A Brief History of the Establishment of At-Tibyan Islamic Boarding School, Deli Serdang
At-Tibyan Islamic Boarding School (Ponpes At-Tibyan) in Deli Serdang was officially established in early January 2020 as an initiative of the Ar-Risalah Al-Khairiyah Foundation, Medan. This move was a response to the growing public interest in formal, pesantren-based education not only in Deli Serdang but also across Indonesia.
The foundation of Ponpes At-Tibyan was driven by a critical observation of issues commonly found in the field. On one hand, many Islamic boarding schools excel in Arabic or English speaking skills but lack a solid foundation in the linguistic sciences themselves, such as nahwu (Arabic syntax), sharf (Arabic morphology), or English grammar. On the other hand, there are institutions with strong theoretical knowledge of these languages but whose students remain passive or unconfident in practical conversation.
To address this gap, the Ar-Risalah Al-Khairiyah Foundation designed a new educational model one that combines both strengths: fluency in speaking and mastery of language fundamentals. This vision materialized in the establishment of Ponpes At-Tibyan. As explained by Ustadz H. Muslim Maslan, MA, one of the guiding figures behind the At-Tibyan Islamic Education Foundation, the goal is to produce students who are not only linguistically skilled but also actively communicative in both Arabic and English.
In line with this mission, Arabic language education has become a flagship and priority program at At-Tibyan. The school consistently develops and evaluates Arabic learning strategies to ensure effective instruction and measurable progress within the pesantren environment.
Alongside Arabic, the Hifzh al-Qur’an (Qur’an memorization) program is another top priority. Students engage in daily memorization and recitation practice under the intensive guidance of qualified and experienced instructors. This program also includes tahsin al-qirā’ah (Qur’anic recitation improvement), ensuring that students not only memorize but also recite the Qur’an correctly and beautifully.
In terms of classroom learning, as a modern Islamic boarding school, Ponpes At-Tibyan provides a comprehensive Islamic curriculum covering essential subjects such as tauhid (Islamic monotheism), fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), hadith, tajwid, sirah (Prophetic biography), and more. In addition to Islamic studies, the school also adopts the national curriculum under the supervision of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Alhamdulillah, in October 2020, one of the school’s units Madrasah Tsanawiyah At-Tibyan was officially registered with the Ministry of Religious Affairs under NSM: 121212070158. Later, in December 2021, Ponpes At-Tibyan Deli Serdang itself received formal recognition from the Ministry with NSP: 510012070055.
With Allah’s permission, Ponpes At-Tibyan remains firmly committed to nurturing a generation of devout, intelligent, and well-mannered Muslims individuals who will one day contribute to positive change in their communities, the nation, and beyond.