Biography of Ahmad Fatih Syuhud
A. Fatih Syuhud: Overview
A. Fatih Syuhud, whose full name is Ahmad Fatih Syuhud, is a prominent Indonesian Islamic scholar, educator, prolific author, and leader in the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) tradition. Born on January 22, 1969, in Malang, East Java, he is deeply rooted in the world of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), serving as the Chairman and primary caregiver (pengasuh) of Pondok Pesantren Al-Khoirot Malang since 2011. Under his leadership, the institution has modernized while preserving classical Islamic teachings, integrating formal education (e.g., junior and senior high school curricula) with Arabic language, fiqh, tafsir, and extracurriculars like computer courses, English, science olympiads, and sports. He holds a PhD in Tafsir (Quranic Exegesis) and an MA in Political Science & Islamic Studies, and is known for his balanced approach emphasizing moderation (tawasuth), tolerance (tasamuh), and equilibrium (tawazun) in Islam.
A. Fatih Syuhud Early Life and Family
Syuhud was born into a scholarly family as the sixth of ten children. His father, KH. Muhammad Syuhud Zayyadi, founded Pondok Pesantren Al-Khoirot for boys, while his mother, Ny. Hj. Masluhah Muzakki, established the affiliated women’s pesantren. The family traces its lineage (nasab) to the Wali Songo (e.g., Sunan Ampel and Sunan Giri) and ultimately to Prophet Muhammad SAW through the Bani Isbat clan. Growing up in the pesantren environment in Desa Karangsuko, Pagelaran (formerly Gondanglegi), Malang, he began his religious education early, earning accolades like “bintang pelajar” (star student) and speech competition wins in madrasah diniyah by age 12.
Education
Syuhud’s education blends traditional santri (pesantren) training with formal academic degrees, spanning Indonesia and India. He studied under renowned kyai (scholars) like KH. Abdul ‘Alim, KH. Hasani Nawawi, KH. Abdullah Faqih, and international figures such as Syekh Sayid Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi. Key milestones include:
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Level
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Institution
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Field/Location
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Years
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Notes
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Early Pesantren
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Pondok Pesantren Al-Khoirot
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Classical Islamic Studies
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1977–1983
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Local foundation; excelled in speech and academics.
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Intermediate Pesantren
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Pondok Pesantren Sidogiri (Pasuruan); Darul Ulum & Langitan (Tuban)
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Fiqh, Tafsir, Hadith
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1983–1994
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Khatam (completed recitation) of Sahih Bukhari, Muslim, Muwatta’ Malik; won yellow book reading contests.
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Bachelor’s (S1)
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Universitas Islam Darul Ulum (UNISDA) Lamongan
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Hukum (Law)
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1990–1994
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Studied fiqh texts like Fathul Mu’in and Tafsir Munir alongside formal degree.
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Bachelor’s (S1)
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Nadwatul Ulama (Nadwa College), Lucknow, India
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Syari’ah Wa Ushuluddin
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1995–1997
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Earned Alim Nadwi title; ijazah in nine core books (kutubut tis’ah) and Quran sanad.
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Master’s (S2)
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Aligarh Muslim University, India
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Islamic Studies
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1997–1998
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Focused on advanced Islamic scholarship.
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Master’s (S2)
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Agra University, India
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Political Science
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1999–2000
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Explored Islam-politics intersections.
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PhD (S3)
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Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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Islamic Studies (Sufism)
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2002–2007
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Dissertation on Sufi traditions.
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PhD (S3)
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UIN Satu Tulungagung, Indonesia
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Tafsir and Ulumul Quran
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2021–2025
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Dissertation on Quranic exegesis Methodology of Imam Shafi’i .
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Career and Contributions
Returning to Indonesia in 2007, Syuhud revitalized Al-Khoirot Pesantren, expanding it into a comprehensive institute (Al-Khoirot Institute of Islamic Studies) with modern facilities. He teaches advanced texts like Tafsir Jalalain, Al-Umm (Shafi’i fiqh), and Minhajut Thalibin (in Arabic and English), and leads weekly Jumat Legi lectures on Sahih Bukhari and Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah principles. As a consultant at Konsultasi Syariah Islam and senior researcher at Al-Khoirot, he promotes progressive Islamic education.Syuhud is also a prolific writer and early digital advocate, dubbed Indonesia’s “Ambassador Blogger” for promoting English-language blogging. He contributes to Global Voices and national media, and has spoken at events like the Religion 20 (R20) Summit in Bali (2022) and Nahdlatul Ulama’s centennial gala in Jakarta (2022). His online presence includes X (@fatihsyuhud, 10k+ followers), Instagram (@afatihsyuhud), and websites like fatihsyuhud.com (English resources on Arabic, politics, economics) and fatihsyuhud.net (Indonesian books).
