Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to examine the representation of inspirational leadership in pondok pesantren in response to the limited phenomenological studies on the experiences of pesantren leaders in interpreting amanah, role modelling, service, values, sources of inspiration, obstacles, resolution strategies, and their impact on santri and pesantren institutions.
Methods/Design/Approach – This study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 16 pesantren leaders in Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, selected purposively, who had leadership experience ranging from 2 to 30 years. The data were analyzed through repeated reading, mapping of meaning units, coding, cross-informant comparison, theme clustering, and phenomenological reflection.
Findings – The study generated six main themes: leadership as amanah, service, and role modelling; value foundations based on the Qur’an, hadith, sharia, dawuh kiai, institutional rules, ethics, and musyawarah; sources of inspiration from the Prophet Muhammad SAW, kiai, nyai, teachers, parents, and national figures; practices of communication, coordination, task distribution, musyawarah, and evaluation; obstacles in the form of miscommunication, discipline issues, limited human resources, social change, santri dynamics, wali santri, and administrators; and impacts on santri character, organizational order, sense of belonging, and institutional strengthening. Resolution strategies were carried out through communication, tabayyun, musyawarah, evaluation, mentoring, and strengthening administrators’ commitment.
Originality/Value – This study offers the concept of amanah-relational leadership, which explains pesantren leadership through the internalization of amanah, the performativity of role modelling, caregiving service, collective musyawarah, and institutional adaptation.
Practical Implications – The findings underscore the need to strengthen the moral-spiritual, managerial, and adaptive capacities of pesantren leaders to improve communication, accountability, santri protection, program evaluation, and educational governance based on pesantren values.
Keywords pesantren leadership, amanah-relational leadership, phenomenology, Islamic education, inspirational leadership.
Paper type Research paper
Keywords
References
Ardhana, M. S., Baidillah, I. M., Miftah, R., & Fitriana, A. Q. Z. (2023). Manajemen konflik di pesantren melalui kultur pesantren dan gaya kepemimpinan kyai [Conflict management in pesantren through pesantren culture and kyai leadership style]. Lentera: Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4), 208-216. https://doi.org/10.57096/lentera.v1i4.38
Arif, M., Fatonah, S., & Billah Faza Mb, A. (2020). The dynamic survival of pesantren in Indonesia: A brief explanation for development of the traditional Muslim education. Sunan Kalijaga International Journal on Islamic Educational Research, 4(1), 44-62. https://doi.org/10.14421/skijier.2020.41.04
Arifin, Z. (2015). Kepemimpinan kiai dalam ideologisasi pemikiran santri di pesantren-pesantren salafiyah Mlangi Yogyakarta [Kiai leadership in the ideologization of santri thought in Salafiyah pesantren in Mlangi, Yogyakarta]. INFERENSI: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 9(2), 351-372. https://doi.org/10.18326/infsl3.v9i2.351-372
Arifin, Z., Maragustam, M., Muqowim, M., & ’Aziz, H. (2021). The kiai’s cultural strategy in shaping the religious culture of the community of Temboro Magetan Village, East Java. Dinamika Ilmu, 21(2), 369-381. https://doi.org/10.21093/di.v21i2.3657
Asirullah, F., Wahid, M. F. M., Rahmansyah, A. E., & Mu’allimin, M. (2022). Manajemen konflik di tengah dinamika pondok pesantren dan madrasah [Conflict management amid the dynamics of Islamic boarding schools and madrasahs]. Dewantara: Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Humaniora, 1(3), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.30640/dewantara.v1i3.420
Asyari, H. A. (2020). Kepemimpinan karismatik KH. Moh. Hasib Wahab di Ponpes Bahrul Ulum Tambakberas Jombang [The charismatic leadership of KH. Moh. Hasib Wahab at Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School Tambakberas Jombang]. Nidhomul Haq: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.31538/ndh.v5i2.649
Cissé, A., & Rasmussen, A. (2022). Qualitative methods. In G. J. G. Asmundson (Ed.), Comprehensive clinical psychology (2nd ed., pp. 91-103). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818697-8.00216-8
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.
