Banda Aceh News | JANTHO, ACEH — In a dedicated effort to preserve traditional Islamic scholarship and elevate academic rigor across regional dayahs (Islamic boarding schools), the Aceh Besar Regency Dayah Education Office will host the 2026 Kitab Kuning (Classical Yellow Book) Reading Competition, competing for the prestigious Aceh Besar DPRK Chairman Cup.
Featuring a total cash prize pool reaching tens of millions of rupiah, the high-stakes scholastic event will take place from December 1 to 3, 2026, at the Dayah Masyraf Complex in Gampong Keneu Eu, Peukan Bada District [cite: Ajang bergengsi yang bertujuan mencetak generasi santri dengan penguasaan ilmu agama yang mumpuni ini bakal dihelat pada 1 hingga 3 Desember 2026 di Kompleks Dayah Masyraf, Gampong Keneu Eu, Kecamatan Peukan Bada.].
Initiated by the Chairman of the Aceh Besar Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRK), Abdul Muchti, the initiative aims to reinforce foundational Islamic jurisprudence and exegesis among young Acehnese scholars [cite: Mengingat tingginya antusiasme dan besarnya hadiah yang diperebutkan dari inisiatif Ketua DPRK Aceh Besar, Abdul Muchti ini, panitia mengimbau para santri yang memenuhi kriteria untuk segera mendaftarkan diri.].
Rigorous Testing in Fiqh and Exegesis
Participants will undergo comprehensive examinations evaluating their translation skills, grammatical precision, and analytical comprehension of two monumental classical Islamic texts:
- I’anatut Thalibin: A cornerstone text tested to measure deep analytical understanding in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).
- Hasyiyah Shawi Ala Tafsir Jalalain: A major classical commentary utilized to assess advanced proficiency in Quranic exegesis (tafsir).
The competition is open to male and female students (santri putra and putri) aged 16 to 21. Eligibility guidelines require candidates to be active boarding students residing within Aceh Besar regency, or native Aceh Besar youths currently enrolled in dayahs outside the region—verifiable via official residency identification (KTP or Family Card/KK) [cite: Syarat kepesertaannya pun mengakomodasi banyak pihak, yakni wajib berstatus sebagai santri aktif yang mondok di dayah dalam wilayah Kabupaten Aceh Besar, atau santri asli Aceh Besar yang sedang menuntut ilmu di dayah luar daerah., Khusus bagi santri yang mondok di luar wilayah, mereka wajib melampirkan bukti kependudukan berupa KTP atau Kartu Keluarga (KK) asal Aceh Besar.].
Prospective participants seeking technical guidelines can contact committee liaison Maulana Achsan via WhatsApp at 0852-9537-0646 [cite: Bagi calon peserta yang membutuhkan informasi pendaftaran maupun petunjuk teknis lomba, dapat langsung menghubungi narahubung panitia, Maulana Achsan, melalui pesan WhatsApp di nomor 0852-9537-0646.].
Dayah Tradition as Aceh’s Intellectual Bedrock
The Kitab Kuning reading tradition represents far more than an academic exercise; it forms the core intellectual foundation of Acehnese Islamic civilization. For centuries, the ability to navigate, interpret, and contextualize unvowelized Arabic texts has served as the benchmark for genuine religious leadership throughout the Malay Archipelago.
By investing public resources and parliamentary sponsorship into classical text competitions, local authorities reinforce the enduring relevance of dayah institutions alongside modern academic tracks. This strategic patronage ensures that as Aceh modernizes, its upcoming generation of Islamic scholars remains firmly rooted in authentic textual mastery, preserving the province’s historical legacy as the “Veranda of Mecca.”
