Pemberdayaan Komunitas Kampung MATFA Indonesia melalui Praktik Ajaran Kasih Sayang Tuan Guru dan Tuwan Imam

Abstract

This research investigates the community empowerment practices in Kampung MATFA Indonesia, a unique spiritual and communal village located in Telaga Said Village, Sei Lepan Subdistrict, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra. The empowerment model in this community is shaped by the compassionate teachings of Y.M. Tuan Guru and is institutionalized through the leadership of his successor, Tuwan Imam. The study applies a qualitative descriptive method, using data collection techniques such as participant observation, in-depth interviews with key informants, and documentation review. The findings show that Kampung MATFA adopts a holistic empowerment strategy that integrates spiritual, social, and economic dimensions through a compassion-centered framework. The leadership of Tuwan Imam is central to the community‟s daily life, guiding activities that range from religious education and decision-making collective worship to economic sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, small-scale industries, and the management of a communal bottled water company (HANICHA). Social institutions like the Baitul Maal, communal kitchens, and educational programs for children and adults further reinforce this system of empowerment. The community employs the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach by mobilizing internal resources, talents, and values within the community, rather than relying on external assistance. This approach is complemented by Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques that emphasize inclusive through regular musyawarah (community deliberation), collective planning, and participatory evaluation. Moreover, the study also addresses external perceptions of the community—ranging from admiration for its unity and self-reliance to criticisms of authoritarianism or indoctrination—offering a nuanced analysis of local spiritual leadership in a modern context. The research concludes that Kampung MATFA demonstrates a model of alternative empowerment that blends spiritual devotion, strong leadership, cultural values, and cooperative economics. The institutionalization of compassion as a guiding principle has enabled the development of a self sustaining, harmonious society that may serve as a reference for culturally rooted community development elsewhere.