The “House” that Change Built

Abstract

Once, a kyai and his senior santri came to pesantren Tebu Ireng to meditate and pray at the grave of its founder, Hasyim Asyari. The kyai was looking for the tasbih (prayer beads) of Hasyim Asyari, which would give him great spiritual powers. After several days of prayer, the kyai led his students home disappointed because he had not found the tasbih. One student asked what the kyai had been looking for and was told, for the first time, that the kyai sought the tasbih of Hasyim Asyari. The student related how while he was praying and doing zikir (chant, lit. remembrance of God), a man came to him and showed him where a tasbih was hidden, but because he did not know the kyai was looking for it, he did not get it or mention the incident.