IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDY GROUP: A CASE STUDY OF JAMMIYATUL UMMAHAT MAJELIS TA’LIM IN SPECIAL CAPITAL REGION OF JAKARTA

Nuraeni, H.A¹⁺--- Arif, A²---Bariyah, O.N³

¹University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta & University of Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka, Jakarta, Indonesia.
^2,3University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Indonesia.

Keywords:Majelis ta’lim, Management, Development, Human resource, Financial system and, Infrastructures.

ARTICLE HISTORY: Received:14 March 2019, Revised:26 April 2019, Accepted:29 May 2019, Published:24 July 2019

1. INTRODUCTION

Majelis Ta'lim is a non-formal Islamic education institution organizing Islamic studies. It nourishes within the Muslim communities in Indonesia, both in Jakarta andother regions.

The term “Majelis Ta'lim” is commonly used in Jakarta, especially among the Betawi people, while it is called "Islamic study group" (Pengajian Agama Islam) in other regions. Although the term “Majelis Ta'lim” originates from Arabic, it is uncommon within the Arabic society (Ensiklopedi, 2000). Saepudin in his article entitled “Standarisasi Kurikulum Majelis Ta’lim (Analisis terhadap Peraturan Pemerintah RI Nomor 55 Tahun 2007 tentang Pendidikan Agama dan Pendidikan Keagamaan)”, stated that Majelis Ta’lim, as the smallest scope of families and surrounding communities, plays a vital role in the political sector, in relation to the integrity of the Republic of Indonesia against the national disintegration threat. Majelis ta'lim also benefits both the economy by forming a rotating savings group (arisan), credit union, etc.; and the social aspects by strengthening the solidarity (ukhuwah) among individuals in the community so that they will not be easily provoked by issues triggering social conflicts (Saepudin, 2013). According to Tuti Alawiyah, Majelis Ta’lim has a paramount role in fostering the community, especially in religious comprehension and practice (Alawiyah, 1997). Majelis Ta’lim in DKI Jakarta serves as a forum for the communities to fulfill their own needs, including the need for religious knowledge. Majelis Ta'lim tailors its activities to the needs of its people. The number of Majelis Ta’lim in Jakarta is reaching to 5,674 groups. The following Table 1 provides the data of the Majelis Ta’lim in DKI Jakarta.

This large number of Majelis Ta’lim require major attention so it will develop into a qualified educational institution, both in the management and human resources. The results of a study conducted by Kulsum Minangsih entitled ”Paradigma Baru Pengelolaan Institusi Dakwah: Urgensi Ilmu Manajemen mewujudkan Majelis Ta’lim Ideal”  showed that the majority of Majelis Ta’lim are managed traditionally where the management relies on previous experiences and tradition. Besides, it employs the reward approach of lillah i ta'ala (because of Allah only) resulting in the quality of the materials are sometimes neglected, and the priority is the wish of the members. Such management method requires reform by introducing new management focusing on improving the quality of the teachers, curriculum, methods, infrastructures, etc (Minangsih, 2014).  Kulsum Minangsih's finding is in line with the results of Rosehan Anwar's research conducted in 2002 at the Majelis Ta'lim Ahlu As Sunah Waljamaah in Palembang found that the Majelis Ta'lim Ahlu currently uses a conventional management method, namely the tradition based management. Anwar (2002) in his book entitled “Majelis Ta'lim & Pembinaan Umat, (Majelis Ta'lim Ahlu Assunah Waljamaah, Palembang Municipality)” argued that religious scholars (Kyai) or religious teachers (Ustadz) determine the progress of Majelis Ta'lim

However, the observation carried out by the author of majelis ta'lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat is in contrast to Saepudin (2013), Minangsih (2014) and Anwar (2002) reporting that Majelis Ta'lim maintains its activities by using the existing traditions for the curriculum, human resources, and financing system. Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat has developed its management.

However, Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat still needs guidance for its management. Therefore, this study aims to improve management. The management development was carried out to improve its quality, which in turn will benefit the community. Besides, the researcher was interested in researching the development of management of Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat.

2. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Based on the background problem previously presented, the objectives of this research are as follows.

a)      Modernization of management of Jamiyyatul Ummahat majelis ta’lim.
b)      The development of human resources in Jamiyyatul Ummahat majelis ta’lim.
c)      Modernization of the financial system and infrastructure of Jamiyyatul Ummahat majelis ta’lim.

