Zainal Mustafa

Kiai Haji Zainal Mustafa (1899 – 25 October 1944), born Hudaemi, and also known as Zainal Mustofa, was an Indonesian ulama and National Hero of Indonesia. He founded the Pesantren Sukamanah when he was 20. He was awarded the title of National Hero in 1972.

Biography

Early life and dealing with the Dutch colonial government

Zainal Mustafa was born under the name Hudaemi in Singaparna, Tasikmalaya Regency, Dutch East Indies in 1899. He was a santri, an orthodox Javanese Muslim. After attending a standard elementary school, he went on to study at many Islamic schools, which earned him the nickname santri kelana (wandering student). In 1927 he went to Mecca on the hajj; after he returned to Indonesia, he changed his name to Zainal Mustafa. At the age of 20, he founded his own Islamic school named Pesantren Sukamanah. He later served as the Assistant Councillor for the Nahdlatul Ulama branch in Tasikmalaya.

Mustafa was fiercely against the Dutch colonialism due to his Islamic beliefs. He was approached several times by the Dutch colonial government and asked to work with them, yet he refused each time. On 17 November 1941, after a period of censorship and being stalked by the secret police, he and fellow kyai Rukhiyat were arrested by the Dutch colonial government and charged with provoking people to rebel against the Dutch. He was jailed for almost two months in Sukamiskin, Bandung. In February 1942 he was arrested again.