RADAR BLITAR – A unique rapid Tarawih Mantenan tradition at an Islamic boarding school in Blitar Regency continues to attract thousands of worshippers each Ramadan. The nightly prayer, consisting of 23 rakaat including witir, lasts only seven to ten minutes.
The practice takes place at Mambaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School in Udanawu District. Despite its unusually fast pace, clerics say the prayer remains valid and follows Islamic requirements.
Caretaker Dliya’uddin Azzamzami Zubaidi said the tradition dates back to around 1907. The school’s founder, Abdul Ghofur, introduced it out of empathy for local farmers.
He realized most villagers worked long hours in the fields from morning to dusk. He wanted them to maintain nightly worship without physical strain after laborious days, the cleric explained.
The initiative proved effective. Instead of feeling burdened, farmers remained consistent in attending Tarawih. The brief format preserved religious commitment while respecting physical fatigue.
Religious leaders at the pesantren stress that the speed does not violate Islamic law. Mandatory recitations and the required calm pauses, or tuma’ninah, remain intact. Worshippers still complete each movement with minimal but valid composure.
More than a century later, the community-centered approach still resonates. Each Ramadan, about 1,500 worshippers from various regions travel to join the prayer at Mantenan, showing the enduring appeal of the founder’s legacy.