at organizing various community groups to be independent, empowered, and able to create fair public policies; [6] seeking the realization of the program through: studies and research oriented towards social transformation, education oriented towards the formation of agents of social change and the creation of a dignified critical intellectual community, the production of critical studies and intellectual works, and facilitating the growth of strategic-critical groups fighting for social justice, democratization, and the upholding of human rights (HAM), advocacy of public policies in favor of oppressed communities for social justice.

History and Development

As mentioned earlier, Fahmina’s existence began with the intellectual struggle of young people rooted in the world of pesantren. There is a kind of anxiety about the social ethos and intellectual tradition that is no longer played by pesantren, because of the very deep and long political penetration of pesantren life. Whereas in its initial establishment, the pesantren was deliberately designed to defend the people, as well as to educate and develop intellectuals for the benefit of the people.

In 1998, a group of young people who were members of the Bildung Study Club and the PC Lakpesdam of Cirebon Regency conducted a series of mobile discussions to various pesantren, carrying out contextualization studies of the yellowclassical books. This discussion received an extraordinary response from various young pesantren activists, and the support of several elderly kyai such as KH Syarif Usman Yahya Kempek, KH Fuad Hasyim Buntet, KH Yahya Masduqi Babakan, and KH Prof. Dr. A. Chozin Nasuha Arjawinangun, and KH Ibnu Ubaidillah Syathori Arjawinangun.

This struggle also gave rise to a series of social activities among young pesantren to defend marginalized people; by discussing populist issues, citizens’ rights, to defense at the level of public discourse. The establishment of JILLI (Information Network for Islamic Literature Services) Cirebon, also departed from the above anxiety and struggle. This network tries to collect data on all yellow book literature and other literature in pesantren, packaging in the form of software, and providing information services needed by the community from pesantren.

Both in the Bildung Cirebon community, JILLI, and other forums initiated by post-primary school students, everything is still ad hoc, simple, and unsustainable for intellectual activities and empowerment programs carried out. Often the issues developed simply evaporate, because there is no adequate institutional coordination. The struggle of the pesantren youth, both intellectual groups and social groups, requires an institution that is better able to coordinate the ideals carried.

On this basis, some of the founders and managers of the forums then established the Fahmina institution as a crystallization of the ideas and movements of the previous santri. From the liquid movement to crystal, from the wild ideas to be accommodated, from the formless movement to be institutionalized, that was the initial appearance of Fahmina which was first based at Jln. Pangeran Drajat 15 Cirebon City. Even so, institutionally, Fahmina was established as an independent institution, not a branch of other institutions or forces, non-governmental, non-partisan, and open to community membership across ethnicity, gender, class and religion.

Accommodating Post Pesantren Santri
In the beginning, Fahmina was intended to accommodate post pesantren students, both men and women, who still had academic spirit and scientific passion in the Cirebon area. Fahmina involved them in contextual and in-depth yellowIslamic classic book studies at the Fahmina office, namely by knowing the social, political and economic background of the author, and when, where the yellowIslamic classic book appeared and was written. Some of the books that have been studied with a contextual and in-depth approach are the book of Matan at-Taqrib by Imam Abu Shuja’ (434-448 H./1042-1091 AD), the book of al-Muhadzdzab by Imam Abu Ishaq as-Syairazi (393-476 H. /1003-1083 AD), the book of al-Ahkam al-Sulthaniyyah by Imam al-Mawardi, the book of al-Ahkam al-Sulthaniyyah Abi Ya’la, the book of al-Munqidz min adl-Dlal by Imam al-Ghazali (w. 555 H./1111 M.), Bidayah al-Mujtahid by Ibn Rushd, Syarah ‘Uqud al-Lujjayn by Sheikh Nawawi al-Bantani (d. 1314 H./1897 M.), etc.

This engagement led Fahmina’s activists to network with individuals, institutions, and communities that had previously worked on social discourse and movements. The networks built at that time included: in the Cirebon area with the Information Gate and the Cirebon Arts Council; outside Cirebon with PP. Lakpesdam NU, Rahima, LkiS, MADIA, and Desantara. Fahmina struggled with them, discussing, sharing, receiving, and giving each other, both experience and knowledge. In Cirebon, Fahmina invited many pesantren alumni to share and strengthen themselves. Fahmina was convinced that Islam must be realized in the order of social justice. But Fahmina remains humble, stating that it is still limited to our understanding, or in Arabic called fahmina.

