Also, in 1912, Abdulhalim started an “educational institution” by using (as initial capital) the house and prayer room that his father-in-law had built on a plot of land (approximately 300 meters west of Majalengka square). In addition to the Koran (religious learning), the students from Majalengka and its surroundings also learn and practice agriculture and trade (Abdulhalim himself is diligent in trading outside of teaching time).
When the santri and his followers from the farmers and traders grew in number, reaching hundreds of people, Abdulhalim formed an association (jam’iyah) called Hayatul Qulub. This association first brought together young people, followed by farmers and traders in Majalengka and its surroundings. From there, Abdulhalim began to be involved in socio-economic and political movements, including the riot (conflict with Chinese traders) in Cideres in 1914, which prompted the Dutch colonialists to suspect, intervene, and even repress militarily whatever the young Kiai did. And finally, after that, Hayatul Qulub was disbanded.
His activities in the mass movement of farmers and traders seemed to have attracted the attention of HOS Tjokroaminoto to attract Abdulhalim to join the Syarikat Islam (SI), which he founded and is based in Solo. Not long after that, Abdulhalim became SI’s leading activist in Majalengka. With the SI vehicle, Abdulhalim in 1916 was involved and even became one of the leaders of the strike movement for the workers of the Dutch sugar factories in Majalengka and Cirebon. After that, at the suggestion of HOS Tjokroaminoto and the support of the local ulema, in 1917 Abdulhalim founded the Persyarikatan Ulama (PU), which later became the Persyarikatan Rakyat Islam (PUI), which still exists today, as a strategy for separating fields of activity; education, religion, social, and economy are channelled through PU, while political activities are channelled through SI. The range of activities continues to be expanded in Majalengka and its surroundings and further away to East Java. Abdulhalim was listed as a participant in Tasywirul Afkar (1925), a kind of regular discussion forum on religious, economic, political, and cultural issues that was initiated and developed by Wahab Chasbullah in Surabaya and (temporarily) led by Mas Mansur, two figures who are closely acquainted with Abdulhalim during the Koran at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. In a meeting of 11 pesantren Kiai in 1926, ahead of the declaration of the establishment of NU, to ensure a religious organization that defends local traditions, Abdulhalim’s name was listed as one of them is assumed that he meant Abdulhalim Majalengka.
After that, the Santi Asromo Islamic Boarding School also declined yearly; The number of students continued to decrease, and the supporters, especially the farmers and traders, have lost their role models. No generation of either lineage or senior students continues; Kiai Abdulhalim’s sons chose to engage in socio-economic and political activities outside Majalengka. In time, the ideals and ideas of building civic independence wrapped in resistant ideology and neo-Sufism theology were also lost. When I (coincidentally) visited Pasir Ayu in 1988, I didn’t see any of the students there; there were only old, decaying empty booths, several permanent buildings next to them with signboards: Madrasah Ibtidaiyah, Tsanawiyah, and Aliyah with a small number of students. The orientation has changed; from building theological independence to a piece of paper in the form of a diploma. Now, is there anyone willing to continue Kiai Abdulhalim’s ideal, of course, in a different place?