Ro'an, Khidmah, and the Pursuit of Baraka: A Subcultural Practice in Indonesian Pesantren

Abstract

This article examines ro’an, a communal activity in Indonesian traditional pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), as a distinctive subculture form through which santri (students) express khidmah (devotional service) and seek baraka (blessing). While communal work is often understood as a social and practical function, less attention has been paid to its religious meanings and its relationship to pesantren’s cultural characteristics. This study shifts the analytical focus toward its spiritual meaning and cultural specificity within pesantren life, and how ro’an operates not merely as social labor but as a religiously meaningful practice embedded in the pesantren’s values. Using a qualitative approach, this study analyzes interviews with 12 informants, including santri, alumni, and musyrif (supervisor) from pesantren in Yogyakarta and East Java, as well as pesantren officials. The findings demonstrate that ro’an reflects subcultural practices because it has its own uniqueness in the following aspects: the way of life adopted, the outlook on life and values followed, and a separate internal power hierarchy that is fully obeyed, reinforcing obedience and sincerity, and relying on the pursuit of baraka.