Faesol, A. (2012). Kyai, otoritas keilmuan dan perkembangan tradisi keilmuan pesantren [Kyai, scholarly authority, and the development of pesantren scholarly traditions]. Jurnal Salam, 15(1). https://ejournal.umm.ac.id/index.php/salam/article/view/1103
Farhan, L. P., & Hadisaputra, P. (2021). Conflict management in pesantren, madrasah, and Islamic colleges in Indonesia: A literature review: Manajemen konflik di pesantren, madrasah, dan perguruan tinggi Islam di Indonesia: Kajian literatur [Conflict management in pesantren, madrasah, and Islamic higher education institutions in Indonesia: A literature review]. Dialog, 44(1). https://doi.org/10.47655/dialog.v44i1.445
Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408-1416. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281
Hasyim, A. W. (2020). Rethinking the role of kiai leadership in modernizing pesantren in Cianjur, West Java. MIQOT: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Keislaman, 44(2), 283-312. https://doi.org/10.30821/miqot.v44i2.754
Hifasoh, F., Latif, M., & Rosyadi, K. I. (2024). Sistem inovasi kiai dalam membangun strategi keberhasilan pondok pesantren salafiyah di Provinsi Jambi [Kiai innovation system in building success strategies for Salafiyah Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province]. Journal of Human and Education (JAHE), 4(4), 933-937. https://doi.org/10.31004/jh.v4i4.1375
Karim, A., Bakhtiar, A., Sahrodi, J., & Chang, P. H. (2025a). Spiritual leadership behaviors in religious workplace: The case of pesantren. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 28(6), 1293-1321. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2022.2076285
Karim, A., Fathurohman, O., Muhammadun, M., Saripudin, W., Rahmat, D., & Mansir, F. (2023). Altruistic works, religion, and corruption: Kiais’ leadership to shape anti-corruption values in pesantren. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1), Article 2238968. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2238968
Karim, A., Fathurohman, O., Sulaiman, S., Marliani, L., Kurniawan, F. F., Nugraha, F., Muaripin, M., Meliani, F., Ridwan, M., & Sianturi, R. (2025b). Islamic spiritual leadership of kyai in fostering santris’ entrepreneurial spirit and independence in boarding school. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, Article 101817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101817
Ma’arif, M. A., Rokhman, M., Fatikh, M. A., Kartiko, A., Ahmadi, A., & Hasan, M. S. (2025). Kiai’s leadership strategies in strengthening religious moderation in Islamic boarding schools. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(1), 23-48. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i1.1168
Pebriaisyah, B. F., Wilodati, W., & Komariah, S. (2022). Kekerasan seksual di lembaga pendidikan keagamaan: Relasi kuasa kyai terhadap santri perempuan di pesantren [Sexual violence in religious educational institutions: Kyai power relations toward female santri in pesantren]. Jurnal Harkat: Media Komunikasi Gender, 18(2), 33-42. https://doi.org/10.15408/harkat.v18i2.26183
Putra, D. I. A., Maspika, S., & Maghfiroh, U. (2021). Women, Islamic boarding schools, and communications: Interpersonal approach of Islamic boarding school leadership. INNOVATIO: Journal for Religious Innovation Studies, 21(1), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.30631/innovatio.v21i1.127
Rachman, A. A. (2014). The impact of authoritarian leadership in pesantren. Religió: Jurnal Studi Agama-Agama, 4(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.15642/religio
Rosita, N. (2018). Kepemimpinan kharismatik kiai di Pondok Pesantren Ali Maksum Krapyak Yogyakarta [The charismatic leadership of kiai at Ali Maksum Islamic Boarding School Krapyak Yogyakarta]. SANGKéP: Jurnal Kajian Sosial Keagamaan, 1(2), 166-183. https://doi.org/10.20414/sangkep.v1i2.620
Sari, D. H. (2019). Social awareness of santris of tahfidzul Qur’an at Nurul Furqon Islamic Boarding School Malang [Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim]. http://etheses.uin-malang.ac.id/16216/
Sirojudin, A. A., Sanusi, A., M, A. S., & Hanafiah, N. (2020). The role of kiai in forming santri independence: Qualitative study at Al-Ittifaq Islamic Boarding School Ciwidey Bandung, West Java. Journal of Islamicate Studies, 3(2), 82-89. https://doi.org/10.32506/jois.v3i2.654
Suryana, Y., Khoiruddin, H., & Oktapiani, T. (2021). Gaya kepemimpinan kharismatik kyai dalam pengembangan pondok pesantren [The charismatic leadership style of kyai in developing Islamic boarding schools]. Jurnal Isema: Islamic Educational Management, 6(2), 199-210. https://doi.org/10.15575/isema.v6i2.6322
Syarif, Z. (2012). Mitos nilai-nilai kepatuhan santri [The myth of santri obedience values]. Tadris: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(1), 19-30. https://doi.org/10.19105/tjpi.v7i1.376
van Manen, M. (2023). Phenomenology of practice: Meaning-giving methods in phenomenological research and writing (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003228073
Wertz, F. J. (2011). Five ways of doing qualitative analysis: Phenomenological psychology, grounded theory, discourse analysis, narrative research, and intuitive inquiry. Guilford Press.