3. RESEARCH METHOD

3.1. Location of the Study

This study employed a qualitative research method with a case study. The research focused on Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat in Kampong Ciganjur, South Jakarta. Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat is a religious study group that has undergone some developments in its learning management, human resources, and financial system and infrastructure.

3.2. Subject

The subjects of this study were four people intensely involved in the Majelis Ta’lim, including 1) the head of Majelis Ta’lim, 2) the staff of Majelis Ta'lim, 3) the teacher, and 4) the member. The selection of the subjects aimed for the author to obtain as much information as possible related to the problem under study.

3.3. Data Collection and Data Analysis

Data for in this study were collected from the observation, interviews, document analysis, and triangulation. The observation was done by monitoring ongoing learning activities. Interviews were conducted for the leader, the staff, the teacher, and the member of the Majelis Ta’lim concerning the modernization of the learning management, human resources, financial system, and infrastructure. Documents analysis was performed by studying the vision, the mission, the annual and weekly program objectives, as well as the financial statements.

Data triangulation was conducted to confirm data or information gathered through the observation, interviews, and documentation. The triangulation of sources involving the staff, the teacher, the member, and the content discussed was also performed.

This study employed Miles and Huberman's theory in data analysis, namely: 1) data reduction that is classifying, directing, discarding unnecessary and organizing data, 2) data presentation that is finding the meaningful relationship patterns and providing the possibility of drawing conclusions; and, 3) conclusion or verification that is interpreting the meaning of the trends related to events occurred.

4.  RESULT OF THE STUDY

4.1. Modernization of Management of Learning of Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat

Concerns of the housewives on religious development the in Kampong Ciganjur inspired the initiation of Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat. The lack of religious understanding encouraged them to develop a study group.

Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat reformed the curriculum to improve the quality of learning. The curriculum was designed based on its vision and mission. The vision is to serve as a place for lifelong education and for people to learn after formal education. The mission is implementing the educational process of teaching religion, general knowledge, and skills. With a better understanding of Al-Quran and Sunnah, the members of this group are expected to apply their knowledge in daily life so that the Islamic values can flourish and develop which in turn bring the harmony in their life and the country. Also, It is hoped that it will foster a noble and virtuous generation as well as a community of faith and devotion guided by the morality of the Prophet leading to the happiness in this world and hereafter. Jamyyatul Ummahat is increasingly developing, as indicated by a large number of members and activities following their vision and mission.

Some factors to be considered in management planning includes budget availability, people in charge of the activities, preferred activities, etc.  Management planning is included in the annual program. Table 2 presents the annual program of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat.

Table 2 shows that the programs in Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat consist of Islamic educational programs such as weekly study, monthly study and Islamic Festivals; and skills programs such as the master of ceremony and funeral management training. The table also indicates spiritual tourism programs such as pilgrimage, nature spiritual retreat, and comparative studies; business development programs such as savings and loan, cooperatives; social programs such as gathering donation for orphans and the underprivileged, fire, landslides, and mass circumcision; and Islamic cultural arts programs such as qasida (a group singing religious song) and marawis (Islamic Percussion).

A (Respondent 1) stated that the flagship program is the educational program, especially the religious program. The most frequent religious program is the weekly study conducted twice a week, on Thursday and Saturday. Islamic Festivals is celebrated for each Islamic holiday such as the Milad nabi (the prophet’s birthday), Isra Mi'raj (the two nights journey of the prophet), and the Islamic new year. 

B (Respondent 2), the head of the study group, said that religious teachers teaching the weekly and monthly study group are varied. The monthly teachers are  C (Respondent 3) and D (Respondent 4), while the weekly session is handled by E (Respondent 4), F(Respondent 5), G (Respondent 6), and H (Respondent 7). Teaching schedules depend on the teachers' availability, and it changes every six months. The material conveyed to the group is related to religion consisting of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), Islamic creed (aqidah), and history. The Majelis Ta’lim  also organizeone-day training, so far Master of Ceremony training has been conducted. In addition, the group has also carried out the business development of dodol betawi (sweets made of glutinous rice) and nasi uduk (steamed coconut milk rice), while qasida and salawat are two of the Islamic arts and culture programs that has been realized. Among the social program planned, the group has organized charity for orphans and the underprivileged. B (Respondent 2) explained that the learning methods used are the lecture, discussion, and demonstration method.