This belief was actualized in the Cirebon newspaper, Radar Cirebon and Mitra Dialog (now Kabar Cirebon) to various pesantren. Since 2001 until now, Fahmina has published its own small media for a limited community, namely warkah al-Basyar, a Friday bulletin with four pages distributed every Friday as many as 10,000-15,000 copies. Warkah al-Basyar was initially distributed only to a number of mosques in the Cirebon area. But in its development it was distributed to a number of mosques in the three Cirebon areas: Cirebon City, Cirebon Regency, Majalengka Regency, Indramayu Regency, and Kuningan Regency. In addition to mosques, Warkah al-Basyar was also distributed to a number of Taklim Assemblies, and recitations in the pesantren community in the Cirebon area.

Through Warkah al-Basyar, Fahmina tries to arouse collective awareness to see the social inequality that exists around, due to political, social, and economic interests. There is violence against women, migrant workers, small traders and street vendors, fishermen, farmers, minority groups, and those who have different abilities (diffable). Warkah al-Basyar until now continues to be published, reaching a distribution in Region III Cirebon, covering the City and Regency of Cirebon, Indramayu, Majalengka and Kuningan, as a medium between communities to strengthen the ideals of siding with those who are weak, or weakened.

Through this media, Fahmina also met more with the pesantren community, Majelis Taklim, recitation groups and other social groups in the Cirebon region; which includes the City and Regency of Cirebon, Indramayu, Majalengka and Kuningan. The writers in this media are kiai, nyai, ustadz, senior santri, academics, students, and community activists who work with the community on a daily basis. Warkah al-Basyar media inspired several mosques and recitation groups to publish the same thing and arouse their appetite for discussion in their communities. Fahmina directly facilitated the Communication Forum of Khatib and Mosque Imam of Indramayu Regency, Bulletin asy-Syaqiqah PSG STAIN Cirebon, Bulletin Bannati NGO Bannati Cirebon, Bulletin Tekai FKBMI Indaramayu and Bulletin Nalar PMII Cirebon.

Throughout its activities, Fahmina continues to strive to open a forum as effectively as possible as an intellectual search and social articulation for post-primary school students, even in collaboration with pesantren, local and national institutions. In every year, Fahmina organizes Ramadan recitation, bi-weekly study together, pesantren women’s recitation, dawrah fiqh women, dawrah fiqh democracy, halaqah kitab kuning and mujalasah ulama in several pesantren. This medium of education and study of tradition was attended by kyai and young nyai, ustadz/ustadzah, and senior santri from region III Cirebon. All these activities were also held to open the widest possible forum for the actualization of post-primary school santri, in addition to areas that are already open for business, active in political parties, or becoming state officials or civil servants.

During this time Fahmina also facilitated the meeting of “santri muhajirin” every beginning of Shawwal of the Hijri year. The term “santri muhajirin” means those Cirebon people who are alumni of pesantren who choose to live or be outside Cirebon. This silaturrahmi meeting is a medium for sharing experiences, information, and strengthening intellectual and social activities for post-pantry students.

Through these various containers of activity, Fahmina continues to promote the intellectual tradition of pesantren to be read, studied, and used as inspiration for upholding social justice. Fahmina tries to inspire, encourage and facilitate so that the momentum of pesantren rituals and traditions is also filled with intellectual traditions and strengthening the awareness of pesantren social work to side with those who are weakened.

Currently, the pesantren community in Cirebon witnesses haul events that cannot be separated from halaqah, studies, and cadre. Such as the haul in Buntet, in Babakan, and in Arjawinangun, the end of as-sanah festival at al-Mizan Majalengka pesantren, several events at Bode Lor pesantren, Ulumuddin Susukan pesantren, and Khatulistiwa Kempek pesantren, which have been doing things like this for a long time.

The halaqah tradition has also become widespread in organizational ritual events, especially the NU organization as the main institution for pesantren. In events such as branch deliberations, ulama deliberations, and anniversary commemorations, Fahmina encourages the event to be used as a momentum for traditional studies and social care. In early 2008, for example, the strength of the post-primary students gathered in Fahmina, Lakpesdam, Khatulistiwa pesantren, and several other individual pesantren filled the 82nd NU Harlah commemoration with activities, such as: book recitation, book review, NU cadre training, NU youth conference for social movements, safari ulama to strengthen the NU Khittah, and ritual events such as marhabanan competitions, qira’at al-kutub, and grand tahlilan. All are done by Fahmina with the movement and participation of community power, without dependence on political institutions, government officials, and donor agencies.