Licensing
©️ 2026 The Author(s). Published by Global Educational Research Review.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
The terms of this license allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript or Published Version in institutional or subject repositories by the author(s).
Reprints and Permissions
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Permission is not required to reuse this article, in part or whole, as long as proper
attribution is given
to the original work.
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References
Ardhana, M. S., Baidillah, I. M., Miftah, R., & Fitriana, A. Q. Z. (2023). Manajemen konflik di pesantren melalui kultur pesantren dan gaya kepemimpinan kyai [Conflict management in pesantren through pesantren culture and kyai leadership style]. Lentera: Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(4), 208-216. https://doi.org/10.57096/lentera.v1i4.38
Arif, M., Fatonah, S., & Billah Faza Mb, A. (2020). The dynamic survival of pesantren in Indonesia: A brief explanation for development of the traditional Muslim education. Sunan Kalijaga International Journal on Islamic Educational Research, 4(1), 44-62. https://doi.org/10.14421/skijier.2020.41.04
Arifin, Z. (2015). Kepemimpinan kiai dalam ideologisasi pemikiran santri di pesantren-pesantren salafiyah Mlangi Yogyakarta [Kiai leadership in the ideologization of santri thought in Salafiyah pesantren in Mlangi, Yogyakarta]. INFERENSI: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 9(2), 351-372. https://doi.org/10.18326/infsl3.v9i2.351-372
Arifin, Z., Maragustam, M., Muqowim, M., & ’Aziz, H. (2021). The kiai’s cultural strategy in shaping the religious culture of the community of Temboro Magetan Village, East Java. Dinamika Ilmu, 21(2), 369-381. https://doi.org/10.21093/di.v21i2.3657
Asirullah, F., Wahid, M. F. M., Rahmansyah, A. E., & Mu’allimin, M. (2022). Manajemen konflik di tengah dinamika pondok pesantren dan madrasah [Conflict management amid the dynamics of Islamic boarding schools and madrasahs]. Dewantara: Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial Humaniora, 1(3), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.30640/dewantara.v1i3.420
Asyari, H. A. (2020). Kepemimpinan karismatik KH. Moh. Hasib Wahab di Ponpes Bahrul Ulum Tambakberas Jombang [The charismatic leadership of KH. Moh. Hasib Wahab at Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School Tambakberas Jombang]. Nidhomul Haq: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.31538/ndh.v5i2.649
Cissé, A., & Rasmussen, A. (2022). Qualitative methods. In G. J. G. Asmundson (Ed.), Comprehensive clinical psychology (2nd ed., pp. 91-103). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818697-8.00216-8
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.