Evaluation is a tool to measure the extent to which the people have mastered the learning. However, the actual assessment also benefits for decision making.

Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat did not formally but indirectly conduct a learning evaluation for its members using a non-test approach, for example, when the learning has finished, the teacher asks the group about the materials taught. The evaluation to measure the extent to which the objectives have been achieved are unavailable as the group solely continues the previous programs. However, an explicit evaluation was carried out, for example, by organizing a quiz among the members of the group. According to A (Respondent 1), this quiz aimed to examine the religious knowledge of the members. To sum up, the evaluation is available, but it is a non-test.

4.2. Modernization of Human Resource Development at Majelis Ta'lim

The management of Majelis Ta'lim Jamyyatul Ummahat comprises 19 people, consisting of the founders, the advisers, the chairperson, the secretary, the treasurer, the da'wah (preaching) staff, the education staff, the art staff, the public relations staff, the equipment staff, and the entrepreneurship staff. The entrepreneurship section consists of nine members. Each section is led by the staff and has different tasks.

Founders are in charge of guiding and directing the advisers so as they comply with the shari'a, organizational regulations, and other related regulations. Advisers are responsible for advising the staffs in carrying out their duties. The chairperson is not only in charge of the development of Majelis Ta’lim but also the mobilization of the organization, the staffs, and other activities. He is also responsible for leading the management, member meetings, and other official events. The secretary is assigned for the administrative and secretarial activities of Majlis Ta'lim. The treasurer handles the financial administration and prepares the financial statements of Majelis ta'lim. The sections serve according to their respective fields. The organizational chart of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat is presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows that the organizational chart is in line indicating that the leader conducts direct instructions to the members. The table also suggests that the task division for the staff is based on their respective duties. The qualifications of the staff are varied, including undergraduates and high school graduates. Generally, the teachers hold an undergraduate degree. Table 3 provides data about the latest educational level and teaching experience of the teachers in Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat.

The data provided in Table 3 shows that around 70% of Majelis Ta’lim Jammiyatul Ummahat teachers are undergraduates indicating that the quality of education has improved. This Majelis Ta'lim has more than 100 active members. Table 4 displays the weekly study attendance in Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat.

The weekly attendance of the members ranges between 60 % and 90%, as evidenced in Table 4 and Figure 2. The data suggests that the enthusiasm of the members has increased; one of the influencing factors is the quality of the teachers.

The educational level of the members, mostly seniors, is varying, including elementary, junior high school, senior high school, and undergraduate graduates. Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat fosters 40 small study groups; thus, the activities are sustainable. A (Respondent 1) suggested that one of the obstacles in organizing the study group is the lack of human resources.

Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat had adopted conventional management from 1965 to 2010. However, in 2010, it began to employ the Total Quality Management approach, as indicated by the leadership period in which the management changes every four years. The placement model of the people concerning the positions in Jamyyatul Ummahat is based on observation and loyalty. However, the principles of the organization related to the election remain to be the priority; people are assigned based on their expertise, so they understand their duties.

The leadership model of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat is similar to Terry's theory, which involves leaders, members, organizational structures, social values, ​​and political considerations. The essence of leadership is to encourage the subordinates to work together to achieve the goals. The leadership pattern adopted by Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat is an informal leadership pattern as the leader is not officially mandated but appointed. This appointment relies on the ability to foster harmonious relationships with fellow members of the group, or the ability to develop the assembly of the group. Being the founder of the group may also be the reason for the appointment.
Majelis Ta’lim Jammyatul Ummahat conducts both internal and external supervision. Supervision is an activity to ensure that the implementation is in line with the predetermined plan. This monitoring activity aims to determine the performance of an institution, to examine whether it is in line with the original planning, and to evaluate the achievement. Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat employs repressive supervision, including budgeting and reporting as a monitoring tool.  B (Respondent 2) said that the head of the staff must submit both oral and written report to the group leader in each activity. The success of supervision depends on the success or failure of the event in terms of quality, quantity, and time. However, the weakness in conducting an activity should be further investigated for the next activities. In summary, Jamyyatul Ummahat has unique characteristics.

a. Modernization of the Financial System and Infrastructure

Financing is a decisive element in the budgeting mechanism. The management of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat encourages the members to contribute according to the amount they can afford for the sustainability of the activities. Other sources of funding come from donors and are non-binding. For the financial order, the treasurer keeps a cash book and immediately reports each activity in writing to the leader. Any financial deficit is handled directly by the founders. Table 5 illustrates the financial statement of  Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat.

