There had been a history of da'wah based on university campuses, notably of elite secular universities such as
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) since the 1970s. However, there was a demand for more comprehensive and systematic methods of da'wah, which was still very informal and strictly monitored by the
Suharto regime. Some religious gatherings based in Salman Mosque of ITB is considered one of many origins of Jemaah Tarbiyah. These religious gatherings put particular emphasis on specific attitudes toward basic Islamic teachings and interpretations, including the principle of
ukhuwah (brotherhood), dress code, and the prohibition on smoking. Among the activists of Jemaah Tarbiyah, four Muslim students returned from the
Islamic University of Madinah, Hilmi Aminuddin, Salim Segaf Aljufri, Abdullah Said Baharmus, and Acep Abdul Syukur, are considered founding fathers (collectively called
muassis).
Usrah system was a training program of Muslim Brotherhood members, and the Tarbiyah movement had directly implemented the methodology. Activists of the Tarbiyah movement are also considered to be committed toward translation of books written by members of Muslim Brotherhood, including
Hassan al-Banna and
Sayyid Qutb. There is also an explanation that links Jemaah Tarbiyah to the
Indonesian Islamic Dawaah Council (DDII), a conservative Islamic organization headed by
Mohammad Natsir. DDII had contributed to the constructions of mosques in the universities and was central to the importation of religious teachings from the Middle East. Some of the prominent activists of Jemaah Tarbiyah had DDII backgrounds. Throughout the 1980s, Jemaah Tarbiyah had managed to grow its influence underground, mostly due to its focus on religious issues and avoided political activism. The movement had also established formal institutions with similar aims but without explicit reference toward its connections. Such institutions include foundations like Nurul Fikri, Al-Hikmah Boarding School, and PA-HAM. In the 1990s, the movement had established influence over many intra-university student organizations and discussion forums. The movement accommodated various Islamic religious strands from
traditionalist to
modernists, and was fluid regarding pragmatic concerns such as political system. After the fall of Suharto and the beginning of the democratic transition, activists of the movement founded an Islamist political party Justice Party (PK) in 1998, and its successor Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) in 2002. Majority of the members of PK and PKS, including the first president of PK Nurmahmudi Ismail, were activists of Jemaah Tarbiyah. The establishment of a political party was chosen over the establishment of a formal socio-religious organization. The decision was supported by the majority of the activists. Main activities related to da'wah conducted during the Jemaah Tarbiyah era were succeeded by the political parties. Today, activists of Jemaah Tarbiyah have been continuously influencing the creation of new trends in da'wah and Islamic socio-religious movements, including One Day One Juz (ODOJ). ==Notes==