Collective-Collegial Kiai Leadership and Pesantren Sustainability: A Case Study of Nurul Islam Islamic Boarding School, Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines collective-collegial kiai leadership and pesantren sustainability at Pondok Pesantren Nurul Islam, Poncogati, Curahdami, Bondowoso, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, involving pesantren caretakers, administrators, teachers, alumni, parents, and community representatives. Data were analyzed interactively and triangulated to strengthen the credibility of the findings. The findings reveal three interconnected leadership practices: planning through musyawarah (deliberation), implementation through the distribution of responsibilities and collaborative coordination, and evaluation through collective deliberation and muhasabah (self-reflection). These practices reflect an organizational arrangement in which nine masyayikh from the founding kiai’s lineage share leadership responsibilities while maintaining common religious and educational commitments. The study proposes a dzurriyah-based collective-collegial masyayikh leadership model integrating lineage-based legitimacy, deliberative decision-making, distributed responsibilities, and spiritual accountability. This model provides a context-specific perspective on leadership and institutional continuity in Islamic boarding schools