Table 5 shows that the financial system, facilities, and infrastructure of this group are well documented. Facilities include all items that can be used as a tool to achieve a purpose. Infrastructure is the primary support for the implementation process. Facilities and infrastructure of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat for the learning process is a two-story building, equipped with a secretariat, classrooms, office, library, toilet. All facilities and infrastructure belong to the group who conduct management and maintenance simultaneously. Weekly studies take place in each mosque of the study group. B(Respondent 2) argued that the secretariat is useful for a meeting or for studying if, for some reasons, the study group are not ready to carry out the study. The following Table lists an inventory of facilities and infrastructure of Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat.

Table 6 shows that the list of facilities and infrastructure belongs Majelis Ta’lim Jamyyatul Ummahat fulfill the standards for the ongoing learning process. However, there are facilities and infrastructure that are unavailable, for example,  air conditioning in each room.

5. DISCUSSION

The results of this study are not in line with the findings of the study conducted by Minangsih (2014), Anwar (2002) and Saepudin (2013) reporting that most of the religious study groups adopted conventional management or followed previous traditions.

Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat used to manage conventionally, following the previous traditions. However, it has developed and changed by modernizing the learning management, increasing human resources, improving the financial system, and providing better infrastructure. Educational level is one of the aspects that has developed in the management of this study group. Previously, around 80% of the leaders, staffs, and teachers were elementary school graduates; now, they are undergraduate graduates. Human resources improvement corresponds to improved management.

The study group is developing as the quality of human resources the increased. Majelis ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat consists of around 90 women. Therefore, this means that the quality of women increases in all aspects. Umdatul (2016) in her dissertation entitled "Majelis Ta'lim Perempuan dan Pergeseran Peran Publik Keagamaan pada Masyarakat Perkotaan Kontemporer” argued that Majelis Ta’lim is a religious teaching institution for Indonesian adults. Due to the rapid development of women, the religious study group is identical to women. The existence of the group has shifted from solely a religious educational institution to a facility for developing women's public roles, especially in the socio-religious field. Religion is the spirit and key of the progress and the increasing women's participation in public roles. Firman (2016) also argued that the religious study group does not only teach religious knowledge but also empower the economic learning of its members; however, it still needs guidance in its management.

6. CONCLUSION

Majelis Ta’lim Jamiyyatul Ummahat has experienced some development concerning the modernization of its management, human resources, financial management, and facilities. The development focuses on the level of quality achievement gradually and sustainably. Modernization occurs because of several factors, including the management function in the study group administration and the increased human resources by improving the educational level. The education qualifications of the leaders and staffs of the study group have enhanced from the elementary school to undergraduate graduates. To sum up, the better the level of education, the better and more modern the management.

REFERENCES

Alawiyah, T., 1997. Da'wah strategy in majelis taklim environment. Bandung: Mizan.

Anwar, R., 2002. Majelis Taklim & Pembinaan Umat. Jakarta: Research and Development Center for Religious Literature of the Indonesian R & D Agency and Religious Education and Training Department.

Ensiklopedi, T., 2000. Ensiklopedi Islam. Jakarta, PT: Ichtiar Baru Van Hoeve.

Firman, N., 2016. The role of the assembly of Ta'lim in the social dynamics of Muslims. Bimas Islam Journal, 9(111): 469-494.

Minangsih, K., 2014. Paradigm is the new management of the preaching mission: The urgency of science in management realizing Majelis Ta’lim ideal. Kontekstualita, 29(2): 145-157.

Saepudin, 2013. Majelis Ta'lim standardization of curriculum (Analysis of RI Government Regulation No. 55 of 2007 concerning Religious Education and Religious Education.

Umdatul, H., 2016. Majelis taklim perempuan and shifting the role of religious public in contemporary urban communities. Jakarta: UIN Syarif Hidayatullah, 2016 Dissertation.