Project : Alterization
Chapter 5's

Chapter 2: The Beginning of a Change

Creating change requires a great struggle. However, to be said as much as the struggle, if there is no desire to realize it then everything is still a mere joke. Therefore, every time we attend a science assembly, what we often hear is a discussion about the importance of an intention. Because in fact, all the actions we do in this world must be based on an intention. A desire to do, and a strong determination to realize. So, let me be clear here. Change will not be called change if there is no desire to change. The Quran says, "Allah will not change the state of a people until they seek to change what is in the people themselves". Now, it becomes clear the essence of a desire to change. And that's one of the things I've experienced in my evolution.

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In the past, when I was still sitting on the bench of Mutawassithah or equivalent to Junior High, I once followed a martial arts set. Martial arts has always been a trending topic ever since I was in the first grade of MTW. His name was Thifan Po Khan. The martial arts of a kind of kung fu that was pioneered based on the shiar-shiar Islam. A little glance at the history of Thifan Po Khan, it is a kung fu that is said to have been used by the Janissary team of Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih during the independence of the Ottoman State of Turkey. Because in their heyday, the Ottoman Turks once conquered Constantinople and almost controlled most parts of the world. No wonder there are so many students who are interested in following the martial arts.

"Muslim Kungfu, Nobles' Fists, Allahuakbar!!!"

That is the slogan of the Thifan Po Khan martial arts society that we have always been proud of. We always chant it out loud every time we finish training. This slogan is what makes us always excited even though as hard as the training we live in this college. This slogan means that, He is a kung fu specifically designed for the Muslims to fight for the sabilillah fi, and is also a martial art that was taught from the descendants of the previous Turkish nobility. Less cool what try?

Thifan Po Khan has always been open to all who want to learn it. So that anyone, both people who are sincere in their intentions and people who only follow because of prestige, can freely go in and out of the set without any consequences. Even so, in this martial art there is a term known as "Natural Selection". Yes, a selection from nature that tests the privileges of the troops who are steeped in martial arts. When someone has an insincere intention while studying this martial art, then indirectly he will be eliminated. I don't know what kind of way Nature used to get rid of them.

And now, the form of this set is not a forum of martial associations that can be freely entered as before. It is the official organization of the Islamic Pesantren Al-Irsyad. So that no more people can freely go in and out of this set. Get out come out. And if you want to rejoin it must be through re-registration and selection first. This is how the system runs every organization in this pesantren. If you want to register, then you cannot immediately register. We must wait from the organization until they open registration for students who want to register. What a life that is the opposite between the levels of Mutawassithah and I'dad Mu'allimin. Like the south pole and savannah grasslands. This is where I started to learn about organized life.

That afternoon, I just finished my memorization from the mosque. I'm going to go back to the dormitory to take a shower and do some other chores. On the way, I'm not going straight to the dorm. I took a walk first to the madrasah courtyard in search of the afternoon breeze. That's when I was surprised by something. Madrasah wall magazine board that is being mobbed by several people. Suddenly, my eyes immediately turned to the direction of the announcement. A thick piece of paper with a kung fu college-style design is attached to it. Badurkhan Al-Irsyad set, it is an open recruitment poster. Finally..this is what I've been waiting for so long. Finally, the HBA organization opened registration for the prospective participants of its new members.

On that day, I registered myself. With an administrative fee of twenty-five thousand, exchanged for a piece of paper containing the registration form. There is some self-data and information that needs to be quiz. I don't think I need to fill it right now. Because the date of collection of the form is also very long. For now, all I need to do is three things. Mental and physical readiness as well as an organized ability to time manage and become disciplined. When I was in third grade MTW first, I still had trouble dividing my time. Where is the time to write, where is the time to learn, where is the time to memorize, and where is the time to do "Sentai". A term for the percentage of limbs in the martial arts of Thifan Po Khan. But I guess I'm more than ready now.

One week after the day I signed up, we were gathered. A piece of the order paper to gather has now been attached to the notice board behind the mosque The seniors or commonly called "Rois", gathered us on the second floor of the mosque. Yeah, as always. They only convey motivational sentences, encouragement, and some threats to people whose intentions are wrong. My ears are used to hearing it all from the seniors of Thifan Po Khan when in the Mutawassithah level first. And at the end of the day, they encouraged us all to join in training together on Saturday night next week.

Come on that saturday. Without having a chance to have dinner, the seniors had already started counting down from under the field there. One, two, three. In a hurry, I immediately put on my black shirt and immediately ran ragged down the dorm stairs. Always Raxe Square, which is right next to the Mina building, is now filled with students dressed in black shirts with pants what the rate is. As for the seniors, they used the official uniform of the dark blue Badurkhan union along with a white belt tied around his waist. Nine... ten! And in the end, it was the same as being late. It was in vain to run ragged earlier. After all, it was quick to count those seniors.