Faesol, A. (2012). Kyai, otoritas keilmuan dan perkembangan tradisi keilmuan pesantren [Kyai, scholarly authority, and the development of pesantren scholarly traditions]. Jurnal Salam, 15(1). https://ejournal.umm.ac.id/index.php/salam/article/view/1103
Farhan, L. P., & Hadisaputra, P. (2021). Conflict management in pesantren, madrasah, and Islamic colleges in Indonesia: A literature review: Manajemen konflik di pesantren, madrasah, dan perguruan tinggi Islam di Indonesia: Kajian literatur [Conflict management in pesantren, madrasah, and Islamic higher education institutions in Indonesia: A literature review]. Dialog, 44(1). https://doi.org/10.47655/dialog.v44i1.445
Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408-1416. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281
Hasyim, A. W. (2020). Rethinking the role of kiai leadership in modernizing pesantren in Cianjur, West Java. MIQOT: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Keislaman, 44(2), 283-312. https://doi.org/10.30821/miqot.v44i2.754
Hifasoh, F., Latif, M., & Rosyadi, K. I. (2024). Sistem inovasi kiai dalam membangun strategi keberhasilan pondok pesantren salafiyah di Provinsi Jambi [Kiai innovation system in building success strategies for Salafiyah Islamic boarding schools in Jambi Province]. Journal of Human and Education (JAHE), 4(4), 933-937. https://doi.org/10.31004/jh.v4i4.1375
Karim, A., Bakhtiar, A., Sahrodi, J., & Chang, P. H. (2025a). Spiritual leadership behaviors in religious workplace: The case of pesantren. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 28(6), 1293-1321. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2022.2076285
Karim, A., Fathurohman, O., Muhammadun, M., Saripudin, W., Rahmat, D., & Mansir, F. (2023). Altruistic works, religion, and corruption: Kiais’ leadership to shape anti-corruption values in pesantren. Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1), Article 2238968. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2238968
Karim, A., Fathurohman, O., Sulaiman, S., Marliani, L., Kurniawan, F. F., Nugraha, F., Muaripin, M., Meliani, F., Ridwan, M., & Sianturi, R. (2025b). Islamic spiritual leadership of kyai in fostering santris’ entrepreneurial spirit and independence in boarding school. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, Article 101817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101817
Ma’arif, M. A., Rokhman, M., Fatikh, M. A., Kartiko, A., Ahmadi, A., & Hasan, M. S. (2025). Kiai’s leadership strategies in strengthening religious moderation in Islamic boarding schools. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(1), 23-48. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i1.1168
Pebriaisyah, B. F., Wilodati, W., & Komariah, S. (2022). Kekerasan seksual di lembaga pendidikan keagamaan: Relasi kuasa kyai terhadap santri perempuan di pesantren [Sexual violence in religious educational institutions: Kyai power relations toward female santri in pesantren]. Jurnal Harkat: Media Komunikasi Gender, 18(2), 33-42. https://doi.org/10.15408/harkat.v18i2.26183
Putra, D. I. A., Maspika, S., & Maghfiroh, U. (2021). Women, Islamic boarding schools, and communications: Interpersonal approach of Islamic boarding school leadership. INNOVATIO: Journal for Religious Innovation Studies, 21(1), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.30631/innovatio.v21i1.127
Rachman, A. A. (2014). The impact of authoritarian leadership in pesantren. Religió: Jurnal Studi Agama-Agama, 4(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.15642/religio
Rosita, N. (2018). Kepemimpinan kharismatik kiai di Pondok Pesantren Ali Maksum Krapyak Yogyakarta [The charismatic leadership of kiai at Ali Maksum Islamic Boarding School Krapyak Yogyakarta]. SANGKéP: Jurnal Kajian Sosial Keagamaan, 1(2), 166-183. https://doi.org/10.20414/sangkep.v1i2.620
Sari, D. H. (2019). Social awareness of santris of tahfidzul Qur’an at Nurul Furqon Islamic Boarding School Malang [Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim]. http://etheses.uin-malang.ac.id/16216/
Sirojudin, A. A., Sanusi, A., M, A. S., & Hanafiah, N. (2020). The role of kiai in forming santri independence: Qualitative study at Al-Ittifaq Islamic Boarding School Ciwidey Bandung, West Java. Journal of Islamicate Studies, 3(2), 82-89. https://doi.org/10.32506/jois.v3i2.654
Suryana, Y., Khoiruddin, H., & Oktapiani, T. (2021). Gaya kepemimpinan kharismatik kyai dalam pengembangan pondok pesantren [The charismatic leadership style of kyai in developing Islamic boarding schools]. Jurnal Isema: Islamic Educational Management, 6(2), 199-210. https://doi.org/10.15575/isema.v6i2.6322
Syarif, Z. (2012). Mitos nilai-nilai kepatuhan santri [The myth of santri obedience values]. Tadris: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 7(1), 19-30. https://doi.org/10.19105/tjpi.v7i1.376
van Manen, M. (2023). Phenomenology of practice: Meaning-giving methods in phenomenological research and writing (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003228073
Wertz, F. J. (2011). Five ways of doing qualitative analysis: Phenomenological psychology, grounded theory, discourse analysis, narrative research, and intuitive inquiry. Guilford Press.
Licensing
©️ 2026 The Author(s). Published by Global Educational Research Review.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
The terms of this license allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript or Published Version in institutional or subject repositories by the author(s).
Reprints and Permissions
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any
medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Permission is not required to reuse this article, in part or whole, as long as proper attribution is
given
to the original work.