indonesian farmer's story

farmers on hajj

I am so thankful that I got on Hajj. When I was young, I didn't think. My Wong has been praying for five years since he was 25 years old."

So said Sonaun, a man whose age was spent in the rice field. June 10th is the 57th anniversary. This will be a special and unforgettable moment for him, because the birthday is in Madinah. Sonaun is the second of six children. He was born in Pati, June 10, 1965, to the late Ngasiyo-Fatimah couple.

Sonaun entered the Solo Embarkation on June 3, 2022. Before leaving, villagers are invited to the walimatus safar event. KH Amir, a local NU figure led the event. So happy to be able to go on Hajj, Sonaun lightly issued no less than 20 million for the event. "It's my gratitude and my wife, Mas..," he said. The Hajj will also have another thanksgiving.

He joined the club 1 Embarkasi Solo (SOC 1) which departed June 4, at 00.30 WIB. The Garuda plane that was carrying him landed at Amir Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz Airport (AMAA), Madinah, on the same day, at around 08:58 Saudi Arabia time (WAS).

When I met Monday morning, June 6, 2022, Sonaun was resting in his room with four other pilgrims from Kayen District, Pati Regency. Sonaun himself comes from Brati Village, Kayen District, Pati Regency, Central Java. He is the only Hajj pilgrim from Brati Village.

As is generally the community of Kayen District, Sonaun works as a farmer. But he is a special farmer, because it has a rice field of 1 hectare. In addition, Sonaun's wife, Kusriwati (47 years old) works at her grocery store. The brotherhood of this equally working couple that makes Sonaun who is only a farmer and Kusriwati can save to register for Hajj.

"The result of my tani saved. The daily necessities of life from the wife of the grocer," explained the father of three children and two grandchildren.

Sonaun told me that he registered for Hajj in 2011 with a total deposit for a husband and wife of 50 million. "It's lucky my wife is selling, so I can save" he said.

When Sonaun scolded the role of his wife several times, I had the impression that this couple was very harmonious, shoulder to shoulder, not denying each other's roles. Unfortunately, I have not been able to meet Kusriwati, because the two live in different rooms. While in the holy land, husbands do not live in rooms.

Hajj payments were paid off in 2020 before a policy to cancel departures as the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the country. Husband and wife pay 11 each. 250,000 rupiahs. The total cost of Hajj is Rp36.3 million.

Farm Story

For the size of farmers in Kayen District, Sonaun is not included in the smallholder farmers, because he works on an area of 5 hectares. Sonaun planted his land with rice and corn. "Ever planted onions but failed, the price plummeted. After that, I planted the rice and corn continuously."

Now he has just planted corn, to be harvested in October. In November, rice fields will be planted in the month after the planting season. After that will be planted rice again, which harvest in May. So the Sonaun agricultural cycle in a year. The crops are sold, little of which is kept for daily consumption.

Sonaun as a child was a shepherd. As a teenager, Sonaun begins to help his father in the rice fields. "To help my father in the fields is only me, because my sister is a girl, while my four sisters are still small."

Sonaun claimed his income from agriculture for a year about 250 million: a profit of 100 million, production costs 150 million. "My income of 250 million a year is on average yes, if it is a good harvest and the price is good" he said.

Sonaun's brotherhood in agriculture not only brought him to the holy land to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam, but also managed to make his children get a better education than him who is only a graduate of Elementary School, as well as his wife, who also, just a graduate of SD. In addition to school, his children also received religious education in the pesantren.

Her first child (Siti Mutmainnah) and her second child (Muhammad Yusuf) alumni Pesantren An-Nur Mojolawaran, Cork, Pati. It was founded by KH Nur Kholis. His last son, Abdul Hidayat, still lives in Pesantren Al-Kholil, Pasuruan, Kayen, Pati. "At first it was in Kudus, but the corona season I moved that was near home only," he said.

Actually, who gave a complete explanation of his son nyantri where and who is not Sonaun, but his roommates at the lodging of Medina. Sonaun himself between remembering and forgetting or because he is not familiar with the names of pesantren. Fortunately, four of his friends understood the pesantren Sonaun meant. Four friends named Mat Sholeh (56 years), Arip Suparjo (54 years), Sudarmin (61 years), and Sagiman (61 years). Except for Sagimin who is on break, the chat in the lodging room with Sonaun runs gayeng and familiar. They crammed into each other casually. "I can't smoke inside" one of them said with a laugh.

Borrowing the term Clifford Geertz, Sonaun has now become a complete santri, which has implemented the five pillars of Islam. What used to be unshadowed, now semayang, which used to be non-fasting, has been fasting. Even at the age of 50, he was active in Yasinan and Tahlilan studies.

More than that, his children have borne the name of all Arabic, even received pesantren education. "Thank you the name of my own children, the consent of the wife." The story of the change from "banana" to "santri" does not stop there. Her first daughter, Siti Mutmainnah (L. 1993) has been a teacher at TPQ and her husband a religious teacher at Pesantren An-Nur.

"I regret not being able to teach. Until now I have to think if asked about the cancellation of any wudu. But Thank God my son understands basic religion, even Siti Mutmainnah taught in TPQ, her husband a teacher in pesantren. Second son of Muhammad Yusuf (born 1998), graduated High School. Now he is a carpenter. He doesn't want to go to school, he doesn't want to. Abdul Hidayat who was born in 2003 is still mesantren" he explained.

After talking for more than an hour, I told him, "Sir, Sampean's life seems perfect.."

Sonaun responded, "Yes not yet, and no one is perfect. Pray that my parents will be forgiven for their sins. Pray also Mas, after the Hajj later I can be istikamah doing good, especially prayer, preparing to die." (Hamzah Sahal, MCH 2022)

I regret not being able to teach. Until now I have to think if asked about the cancellation of any wudu. But Thank God my son understands basic religion, even Siti Mutmainnah taught in TPQ, her husband a teacher in pesantren. Second son of Muhammad Yusuf (born 1998), graduated High School. Now he is a carpenter. He doesn't want to go to school, he doesn't want to. Abdul Hidayat who was born in 2003 is still mesantren" he explained.

However, after alluding to his life as perfect, Sonaun responded, "Yes not yet, and no one is perfect. Pray that my parents will be forgiven for their sins. Pray also Mas, after the Hajj later I can do good deeds, especially prayers, preparing to die,” he said.