Women of Choice
Picking Up the House at the Pesantren Gate
"Jam just got home from wherever you were, Ca?"
Caca's footsteps came to a halt when he was struck by the sound of his father's baritone standing right at the door.
"Enr, anu ... Well, Caca was from the temen house," replied the girl who had just graduated from junior high school stuttered.
"Lake in!"
"Good, Dad."
Mr. Anwarudin looks worried about the attitude and behavior of his daughter lately. Often go out at night wearing open clothes.
The middle-aged man was very worried about the relationship of his only child when allowed and released continuously like that. Mr. Anwarudin brainwashed how he could easily be able to direct Caca to become a girl who is more calm and pious.
***
"Ca, I want to talk to you" Anwarudin said as they sat at the dinner table.
"Dead by the way, Dad," replied Caca indifferently as she continued to chew her breakfast without glancing a single glance at the father.
Again Mr. Anwarudin felt his daughter was minimal when invited to talk by parents.
"Father has chosen and registered you to continue school in a boarding school." Without further ado, Mr. Anwarudin immediately conveyed his long-held intentions.
Caca almost spouted a warm sweet tea that he had just shaved when he heard the words from his father. While closing his mouth with one hand Caca's eyeballs swerved sharply towards Pak Anwarudin.
"Dad's not kidding, is he?" tanyanya.
"Kan, Caca has told Dad several times that Caca wants to continue to vocational school not another. Moreover, there are frills pesantrennya kayak so. Caca disagrees!" the fifteen-year-old girl protested in a high voice.
Since the departure of the mother who chose to run away and remarry with another man a few months ago Caca's attitude suddenly changed drastically. As if he wanted to show his disappointment through the attitude he showed to everyone including in front of the father.
Seeing the rejection of his daughter in such a raw manner did not dampen the intentions of Mr. Anwarudin's heart in the least. However, the future of Caca is his responsibility, which is obliged to direct the child in a better direction, especially the issue of religious education which he himself cannot afford in this field. In addition, Caca left to live in a dormitory in a religious environment and surrounded by pious people.
***
Rent a car rented by Mr. Anwarudin began to enter the Tangerang area. Precisely aimed at Cadas-Sepatan road. His intention to leave his daughter in the modern boarding school Daarul Muttaqien was already unanimous. For the future of the baby.
Around 10 am the four-wheeled vehicle entered the gate of the pesantren above which read Pondok Pesantren Daarul Muttaqien with Arabic calligraphy Al-Ma'hadul Arsy Daarul Muttaqien.
Looks a beautiful girl wearing long jeans with a short-sleeved maroon shirt top wrapped in a matching color sweater. No hijab. From the house the father had persuaded and seduced her to wear the hijab, but, Caca's name was not solid if not firm with the stance.
Chantika Wulandari. He stood between the new students and guardians mingled with ustaz-ustazah and the committee that was taking care of the registration.
His eyeballs unceasingly circulated the gaze to all corners that were there. In front of him now stood a luxurious three-story building.
In his heart, the girl secretly felt inferior and uncomfortable because she was the only one who did not wear the hijab among the crowd of many people there. The initial intention of the girl was willing to be escorted to this place just obey the will of the father. After that he will find a reason to get out of the neighborhood.
"Now go to the book and bookstore cooperative located on the second floor, yes!" the committee's advice to Chaca who is still busy standing. Waiting for his father to finish his administrative affairs at the registration desk.
After getting the book and textbook supplies Chaca invited by one of the committee to enter the special area santri putri which is behind the santri putra building right behind the office of the teacher room or the asatidz.
Chaca began to enter the room on the second floor of the elongated spacious princess dormitory.
"This is a new room and the closet is here, yes," the committee's sister told Chaca after they were in the room. Caca gets a closet with the number 03 from the corner of the room.
"Oyeah, know first. Sister name Uswatun Hasanah. Just call Kak Uswah," said the woman who is already in the sixth or third grade Aliyah.
Instead of answering and accepting the class sister's hand, Chaca chose to leave the dorm room. While the woman named Uswah just shook her head while smiling amusedly.
Once all is considered complete. Mr. Anwarudin said goodbye and entrusted his daughter to ustaz and ustazah who were gathered at the reception place.
***
Formal cottage and school activities have been Chaca follow for seven days. The busy schedule makes him feel increasingly uncomfortable and not at home living in a pesantren environment. The girl who used to live freely without strict supervision felt her life was depressed because she would not want to have to obey the rules.
While on top of a second-floor building used as a book and book cooperative, suddenly Chaca's bad idea appeared when her eyeballs saw a wooden staircase being tendered on the wall. The girl turned around in all directions hoping that no one would see her action coming down so that she could escape from the boarding area.
After convincing and strengthening the heart. Without hesitation he began to walk one by one the steps made of bamboo rinses until his feet landed perfectly on the ground.
There was nothing he had brought but the clothes that were attached to his body.
***
Returning home from work Mr. Anwarudin was flabbergasted when he found his daughter was already inside the house watching television in the living room. While Chaca looked relaxed with a snack wrap in her hand as if nothing had happened. Not one bit concerned about the look on the face of the father who was so surprised.
"The chaca? Why are you at home? Don't tell me you ran away from the cottage." The consecutive question from Mr. Anwarudin did not change Chaca's sitting position staring straight at the television screen.
"O Allah, Cha, would like to be lined up where Dad's face is if Pak kiai and ustaz you know that you are leaving the cottage without saying goodbye" said the father concerned.
"Chaca's tired, Dad, living there. Can't sleep long where anything is. Want to take a shower in line, want to take rice in line, up and down the stairs in line, all in line. I'm bored, Dad." Long-long Chaca expressed her reason for running away from the cottage.
After storing his briefcase, Mr. Anwarudin approached and sat right next to his daughter.
"That's all Dad does as a form of affection for you, son. Trust me, Father" said Mr. Anwarudin hope the princess understands his words.
"Dad's duties include directing you into a good relationship so as not to mismanage and misguided. As in the Qur'an:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
Which means:
O you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the fire of hell whose fuel is man and stone; its guardians are rough, hard angels, and do not disobey Allah with what He has commanded them and always do as He is commanded.[at-Tahrism/66:6]
After going through a pretty tough negotiation with his son finally Pak Anwarudin was able to bring Chaca back to the cottage.
***
The first year of living in a cottage environment, changes in attitude and speech, Chaca now began to look a lot. Compared to the first time he entered and lived in the dormitory.
Now the clothes he was wearing began to close the aura perfectly. There are almost no Levis pants and short shirts that he wears even when he is home on vacation at home.
The five prayers that he used to do when he was ordered and reminded by his father alone, are now never missed by the consciousness of his own conscience. Plus the practice of Duha and Tahajud circumcision prayer which has also been familiarized in the pesantren environment.
Chaca now isn't the Chaca she used to be. In the past he almost fell into free association due to the environment and poor circle of friends. Dugem and hang out that used to be able to pass the time, now changed by spending time in the science assembly with friends and ustaz-ustszshnya to add strong religious insight.