Publications
With over 30 books (as of November 2025) and hundreds of articles in Indonesian and English, Syuhud covers Islam, education, family, history, and politics. Notable works include:
- Santri, Pesantren dan Tantangan Pendidikan Islam (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2008)
- Dasar-dasar Jurnalistik: Tip Menulis di Media Massa (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2008)
- Wanita Shalihah, Wanita Modern (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2009)
- Pribadi Akhlakul Karimah (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2010)
- Pendidikan Islam: Cara Mendidik Anak Saleh, Smart dan Pekerja Keras (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2011)
- Dasar-dasar Jurnalistik: Cara Mudah Menulis, Membuat Buletin dan Mading (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2012)
- Menuju Kebangkitan Islam dengan Pendidikan (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2012)
- Keluarga Sakinah: : Cara membina rumah tangga harmonis, bahagia dan berkualitas (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2013)
- Merajut Rumah Tangga Bahagia (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2014)
- Meneladani Akhlak Rasul dan Para Sahabat (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2015)
- Bahasa Arab Modern bagi Pemula (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2016)
- Percakapan Bahasa Arab Modern (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2016)
- Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah: Wasatiyah, Tasamuh, Cinta Damai (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2017)
- Pedoman Guru Bahasa Arab: Cara mengajar Bahasa Arab berdasarkan Klasifikasi Santri dan Target Pencapaian (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2017)
- Hukum Waris Islam: Cara Mudah Memahami Ilmu Faraidh (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2018)
- Kumpulan Doa, Dzikir dan Sholawat (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2018)
- Bahasa Arab Media: Televisi, Cetak dan Online (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2018)
- Terjemah Matan Ajurumiyah (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2019)
- Islam dan Politik: Sistem Khilafah dan Realitas Dunia Islam (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2019)
- Cara Membaca Kitab Kuning (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2020)
- Pedoman Guru Bahasa Inggris tingkat SLTP dan SLTA (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2020)
- Percakapan Bahasa Arab 2 dan Cara Menulis Diary (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2021)
- Ilmu Nahwu Praktis dan Terjemah Imrithi (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2022)
- Amaliah Aswaja Nahdliyah: Dalil syar’i tradisi Nahdliyin (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2023)
- Bahasa Arab Modern dan Amiyah Arab Saudi bagi Pemula: Percakapan, Membaca dan Menulis (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2023)
- Jihad Keluarga: Cara membina rumah tangga sukses dunia akhirat (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2023)
- Ahlussunnah Wal Jamaah: Islam Wasathiyah, Tasamuh, Cinta Damai (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, Edisi Revisi, 2024)
- Panduan Guru Madrasah Diniyah: Cara Sukses Mengajar Santri Madin (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2024)
- Bahasa Arab Amiyah Saudi untuk Jamaah Haji dan Umrah (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, Desember 2024)
- Commentary, editing and Arabic Text Addition of Minhaj at-Talibin li An-Nawawi English Translation by E. Howard (2025)
- Concise Guide of Basic Islamic Teaching in Shafi’i School of Thought: An English Translation of Matn Al-Ghayah wa al-Taqrib li Abi Shuja’ (Al-Khoirot Research and Publication, 2025)
- Jurisprudence in The Shafi’i School of Thought: An Intermediate to Advanced-level Fiqh Studies Translation of An-Nawawi’s Al-Minhaj (Al-Khoirot Research and Publication, 2025)
- Fikih Ibadah Mazhab Maliki (Pustaka Al-Khoirot, 2025)
Books are available digitally via Google Play (s.id/UqKNM) or print orders (+62 895-3970-69597).
Personal Life and Achievements
Syuhud is married to Chusniyah Khoirotus Sa’adah the daughter of KH. Abdullah Kamal Mufid (founder of Pesantren Darul Mujawwidin, Kepanjen, Malang) and has four children: Ahmad Farzan Esfandiar, Kanza Nabila, Rozana Zunaira, and Shahin Sarfaroz. He leads a simple life, focusing on family and community.Achievements include ranking #1 in Tempo’s Top Ten Indonesian Bloggers (2006), features in Tempo magazine, and citations in international books like Citizen Journalist (Klaudia Djajalie) and iMuslims (Gary R. Bunt). As a charismatic NU figure, he bridges traditional pesantren values with contemporary needs.
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