Three Perspectives of Fahmina

In 2003 Fahmina experienced varied dynamics, both internal and external. In terms of vision and mission Fahmina remains committed to what was initiated since the beginning, but since 2003 Fahmina’s big issue of gender equality and justice is targeted through three domains, namely: Islam and democracy (Isdem), Islam and Gender (Isgen), and Islam and community autonomy (Iskom). The three domains are all approached from an Islamic perspective. In addition, the scientific basis of pesantren is an inseparable perspective of Fahmina. This is reflected in Fahmina’s programs.

First, Islam and democracy, emphasized on changes in good and clean governance, in the structural realm. Fahmina at that time started working with the Partnership, which later gave birth to the book Bukan Kota Wali. The book was shocking. Because Cirebona has been claimed as the City of Guardians, and Fahmina published a book to the contrary. Fahmina also conducted research on the APBD which was paradoxical to the message of the guardian Sunan Gunung Djati: “Ingsun titip tajug lan fakir miskin”. Tajug / mosque and the poor (including neglected people, namely orphans, street children, street vendors, buskers, pedicab drivers, angkot drivers, farm laborers. Migrant workers, factory workers etc.) should be the main concern of the Government, but the results of Fahmina’s study of the 2001 APBD did not reflect this message at all. Fahmina had uncovered APBD-gate. There were 11 members of the Cirebon City DPRD in prison from this movement and advocacy. Since then, Fahmina has a new nickname as an opponent of the status quo, critical, and anti-corruption.

Fahmina also spread the values and principles of democracy through “dawrah fiqh democracy” in pesantren. Forcidem (Cirebon Forum for Democracy) was formed by alumni of Dawrah Fiqh Demokrasi from the pesantren. Initially, this forum was effective in responding to actual issues, but then it sank because of the many forums that emerged. Then, in the realm of Islam and democracy Fahmina also conducted interfaith dialogue studies which gave birth to the Sabtuan Forum in Cirebon. This Sabtuan Forum does a lot of advocacy and study, especially among non-Muslims. This forum became an effective discussion and consolidation forum for advocacy for minority groups, and Fahmina became the initiator and pioneer.

Second, Islam and gender, whose intensity and volume are very high. In this field, Fahmina became an icon because it produced many books. In addition, there is also KH. Husein Muhammad, founder and chairman of the Fahmina Policy Board, who has become a national and international icon in relation to Islam and gender justice. Fahmina does a lot of work in the scope of Islam and gender issues through the process of public awareness, training, publishing and education. The implementation is through the trafficking prevention program and assistance to victims of domestic violence (KDRT), which has been carried out since 2004 until now. From this program, Fahmina gave rise to a community that cares about women’s issues, the Anti-Trafficking Community Network (Jimat) in Cirebon, the Anti-Trafficking Task Force (Santri) in Indramayu, the Draft Regional Regulation (Raperda) Against Trafficking since 2004, and the book Fiqh Anti Trafficking (2005).

In early 2010, Fahmina began to develop issues. From the anti-trafficking issue, it increased to the issue of adolescent reproductive health (Kespro). Currently Fahmina is conducting awareness, mentoring and curriculum development with a view to reproductive health in 15 pesantren in the Cirebon area. At the end of 2011, Fahmina published a fiqh book on reproductive health in Arabic with the title Manba’u as-Sa’adah, as a reference material and textbook in pesantren.

Third, fahmina breaks down gender equality and democracy in Islam and community autonomy (Iskom). Iskom is the implementation of all discourses, linking theory and practice. There is one department in Fahmina’s structure to manage the issue of Iskom. This department has done many things. Among the strongest are assisting cases of street vendors (PKL) in the city of Cirebon, migrant workers, community radio, and violence against women, including trafficking. This has been Fahmina’s concern from the past until now, namely providing assistance and defending those who are marginalized. The results of the assistance were written in a book entitled Panglima Cirebon. Panglima is an acronym for street vendors. The book is about the profile and analysis of street vendors in the city of Cirebon. Forum of Street Vendors (FPKL) – an organization formed during Fahmina’s assistance – also received assistance from the West Java Provincial Government through the PPK-IPM program worth 2 billion rupiah. This assistance is used to strengthen street vendors. Fahmina’s position in the assistance was only to assist the efforts they made.